Associations between direct contact with the oil and worsened health indicators after Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Results from Gulf States Population Survey

Abstract

BACKGROUND Oil spills were known to affect human health through the exposure of inherent hazardous chemicals. The aim of the study was to examine the associations between direct contact with the oil (DCO) and health indicators among the adult residents in the 25 coastal counties or parishes most directly affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DHOS) in the Gulf of Mexico. METHODS Data were based on the Gulf States Population Survey (GSPS). The GSPS collected survey data from a random sample of households, with the majority of the interviews conducted in the 25 coastal counties or parishes that were most directly affected by the spill. After identifying the confounding variables, associations of DCO with poor quality of life (QoL), poor self-rated health (SRH), psychiatric disorders, asthma, and cardiovascular disease among the adult residents after DHOS were analyzed using logistic regressions. RESULTS The mean age of total of 5,167 adult residents at the time of questionnaire completion was 53.93 (SD=16.29) ranging from 18 to 95 years. Controlling for confounding variables, DCO was associated with higher odds of poor mental QoL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.284; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.045-1.578; _p_=.018), poor SRMH (aOR=1.278; 95%CI: 1.021-1.601; _p_=.033), anxiety (aOR=1.680; 95%CI: 1.395-2.024; _p_<.001), depression (aOR=1.182; 95%CI: 0.977-1.430; _p_=.086), and suicidality (aOR=1.920; 95%CI: 1.411-2.614; _p_<.001) after DHOS. CONCLUSIONS In conclusions, the prevalence of co-occurring poor SRHs, co-existing poor QoL, and concurrent psychiatric disorders was high in adult residents after DHOS. Similarly, DCO had association with poor mental QoL, poor SRMH, and psychiatric disorders. The empirical findings of this research presented the managerial implications in the field of environmental health.