Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Mental Health Effects on Residents in Heavily Affected Areas

Abstract

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p><jats:bold>Background:</jats:bold> Mental health issues are a significant concern after disasters such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. This study was designed to assess the mental health effects on residents of areas of southeastern Louisiana affected by the oil spill.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Methods:</jats:bold> Telephone and face-to-face interviews were conducted with residents (N = 452) assessing concerns and direct impact.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Results:</jats:bold> The results show that the greatest effect on mental health related to the extent of disruption to participants' lives, work, family, and social engagement, with increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. Given the location of the oil spill affecting communities that had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina, results also revealed that losses from Hurricane Katrina were highly associated with negative mental health outcomes. Conversely, the ability to rebound after adversity and place satisfaction were highly associated with better mental health outcomes.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Conclusions:</jats:bold> Enhanced understanding of mental health effects after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will help in determining directions for much-needed mental health services after the disaster and in contributing to the knowledge of complex traumatization and the ability to rebound after adversity.</jats:p><jats:p>(<jats:italic>Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness</jats:italic>. 2011;5:280–286)</jats:p>

Longer-Term Mental and Behavioral Health Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill

“…During the first 18 months following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Gulf Oil Spill, residents of Southeastern Louisiana reported increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress [19,33]. The current study resampled individuals from the initial responders and results failed to reveal significant changes in anxiety, depression, serious mental illness, and posttraumatic stress two years post spill.…”

“…As with the initial study of immediate mental health symptoms following the spill [19], oil spill disruption was the most significant contributor to increased symptomotology, and accounted for the largest proportion of variance in anxiety symptoms. Interestingly an indirect association was revealed, where individuals that applied for financial assistance following the oil spill reported fewer symptoms of anxiety.…”

“…The results showed that the factors having the greatest effect on mental health were the extent of disruption on participants' lives, work, family, and social engagement resulting in increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. Given that the location of the oil spill affected individuals and communities with prior devastation from Hurricane Katrina, results also revealed that losses from Hurricane Katrina were highly associated with negative mental health outcomes, however the oil spill distress had unique variance in the analyses supporting that the DWH Gulf Oil Spill represents a complex recovery [19]. Additional studies conducted across the Gulf States have concurred with these findings and support the need for continued mental health treatment of children and adults, due to increased mental health concerns and symptoms [20][21][22][23][24].…”

Natural and Manmade Disasters: Continuing Nemesis for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama Fishing Communities Pre- and Post-Katrina

“…Consumer's beliefs that seafood coming from the Gulf might not be safe were fueled by continuing reports of new discoveries of more oil columns and oil mats along the affected Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida coasts. 41 A growing literature is available examining the health of oil spill workers and residents living in the affected areas (Diaz, 2011;Goldstein et al, 2011;Levy and Nassett, 2011;Osofsky et al, 2011). According to some studies, it could take decades for the deep sea to recover from the oil spill (Finn, 2013).…”

Disasters and Long-Term Recovery: Introduction to a Special Issue

“…Over a 3-month period, an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico threatening south Louisiana's coastal environment, economy, seafood industry, and cultural heritage. A devastating technological disaster, the BP oil spill has introduced significant new life stresses for coastal residents still struggling with hurricane recovery (Cherry et al 2015;Osofsky et al 2011) The burden of multiple disaster exposures over the past decade has been immense for coastal communities. The occurrence of back-to-back disasters has stretched societal infrastructures and mental and behavioral health resources thin (Osofsky and Osofsky 2013).…”