 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Richard E. Adams, PhD and Joseph A. Boscarino, PhD, MPH. Division of Health and Science Policy, New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029-5293, 212-822-7290, radams@nyam.org
Objective: This study examines the association between exposure to the World Trade Center disaster (WTCD), alcohol use, psychological and physical well-being, and health services use of New York City residents one year after the attacks. Methods: All English or Spanish-speaking adults who were living in New York City with telephones at the time of the study were potential study participants. The sample was selected using random-digit dialing. Interviews occurred between October and December, 2002. Measures: Physical and psychological health were assessed using the Short Form-12, version 2 (SF-12). The SF-12 consisted of 12 items scored so that high scores reflect better health. The items were converted into z-scores and summed to form two scales. The physical health measure (SF-12 physical health, range 7 to 71) contains items on physical functioning, vitality, and body pain. The psychological health measure (SF-12 mental health, range 7 to 74) contains items on emotional problems, feeling depressed, and feeling calm or peaceful. These measures have good validity and reliability and have been used in many studies. Service utilization was measured by increases in use visit to mental health professionals and use of medications for psychological problems post-WTCD. The analyses included five demographic variables: age, education, gender, ethnicity, and marital status. WTCD exposure was the sum of 18 possible events that the responded could have experienced during the attacks. Alcohol use increase since the WTCD was dummy coded, with no change/less drinking post-disaster excluded. Four other measures of stressful events were: negative life event scale (eight items); the traumatic events scale (10 items); and meeting criteria for having a panic attack during the attacks. To control for previous mental health status, we included a measure of life-time depression. Self-esteem was measured by a reduced form of Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale. The survey asked four questions about social support and were coded so that high scores indicated high social support and summed to form a scale. Results: Controlling for all of the independent variables, the more exposure respondents had to the WTCD the worse their psychological health as measured by the SF-12 mental health. Exposure was not statistically associated with the SF-12 physical health. Health care utilization was not related to exposure, but was related to both the SF-12 physical and mental health measures. Conclusion: Exposure to the WTCD continues affect mental health, but not physical health. Poor mental health increases health care utilization.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Alcohol Use, Well-Being
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.