Organizational factors and office workers' health after the World Trade Center terrorist attacks: long-term physical symptoms, psychological distress, and work productivity.
OBJECTIVE
To assess if organizational factors are predictors of workers' health and productivity after the World Trade Center attacks.


METHODS
We conducted a survey of 750 workers and compared those who had direct exposures to the World Trade Center attacks (south of Canal Street workers; primary victims) with those less directly exposed (north of Canal Street workers; other victims and non-victims).


RESULTS
South of Canal Street workers reported headache more frequently than north of Canal Street workers did (P = 0.0202). Primary victims reported headache and cough more frequently than did other victims and non-victims (P = 0.0086 and 0.0043, respectively). Defensive organizational culture was an independent predictor of cough and job stress, and job stress was an independent predictor of on-the-job productivity losses.


CONCLUSIONS
Organizational variables may modify health and productivity outcomes after a large-scale traumatic event in the workplace.
Osinubi
Omowunmi Y O
OY
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, NJ 08854, USA. oosinubi@eohsi.rutgers.edu
Gandhi
Sampada K
SK
Ohman-Strickland
Pamela
P
Boglarsky
Cheryl
C
Fiedler
Nancy
N
Kipen
Howard
H
Robson
Mark
M
D000328:Adult; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D016272:Occupational Health; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010865:Pilot Projects; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*