Health Effects in New York State Personnel Who Responded to the World Trade Center Disaster

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To conduct an evaluation of health effects in New York State personnel who responded to the World Trade Center disaster. METHODS: Data from a medical monitoring program, including questionnaire data, physical examination results, and clinical and laboratory test results were evaluated for 1423 participants. Descriptive statistics were reviewed and data were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Lower and upper respiratory symptoms were reported by nearly half of the study participants. One third reported a psychological symptom. Some health effects, including respiratory symptoms and symptoms suggestive of posttraumatic stress disorder, were associated with having been caught in the cloud of dust on September 11, 2001. CONCLUSIONS: This cohort probably experienced less overall exposure than other World Trade Center responder cohorts did. Results suggest that being present when the buildings collapsed was associated with reported symptoms.