Associations between Oil Spill Response Work and Acute Mental Health Symptoms among U.S. Coast Guard Responders to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Abstract

Background/Aim: The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Oil Spill was the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history. Over 8,500 U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) members were deployed to carry out a wide range of response and clean-up activities. Measures of oil spill response work, such as deployment length, timing, and oil exposure, may have an acute mental health impact. This population of USCG responders, many of whom are young, healthy, and have equal access to healthcare, has the unique potential to address challenges in understanding mental health impacts of disaster response work.Methods: In this cross-sectional study of 4,855 USCG responders, deployment-related exposures, health symptoms, and lifestyle factors were ascertained via post-deployment surveys. An oil exposure index (OEI), which incorporated duration/timing of response and self-reported crude oil exposure, was developed to semi-quantitatively estimate crude oil exposure(none; medium/low; high). To investigate associations with self-reported anxiety and depression, we used adjusted log-binomial regressions to calculate prevalence ratios (PRs) and95% confidence intervals (CI).Results: Deployment duration of >30 days (versus <30 days) was significantly associated with increased prevalence of anxiety (PR=1.55, 95% CI: 1.19-2.05). Higher levels of OEI (versus none) were associated with anxiety (PRmedium/low=1.52, 95%CI= 1.26-1.83; PRhigh=1.70, 95% CI:1.44-2.03) and depression (PRmedium/low=1.72, 95%CI= 1.32-2.26; PRhigh=1.89, 95% CI: 1.47-2.42); p-trend<0.0001 for both.Conclusions: Our study found cross-sectional associations between oil spill response work and self-reported mental health symptoms among USCG responders. These findings may help inform disaster planners in implementing interventions to mitigate adverse health effects among response workers in future disasters.Disclaimer: The contents, views or opinions expressed in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect official policy or position of USU, the Department of Defense, or the USCG.