Longer-Term Mental and Behavioral Health Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill

Tonya Hansel,Howard Osofsky,Joy Osofsky,Anthony Speier

doi:10.3390/jmse3041260

Abstract

Mental health issues are a significant concern after technological disasters such as the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill; however, there is limited knowledge about the long-term effects of oil spills. The study was part of a larger research effort to improve understanding of the mental and behavioral health effects of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill. Data were collected immediately following the spill and the same individuals were resampled again after the second anniversary (n = 314). The results show that mental health symptoms of depression, serious mental illness and posttraumatic stress have not statistically decreased, and anxiety symptoms were statistically equivalent to immediate symptoms. Results also showed that the greatest effect on anxiety is related to the extent of disruption to participants’ lives, work, family, and social engagement. This study supports lessons learned following the Exxon Valdez spill suggesting that mental health effects are long term and recovery is slow. Elevated symptoms indicate the continued need for mental health services, especially for individuals with high levels of disruption resulting in increased anxiety. Findings also suggest that the longer-term recovery trajectories following the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill do not fall within traditional disaster recovery timelines.

Highlights

Existing research suggests a number of negative mental health consequences for communities directly affected by oil spills [1]
While there was no statistical difference among posttraumatic stress, serious mental illness, and depression, the margin of equivalence did not include the mean difference between Time 1 and Time 2
These findings suggest that the longer-term recovery trajectories for the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Gulf Oil Spill do not fall within the more traditional 18-month disaster recovery timeline [15,16,34]

Summary

Introduction

Existing research suggests a number of negative mental health consequences for communities directly affected by oil spills [1]. In a community survey carried out in 1989, one year after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Palinkas, Petterson, Russell and Downs [2] found a significant increase in rates of anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression in residents with a high level of exposure to the spill and subsequent cleanup efforts. They found a relationship between exposure to the oil spill and increased alcohol and substance use, domestic violence, chronic physical conditions, and a decline in social relationships. While several earlier studies of behavioral health following oil spills suggest an immediate negative impact, few studies explore the longer-term effects following oil spills

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