Study: 70,000 may suffer post-9/11 stress disorder

Study: 70,000 may suffer post-9/11 stress disorder
Thursday, September 11, 2008 7:44:23 AM
By VERENA DOBNIK
Study: 70,000 may suffer post-9/11 stress disorder

New data from a public health registry that tracks the health effects of 9/11 suggest that as many as 70,000 people may have developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the terrorist attacks.

The estimate, released Wednesday by New York City's Department of Health, is based on an analysis of the health of 71,437 people who enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry. They agreed to be tracked for up to 20 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and the study was based on answers they volunteered about their health two and three years after the attack.

Of the estimated 400,000 people believed to have been heavily
Other Health Photos
Study: 70,000 may suffer post-9/11 stress disorder
100
exposed to pollution from the disaster, data suggests that 35,000 to 70,000 people developed PTSD and 3,800 to 12,600 may have developed asthma, city health officials said.

They include rescue and recovery workers, lower Manhattan residents, area workers, commuters and passers-by.

Overall, half of the respondents said they had been in the dust cloud from the collapsing towers; 70 percent witnessed a traumatic sight, such as a plane hitting the tower or falling bodies; and 13 percent sustained an injury that day.

"The consensus among physicians is that when it comes to physical health, the vast majority of people felt symptoms in the first year," said Lorna Thorpe, the deputy commissioner for epidemiology at the New York City Health Department. "A small proportion of people, however, developed symptoms years later. And in some cases, it's hard to tell whether they're World Trade Center-related or a result of allergies or existing conditions."

The post-traumatic stress disorder rate was highest among injured, low-income and Hispanic study volunteers. In general, minorities and low-income respondents experienced higher rates of mental and physical problems, as did women.

The study was conducted by the city health department and the federal Centers for Disease Control's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. It was released in the Journal of Urban Health.

The city offers free physical and mental health care to eligible people affected by the attacks.

--------

On The Web:

World Trade Center Health Registry: http://www.nyc.gov/9-11healthinfo

Remembering September 11, 2008 - In Memory of 9/11

September 11, 2008 marks the seven-year anniversary of 9/11, with memorial events and tributes taking place in New York City and other areas to honor and remember the victims of September 11, 2001, in remembrance of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that killed thousands of innocent men, women and children.

Whether or not you are able to attend commemoration activities at Ground Zero or in your local communities, take a few moments and say a prayer for the victims of 9/11 and the families left behind without the people they love. I still remember where I was and what I was doing at the time the attacks occurred and I’m sure you do too, and we will never forget what happened on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 for as long as we live.