Self-reported health impact analysis of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in seven coastal Louisiana communities

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon sank into the Gulf of Mexico leaving in its wake what has come to be known as the worst environmental disaster in United States history. What this title leaves out is the associated impacts on health and local economics that were a result of the oil spill. The Louisiana Bucket Brigade knows well the health problems that accompany close proximity to oil refineries and the ensuing difficulties that communities face when requesting cooperation from industry in making communities environmentally safe. In this paper, we discuss the self-reported impacts on health, collected through 954 surveys conducted in seven coastal Louisiana spill-affected communities. The basis of this paper is from a report that represents the analysis of the first on-the-ground data collected post-spill in Louisiana communities. The study served a two-fold function to gain insight into the extent of the health impacts associated with the oil spill and to be used as a pilot, or first attempt, for survey methods associated with health impact surveillance within communities affected by environmental toxics from the oil spill.