Respiratory Symptoms in Oil Spill Clean-Up Workers Participating in the Gulf STUDY

Abstract

Respiratory Symptoms in Oil Spill Clean-Up Workers Participating in the Gulf STUDYAbstract Number:2278 Dale Sandler*, Lawrence Engel, John McGrath, Julianne Payne, Kathryn Rose, Christine Ekenga, Matthew Curry, Aubrey Miller, Aaron Blair, Linda Birnbaum, and Richard Kwok Dale Sandler* National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Lawrence Engel University of North Carolina, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , John McGrath Social and Scientific Systems, Inc., United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Julianne Payne Social and Scientific Systems, Inc., United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Kathryn Rose Social and Scientific Systems, Inc, United States Search for more papers by this author , Christine Ekenga National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Matthew Curry Social and Scientific Systems, Inc, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Aubrey Miller National Instsitute of Environmental Health Sciences, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Aaron Blair National Cancer Institute, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Linda Birnbaum National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , and Richard Kwok National Instistute of Environmental Health Sciences, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author AbstractBackground: Little is known about long-term health effects of oil spills, but previous studies found respiratory effects. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico led to the largest ever marine oil spill. We assessed respiratory symptoms in the GuLF STUDY, a prospective study of 32,736 adults who participated in oil spill clean-up or were eligible but not hired.Methods: Demographic, exposure, and health information was collected in telephone interviews. Participants were asked how often they had cough, wheezing, tightness in their chest, or shortness of breath during the oil spill and in the 30 days prior to interview (1-3 years later). Jobs were rated by study industrial hygienists as high, medium, or low oil exposure or unexposed. We calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between oil spill work and frequent symptoms (‘most’ or ‘all of the time’) using log-binomial regression. Covariates included demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors, residence in a Gulf county, perceived stress, and obesity.Results: The prevalence of symptoms at enrollment was 6% for tightness in the chest, 9% for shortness of breath, 10% for wheeze, and 16% for cough. Working on the oil spill was associated with the four respiratory symptoms at both time periods. Among never smokers without prior lung disease, the adjusted PR was 1.39 (95% CI 1.15, 1.68) for wheeze during the spill and 1.87 (95% CI 1.53, 2.29) for wheeze at the time of interview. The prevalence of wheeze at interview rose with likelihood of oil exposure; PR were 1.03 (0.76, 1.42), 1.44 (1.11, 1.88), and 2.36 (1.92, 2.90) for workers in low, medium and high exposure jobs compared to nonworkers.Conclusions: One to three years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, oil spill clean-up work was associated with an increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms. Ongoing follow-up will assess persistence of effects.