Abstract
BackgroundWorkers involved in the response and clean-up of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill faced possible exposures to crude oil, burning oil, dispersants and other pollutants in addition to physical and emotional stress. These exposures may have increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) among oil spill workers.MethodsGulf Long-term Follow-up (GuLF) STUDY participants comprise individuals who either participated in the Deepwater Horizon response efforts or registered for safety training but were not hired. Oil spill-related exposures were assessed during enrollment interviews conducted in 2011–2013. We estimated risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals for the associations of clean-up work characteristics with self-reported nonfatal MI up to three years post-spill.ResultsAmong 31,109 participants without history of MI prior to the spill, 77% worked on the oil spill. There were 192 self-reported MI during the study period; 151 among workers. Among the full cohort, working on the oil spill clean-up (vs not working on the clean-up) and living in proximity to the oil spill (vs further away) were suggestively associated with a possible increased risk of nonfatal MI [RR: 1.22 (0.86, 1.73) and 1.15 (0.82, 1.60), respectively]. Among oil spill workers, working for > 180 days was associated with MI [RR for > 180 days (vs 1–30 days): 2.05 (1.05, 4.01)], as was stopping working due to heat [RR: 1.99 (1.43, 2.78)]. There were suggestive associations of maximum total hydrocarbon exposure ≥3.00 ppm (vs < 0.30 ppm) [RR: 1.69 (0.90, 3.19)] and working on decontaminating oiled equipment (vs administrative support) [1.72 (0.96, 3.09)] with nonfatal MI.ConclusionThis is the first study to assess the associations between oil spill exposures and MI. Results suggest that working on the spill for > 180 days and stopping work due to heat increased risk of nonfatal MI. Future research should evaluate whether the observed associations are related to specific chemical exposures or other stressors associated with the spill.
Highlights
Workers involved in the response and clean-up of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill faced possible exposures to crude oil, burning oil, dispersants and other pollutants in addition to physical and emotional stress
Using data from the Gulf Long-Term Follow-up Study (GuLF STUDY) [3], we examined the relationship of clean-up work involvement and living in areas that were likely affected socioeconomically by the spill with risk of self-reported nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) within 1–3 years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Among the 31,109 study participants without a previous MI, there were 192 first MI cases occurring after the start of the oil spill; 151 were among oil spill workers and occurred after they began oil spill-related work
Summary
Workers involved in the response and clean-up of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill faced possible exposures to crude oil, burning oil, dispersants and other pollutants in addition to physical and emotional stress. These exposures may have increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) among oil spill workers. Persistent respiratory symptoms were observed among clean-up workers 5 years following the Prestige oil spill [12] It is unclear what specific oil spill-related exposures or physical factors drive these associations, but longer work durations may be indicative of a larger chemical exposure burden, as well as increased physical or psychosocial stress related to the oil spill. Despite the reported associations between oil spill work and persistent respiratory symptoms, no research has assessed incidence of other chronic health outcomes, such as cardiovascular events, among oil spill-exposed populations [13]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
