Assessing the Effects of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill on Human Health A Summary of the June 2010 Workshop (2010) / Chapter Skim
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The workshop brought together more than 350 federal, state, and local government officials, expert scientists, academic leaders, policy experts, health care providers, public health advocates, community representatives and residents, and other participants from diverse disciplines to examine options for measuring the Gulf oil spill's potential health effects on different human populations. This publication summarizes the background, presentations, discussions, and public comments that occurred during the workshop.
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and the deployment of thousands of skimming vessels (Deepwater Horizon Response, 2010) , including local boat operators who assist with containment and response activities using their "vessels of opportunity." Many on- and offshore commercial workers, clean-up workers, and volunteers have subjected themselves to numerous physical hazards (such as chemical exposures, heat stress, and injury)
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identify and discuss the populations most vulnerable to or at increased risk for adverse health effects, including worker subpopulations; (2) review current knowledge and identify knowledge gaps regarding the human health effects of exposure to oil, weathered oil products, dispersants, and environmental conditions such as heat; (3)
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Information about the specific hazards related to the Gulf oil spill and the range of potential acute and long-term effects of oil spills on human health is incomplete and leads to uncertainty. Immediacy.
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A number of workshop participants predicted that the Deepwater Horizon disaster will likely have an even greater effect on the psychological health of affected communities because of serious and prolonged disruptions to the social environment and local economies. Uncertainty Information about the specific hazards related to the Gulf oil spill and the range of potential acute and long-term effects of oil spills on human health is incomplete and leads to uncertainty.
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Additionally, coordination and consultation between interested parties could result in shared platforms and standardization, which could strengthen the system as a whole. Commitment Long-term surveillance and related research activities are critical to identifying acute, chronic, and long-term health effects of oil spills.
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Specifically, expert speakers discussed the current level of scientific understanding about the effects of oil spills on human health and described the chemical composition of oils and oil dispersants, explaining what happens when oil spills into the environment.
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are exposed to different hazards related to the oil spill, but also the particular population vulnerabilities and available preventive steps that can affect the likelihood of experiencing adverse health effects. Short- and Long-Term Effects on Human Health (Chapter 3)
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that could be used to monitor effects of the Gulf oil spill. Panelists discussed characteristics of a surveillance framework that can efficiently and effectively identify and monitor potential short- and long-term health effects and help ensure the establishment of an integrated and coordinated health-monitoring system.
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This final session was designed to integrate the many perspectives and themes that emerged throughout the workshop, including opportunities to build on what is already known and what has yet to be discovered. Considering the broad range of scientific evidence and suggestions presented throughout the course of the workshop, panelists discussed possible components and suggestions to develop a framework for effective surveillance systems and monitoring activities.
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