title: The duration of acute health problems in people involved with the cleanup operation of the Hebei Spirit oil spill.
abstract: The authors investigated the duration of health problems of people involved with cleanup efforts for the Hebei Spirit oil spill, which occurred in December 2007 in Taean County, South Korea. The study identified risk factors correlated with the continuation of symptoms. Approximately one year after the accident, 442 people who had participated in the cleanup operation were examined. Data regarding demographic information, risk factors, and the continuation and duration of any symptoms were obtained. Eye symptoms (9.7 months), headaches (8.4 months), skin symptoms (8.3 months), and neurovestibular symptoms (6.9 months) had a relatively longer duration than did back pain (1.8 months) or respiratory symptoms (2.1 months). In particular, the remission of headaches had a negative correlation with female gender (HR 0.57, 0.34-0.95, 95% CI), and remission of eye symptoms had a negative correlation with the total hours of daily participation in the cleanup operation (HR 0.24, 0.06-0.95, 95% CI).
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Medical Centre, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Ung
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Min Seob
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Ik Joon
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Hyoung Gon
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004190:Disasters; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical