World Trade Center (WTC) Health Studies and Information on Health Services
Residents
Several projects have been conducted to learn about the health effects of the WTC disaster.
A survey was conducted to learn about asthma and other respiratory symptoms among residents living in the immediate area around the WTC and residents living in a control area in upper Manhattan. The main findings were that residents who live near the WTC on 9/11 had significantly more upper respiratory and irritation symptoms and the incidence of new lower respiratory symptoms among previously healthy residents were greater than among residents of the control area. Residents in the affected area were also more likely to report the persistence of these symptoms.
We also interviewed these residents again 1-2 years and 4 years after 9/11 to obtain information about possible continuing respiratory effects. This work is on-going.
Using data from 1991-2001, hospital admission rates due to respiratory, asthma, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular diseases among residents in the immediate area around the WTC after 9/11 were compared to the rates in the 10 years preceding the disaster and to rates in a control area of NYC in Queens. This work is on-going.
We are also looking at whether adverse reproductive effects occurred shortly after 9/11. The outcomes being examined include low birth weight, small for gestational age, sex ratios, and birth defects. This work is on-going.
Lin S, Reibman J, Bowers JA, Hwang SA, Hoerning A, Gomez M, Fitzgerald EF. Upper Respiratory Symptoms and Other Health Effects among Residents Living near the World Trade Center Site after September 11, 2001. American Journal of Epidemiology 2005;162:499-507
Available at: http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/162/6/499
Reibman J, Lin S, Hwang SA, Gulati M, Bowers JA, Rogers L, Berger KI, Hoerning A, Gomez M, and Fitzgerald EF. The World Trade Center Residents' Respiratory Health Study: New Onset Respiratory Symptoms and Pulmonary Function. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2005;113(4):406-411.
Available at: https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.7375.
Lin S, Jones R, Reibman J, Bowers J, Fitzgerald EF, Hwang SA. Reported respiratory symptoms and adverse home conditions after 9/11 among residents living near the World Trade Center. Journal of Asthma 2007; 44(4):325-32.
