The study will focus on exposure to oil and dispersant products and potential health consequences such as respiratory, neurobehavioral, carcinogenic, immunological conditions, and mental health concerns.
- "No. 1 is air quality, which was maybe the biggest concern early on when the well was still leaking" -- "The second is skin contact with the oil"
- She said oil contamination of seafood is also a serious concern as fisheries have been reopened. "The main fisheries in the Gulf include shrimp and oysters, which happen to be very inefficient in clearing oil-related spills,"
A survey of 599 local residents done a year after the Exxon Valdez spill found that people who had been exposed to the spill were 3.6 times more likely to have an anxiety disorder, 2.9 times more likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder and 2.1 times more likely to show signs of depression.
BP spill health effects need to be tracked: experts
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67F2V520100816
(Reuters) - Doctors in the Gulf Coast region need to be alert to both the short and long-term health effects of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, U.S. health experts said on Monday.