Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #121958

Megan Perrin, MPH, Laura DiGrande, MPH, Robert Brackbill, PhD, MPH, and Mark Farfel, ScD. Division of Epidemiology, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street, New York, NY 10013, 1-212-788-5356, mperrin@health.nyc.gov

The WTCHR cohort is comprised of 71,437 individuals personally affected by the WTC attack who completed a baseline survey 2-3 years after the event assessing disaster experience, exposure to environmental agents and trauma, and physical and mental health. Among cohort members, 8,506 were adult survivors of 38 buildings characterized as either damaged or collapsed. Within this subcohort, the relationships between September 11th experiences and current severe psychological distress (SPD) and self-reported new or worsening emotional problems were examined. Preliminary analyses revealed that 5,430 (65%) reported new or worsening emotional problems and 886 (11%) screened positive for current SPD. Risk factors associated with SPD included: being in the dust/debris cloud (OR = 2.6; 95% CI: 2.2 -3.0), sustaining an injury (OR = 3.4; 95% CI: 2.9- 3.9), witnessing a traumatic event (OR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.9- 5.1), and evacuating a building that subsequently collapsed (OR= 1.3; 95% CI: 1.2-1.6). These associations remained statistically significant after controlling for age, gender, mode of enrollment (self identified vs. contacted through a list) and race/ethnicity. Similar associations were found for self-reported emotional problems. Neither outcome was associated with reported time of evacuation (either before or after the collapse of the first tower). Individuals who were in damaged or destroyed buildings on September 11th experienced SPD and had a high prevalence of self-reported emotional problems 2-3 years after the attack. These findings suggest the need for long-term follow-up studies and attention among sub-populations not yet addressed in the September 11th literature.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Introduce the World Trade Center Health Registry as a unique resource to examine potential short and long-term health effects of the September 11th disaster on a large and diverse population.
• 2. Examine the mental health of individuals with high levels of exposure to the WTC attacks.
• 3. Identify important risk factors associated with increased psychological distress and emotional problems among individuals directly exposed to the WTC attacks.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation