Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T15:43:54.241Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Behavioral Health of Gulf Coast Residents 6 Years After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: The Role of Trauma History

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2018

Lynsay Ayer ,
Charles Engel ,
Andrew Parker ,
Rachana Seelam  and
Rajeev Ramchand
Lynsay Ayer*
Affiliation:
RAND Corporation, Arlington, VA
Charles Engel
Affiliation:
RAND Corporation, Boston, MA
Andrew Parker
Affiliation:
RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
Rachana Seelam
Affiliation:
RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA
Rajeev Ramchand
Affiliation:
RAND Corporation, Arlington, VA
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Lynsay Ayer, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202 (e-mail: Lynsay_Ayer@rand.org).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between oil spill exposure, trauma history, and behavioral health 6 years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DHOS). We hypothesized that prior trauma would exacerbate the relationship between oil spill exposure and behavioral health problems.

Methods

The sample included 2,520 randomly selected adults in coastal areas along the Gulf of Mexico. Participants reported their level of oil spill exposure, trauma history, depression, anxiety/worry, illness anxiety, and alcohol use.

Results

Individuals with more traumatic experiences had a significantly higher risk for all measured behavioral health problems after controlling for demographic factors and DHOS exposure. Those with higher levels of DHOS exposure were not at greater risk for behavioral health problems after controlling for prior trauma, with the exception of illness anxiety. There was no evidence that trauma history moderated the association between DHOS exposure and behavioral health.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that trauma exposure may be a better indicator of long-term behavioral health risk than DHOS exposure among disaster-prone Gulf Coast residents. DHOS exposure may be a risk factor for illness anxiety but not more general behavioral health concerns. Trauma history did not appear to exacerbate risk for behavioral health problems among Gulf residents exposed to the DHOS. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:497-503)

Keywords

alcoholillness anxietymental healthoil spilltrauma
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , June 2019 , pp. 497 - 503
Copyright
Copyright © 2018 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Kostka, JE, Prakash, O, Overholt, WA, et al. Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and the bacterial community response in Gulf of Mexico beach sands impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Appl Environ Microb. 2011;77(22):7962-7974.Google Scholar
2. Sumaila, UR, Cisneros-Montemayor, AM, Dyck, A, et al. Impact of the Deepwater Horizon well blowout on the economics of US Gulf fisheries. Can J Fish Aquat Sci. 2012;69(3):499-510.Google Scholar
3. Grattan, LM, Roberts, S, Mahan, WT Jr., et al. The early psychological impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on Florida and Alabama communities. Environ Health Perspect. 2011;119(6):838-843.Google Scholar
4. Gill, DA, Picou, JS, Ritchie, LA. The Exxon Valdez and BP oil spills: a comparison of initial social and psychological impacts. Am Behav Sci. 2012;56(1):3-23.Google Scholar
5. Palinkas, LA, Downs, MA, Petterson, JS, Russell, J. Social, cultural, and psychological impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil-spill. Hum Organ. 1993;52(1):1-13.Google Scholar
6. Kilpatrick, DG, Koenen, KC, Ruggiero, KJ, et al. The serotonin transporter genotype and social support and moderation of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression in hurricane-exposed adults. Am J Psychiat. 2007;164(11):1693-1699.Google Scholar
7. Osofsky, HJ, Osofsky, JD, Hansel, TC. Deepwater Horizon oil spill: mental health effects on residents in heavily affected areas. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2011;5(4):280-286.Google Scholar
8. Rung, AL, Gaston, S, Oral, E, et al. Depression, mental distress, and domestic conflict among Louisiana women exposed to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the WaTCH Study. Environ Health Perspect. 2016;124(9):1429-1435.Google Scholar
9. Fan, AZ, Prescott, MR, Zhao, GX, et al. Individual and community-level determinants of mental and physical health after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: findings from the Gulf States Population Survey. J Behav Health Ser R. 2015;42(1):23-41.Google Scholar
10. Rung, AL, Oral, E, Fontham, E, et al. The long-term effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on women’s depression and mental distress. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2018. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2018.14Google Scholar
11. Cope, MR, Slack, T, Blanchard, TC, Lee, MR. Does time heal all wounds? Community attachment, natural resource employment, and health impacts in the wake of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster. Soc Sci Res. 2013;42(3):872-881.Google Scholar
12. Ayer, L, Setodji, C, Schultz, D, et al. Change in externalizing problems over time among ethnic minority youth exposed to violence. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2017;82:19-26.Google Scholar
13. Osofsky, HJ, Weems, CF, Hansel, TC, et al. Identifying trajectories of change to improve understanding of integrated health care outcomes on PTSD symptoms post disaster. Fam Syst Health. 2017;35(2):155-166.Google Scholar
14. Schwartz, RM, Gillezeau, CN, Liu, B, et al. Longitudinal impact of Hurricane Sandy exposure on mental health symptoms. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017;14(9):957.Google Scholar
15. North, CS, Pfefferbaum, B. Mental health response to community disasters: a systematic review. JAMA. 2013;310(5):507-518.Google Scholar
16. Bromet, EJ, Havenaar, JM. Psychological and perceived health effects of the Chernobyl disaster: a 20-year review. Health Phys. 2007;93(5):516-521.Google Scholar
17. Princeembury, S, Rooney, JF. Psychological adaptation among residents following restart of 3-mile-island. J Trauma Stress. 1995;8(1):47-59.Google Scholar
18. Burger, J, Gochfeld, M. Health concerns and perceptions of central and coastal New Jersey residents in the 100 days following Superstorm Sandy. Sci Total Environ. 2014;481:611-618.Google Scholar
19. Bartholomew, RE, Wessely, S. Protean nature of mass sociogenic illness – from possessed nuns to chemical and biological terrorism fears. Br J Psychiatry. 2002;180:300-306.Google Scholar
20. Ismail, K, Everitt, B, Blatchley, N, et al. Is there a Gulf War syndrome? Lancet. 1999;353(9148):179-182.Google Scholar
21. Association, AP. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Google Scholar
22. Parker, AM, Finucane, ML, Ayer, L, et al. Persistent perceived vulnerability as a function of recalled exposure to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and prior trauma. Paper presented at Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference, New Orleans, LA, 2017.Google Scholar
23. Choenni, V, Hammink, A, van de Mheen, D. Association between substance use and the perpetration of family violence in industrialized countries: a systematic review. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2017;18(1):37-50.Google Scholar
24. Ma, CY, Smith, TE. Increased alcohol use after Hurricane Ike: the roles of perceived social cohesion and social control. Soc Sci Med. 2017;190:29-37.Google Scholar
25. Lowe, SR, Sampson, L, Young, MN, Galea, S. Alcohol and nonmedical prescription drug use to cope with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms: an analysis of Hurricane Sandy survivors. Subst Use Misuse. 2017;52(10):1348-1356.Google Scholar
26. Tomaka, J, Magoc, D, Morales-Monks, SM, Reyes, AC. Posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol-related outcomes among municipal firefighters. J Trauma Stress. 2017;30(4):416-424.Google Scholar
27. Langdon, KJ, Fox, AB, King, LA, et al. Examination of the dynamic interplay between posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol misuse among combat-exposed Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans. J Affect Disorders. 2016;196:234-242.Google Scholar
