Following the attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) in 2001, the city of New York created the World Trade Center Health Registry in an effort to closely monitor the long-term health of those living and working near the WTC site.
Almost ten years later, the WTC Health Registry is the biggest registry of its kind in the country, with close to 53,000 enrollees in the state of New York alone. Of those enrolled in New York, over half reported that they had been exposed to dust and debris clouds – which contained asbestos fibers - following the collapse of the WTC towers.
Over 43,000 enrollees were working or living in buildings in Lower Manhattan, south of Chambers Street, and about 4,000 of these individuals made their way out of the badly damaged WTC towers before they collapsed. Approximately 2,500 of enrollees from New York State were students, teachers and other staff from the schools south of Canal Street, and an additional 31,000 were first responders – firefighters, emergency medical technicians, members of the NYPD, volunteers and cleanup crewmembers.
The initial enrollees completed a confidential health survey between 2003 and 2004, which included questions about their specific location on September 11, 2001 and inquiries about their overall health before the attacks and after. Health officials then compared the surveys and were able to make conclusions about the long-term health consequences of exposure to deadly toxins, including asbestos, following the September 11th attacks.
One of the most common health issues reported by those who lived or worked near the WTC site is Gastroesophageal Reflux, or GERD. GERD, which occurs in the upper and lower respiratory system, has typically manifested in registry enrollees one to three years following exposure to dust and debris clouds. About 550 first responders were diagnosed with GERD, many of whom worked at and around the WTC site for several weeks or months following the initial disaster on September 11th, 2001.
In addition to GERD, many enrollees reported post-traumatic stress within the first several months following the attacks, and several female enrollees stated that exposure to certain airborne toxins on that day most likely contributed to lower birth weight and other complications during and after pregnancy.
Perhaps the most serious health consequence following the WTC attacks is the later development of pleural mesothelioma, a fatal form of cancer that can take between twenty and fifty years to manifest in those exposed to airborne asbestos fibers following the collapse of the WTC towers. While some of the individuals who were exposed to airborne toxins following the attacks are already suffering from related illnesses, a yet-to-be-determined number may one day receive a diagnosis of mesothelioma (also referred to as asbestos cancer) several years from now.
The brave first responders who spent countless hours at the WTC site following the attacks are considered to be at a heightened risk of developing asbestos cancer.
The WTC Health Registry suggests that all rescue and recovery workers seek medical care at the Mount Sinai Consortium WTC Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program. This program provides free medical screenings on a yearly basis, as well as mental health services and assistance with health benefits. Members of the FDNY and all EMS workers should speak with a representative of the FDNY WTC Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program.
Parents of the approximately 25,000 school students who may have been exposed to various airborne toxins while evacuating from their school buildings should be sure to register their children with the WTC Health Registry so that their respiratory health can be closely monitored in the years ahead. Treatment for children suffering from respiratory ailments, such as asthma, is provided at the WTC Environmental Health Center at Bellevue Hospital Center.
For more information about the WTC Health Registry, please visit http://nyc.gov/html/doh/wtc/html/registry/registry.shtml.
For additional information about asbestos exposure following the September 11th tragedy, please visit Mesothelioma.com.
Sources:
The City of New York
