Article

Physical and mental health symptoms among NYC transit workers seven and one-half months after the WTC attacks†‡

  1. Loren C. Tapp MD, MS*,
  2. Sherry Baron MD, MPH,
  3. Bruce Bernard MD, MPH,
  4. Richard Driscoll PhD, MPH,
  5. Charles Mueller MS,
  6. Ken Wallingford MS, CIH

Article first published online: 16 MAY 2005

DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20177

Issue

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

Volume 47, Issue 6, pages 475–483, June 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

Tapp, L. C., Baron, S., Bernard, B., Driscoll, R., Mueller, C. and Wallingford, K. (2005), Physical and mental health symptoms among NYC transit workers seven and one-half months after the WTC attacks. Am. J. Ind. Med., 47: 475–483. doi: 10.1002/ajim.20177

Author Information

  1. Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio

*Medical Officer Hazard Evaluations and Technical Assistance Branch, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway, R-10, Cincinnati, OH 45226.

  1. †

    This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

  2. ‡

    All work was performed at NIOSH–Cincinnati, OH.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 MAY 2005
  2. Article first published online: 16 MAY 2005
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 18 MAR 2005

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (123K)

Keywords:

  • transit workers;
  • terrorist attacks;
  • depression;
  • PTSD;
  • respiratory;
  • mucous membrane

Abstract

Background

On September 11, 2001, 600–800 New York City transit (NYCT) workers were working near the World Trade Center (WTC) Towers. After the disaster, employees reported physical and mental health symptoms related to the event.

Methods

Two hundred sixty-nine NYC transit employees were surveyed for mental and physical health symptoms 7½ months after the WTC disaster.

Results

Workers in the dust cloud at the time of the WTC collapse had significantly higher risk of persistent lower respiratory (OR = 9.85; 95% CI: 2.24, 58.93) and mucous membrane (OR = 4.91; 95% CI: 1.53, 16.22) symptoms, depressive symptoms (OR = 2.48; 95% CI: 1.12, 5.51), and PTSD symptoms (OR = 2.91; 95% CI: 1.003, 8.16) compared to those not exposed to the dust cloud. Additional WTC exposures and potential confounders were also analyzed.

Conclusions

Clinical follow up for physical and psychological health conditions should be provided for public transportation workers in the event of a catastrophic event. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:475–483, 2005. Published 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Get PDF (123K)