28. Gould, DW, Teich, JL, Pemberton, MR, et al. Behavioral health in the Gulf Coast region following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: findings from two federal surveys. J Behav Health Serv Res. 2015;42(1):6-22.Google Scholar
29. Goldmann, E, Galea, S. Mental health consequences of disasters. Annu Rev Public Health. 2014;35:169-183.Google Scholar
30. Neria, Y, Nandi, A, Galea, S. Post-traumatic stress disorder following disasters: a systematic review. Psychol Med. 2008;38(4):467-480.Google Scholar
31. Weck, F, Neng, JMB, Goller, K, Muller-Marbach, AM. Previous experiences with illness and traumatic experiences: a specific risk factor for hypochondriasis? Psychosomatics. 2014;55(4):362-371.Google Scholar
32. Turner, RJ, Lloyd, DA. Lifetime traumas and mental health: the significance of cumulative adversity. J Health Soc Behav. 1995;36(4):360-376.Google Scholar
33. Schumm, JA, Briggs-Phillips, M, Hobfoll, SE. Cumulative interpersonal traumas and social support as risk and resiliency factors in predicting PTSD and depression among inner-city women. J Trauma Stress. 2006;19(6):825-836.Google Scholar
34. Blackmon, BJ, Lee, J, Cochran, DM, et al. Adapting to life after Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: an examination of psychological resilience and depression on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Soc Work Public Health. 2017;32(1):65-76.Google Scholar
35. Cisler, JM, Begle, AM, Amstadter, AB, et al. Exposure to interpersonal violence and risk for PTSD, depression, delinquency, and binge drinking among adolescents: data from the NSA-R. J Trauma Stress. 2012;25(1):33-40.Google Scholar
36. Resnick, HS, Acierno, R, Kilpatrick, DG. Health impact of interpersonal violence. 2: Medical and mental health outcomes. Behav Med. 1997;23(2):65-78.Google Scholar
37. Cherry, KE, Lyon, BA, Sampson, L, et al. Prior hurricane and other lifetime trauma predict coping style in older commercial fishers after the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. J Appl Biobehav Res. 2017;2 2(2):e12058.Google Scholar
38. The American Association for Public Opinion Research. Standard Definitions: Final Dispositions of Case Codes and Outcome Rates for Surveys. 9th ed. AAPOR; 2016.Google Scholar
39. de Heer, W. International response trends: results of an international survey. J Off Stat. 1999;15:129-142.Google Scholar
40. Steeh, C, Kirgis, N, Cannon, B, DeWitt, J. Are they really as bad as they seem? Nonresponse rates at the end of the twentieth century. J Off Stat. 2001;17:227-247.Google Scholar
41. Tortora, RD. Response trends in a national random digit dial survey. Metodoloski Zvezki. 2004;1:21-32.Google Scholar
42. Center, PR. What low response rates mean for telephone surveys. 2017. http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2017/05/12154630/RDD-Non-response-Full-Report.pdf. Accessed August 20, 2018.Google Scholar
43. Carlson, EB, Smith, SR, Palmieri, PA, et al. Development and validation of a brief self-report measure of trauma exposure: the Trauma History Screen. Psychol Assess. 2011;23:463-477.Google Scholar
44. Bush, K, Kivlahan, DR, McDonell, MB, et al. Project ACQI. The AUDIT alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C) – an effective brief screening test for problem drinking. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158(16):1789-1795.Google Scholar
45. Kroenke, K, Spitzer, RL, Williams, JBW. The Patient Health Questionnaire-2 – validity of a two-item depression screener. Med Care. 2003;41(11):1284-1292.Google Scholar
46. Kroenke, K, Spitzer, RL, Williams, JBW, et al. Anxiety disorders in primary care: prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection. Ann Intern Med. 2007;146(5):317-325.Google Scholar
47. Pilowsky, I. Dimensions of hypochondriasis. Br J Psychiatry. 1967;113(494):89-93.Google Scholar
48. Welch, PG, Carleton, RN, Asmundson, GJ. Measuring health anxiety: moving past the dichotomous response option of the original Whiteley Index. J Anxiety Disord. 2009;23(7):1002-1007.Google Scholar
49. Heeringa, S, West, BT, Berglund, PA. Applied Survey Data Analysis. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2010.Google Scholar
50. Little, RJ, Rubin, DB. Statistical Analysis with Missing Data. 2nd ed. New York: Wiley; 2002.Google Scholar
51. Schafer, JL, Graham, JW. Missing data: our view of the state of the art. Psychol Methods. 2002;7(2):147-177.Google Scholar
52. Battaglia, DI, Izrael, D, Hoglin, DC, Frankel, MR. Practical considerations in raking survey data. Survey Practice. 2009;2(5). http://www.surveypractice.org/article/2953-practical-considerations-in-raking-survey-data. Accessed August 20, 2018.Google Scholar
53. Bureau, USC. American community survey 5-year estimates. 2014. https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk. Accessed August 20, 2018.Google Scholar
54. Lee, S, Creed, FH, Ma, YL, Leung, CM. Somatic symptom burden and health anxiety in the population and their correlates. J Psychosom Res. 2015;78(1):71-76.Google Scholar
55. Tomenson, B, McBeth, J, Chew-Graham, CA, et al. Somatization and health anxiety as predictors of health care use. Psychosom Med. 2012;74(6):656-664.Google Scholar
56. Hollifield, M, Paine, S, Tuttle, L, Kellner, R. Hypochondriasis, somatization, and perceived health and utilization of health care services. Psychosomatics. 1999;40(5):380-386.Google Scholar
57. Coughlin, SS. Recall bias in epidemiologic studies. J Clin Epidemiol. 1990;43(1):87-91.Google Scholar
58. Edwards, VJ, Holden, GW, Felitti, VJ, Anda, RF. Relationship between multiple forms of childhood maltreatment and adult mental health in community respondents: results from the adverse childhood experiences study. Am J Psychiatry. 2003;160(8):1453-1460.Google Scholar
59. Horwitz, AV, Widom, CS, McLaughlin, J, White, HR. The impact of childhood abuse and neglect on adult mental health: a prospective study. J Health Soc Behav. 2001;42(2):184-201.Google Scholar
60. Restoration NOaAAOoRa. NOAA Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center. 2018. https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/disaster-response-center. Accessed January 10, 2018.Google Scholar