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As reported in:
Physical Health Status of World Trade Center Rescue and Recovery
Workers and Volunteers, New York City, July 2002-August 2004,
published by Mount Sinai in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report on September 10, 2004.
Workers and
volunteers who performed rescue, recovery and clean-up tasks
following the 9/11 attacks have been found to have high rates of
persistent health symptoms. While this may not be news to the
thousands of workers and volunteers who have experienced these
problems, the report published in September 2004* confirms what
many of the program’s patients long suspected – exposures at the
WTC site caused health problems that lasted long after people
left the pile and the surrounding areas.
Summary of Findings
Health Effects
Reported
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Respiratory
problems are the most common and persistent of the health
effects.
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Nearly ¾ of
the participants in this report stated that they had new
onset or worsening of respiratory problems while working on
the recovery and clean up.
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Fifty percent
had symptoms that lasted at least 8 months after they
stopped their WTC work.
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Thirty-one
percent of participants who never smoked had abnormal
breathing tests; the percentage of abnormal results among
the general population is 13%.
In addition,
nearly 40% of the participants reported that they had either new
onset or worsening of heartburn or indigestion.
Exposures
Exposure assessments show that
the destruction of the WTC towers resulted in the release of
high levels of airborne contaminants.
Exposures were due
primarily to:
- airborne dust
- sooty, smoky fires
(until December 2001)
-
diesel exhaust from heavy equipment
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The WTC dust contained
(partial list):
- pulverized
(alkaline) cement
- glass fibers
- asbestos
- polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
- polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs)
- polychlorinated
furans
- dioxins
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In spite of these exposures,
only 21% had appropriate respiratory protection (full-or
half-face respirators) by September 17th.
Beyond Symptoms
Participants experienced
numerous symptoms that contributed to their disability, distress
and need for medical care. Nineteen percent (19%) of examinees
reported missing work because of WTC-related health problems.
The
report concludes that there is a great need for treatment
resources. The current federal programs only pay for medical
monitoring – not treatment. While most of the Monitoring
Program Clinical Centers can refer participants to low cost or
no cost treatment, there is still a need for resources for
treatment for those who don't have access to care.
See here for a copy of the full report.
The study was an analysis of 1,138 participants seen at the WTC
Worker and Volunteer Medical Screening Program’s Mount Sinai
clinic between July 16, 2002 and December 31, 2002. While this
is only approximately 10% of the 11,768 seen in the program, the
results are significant. |
