title: Health effects following the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic eruption: a cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to determine whether exposure to a volcanic eruption was associated with increased prevalence of physical and/or mental symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort, with non-exposed control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Natural disasters like volcanic eruptions constitute a major public-health threat. The Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull exposed residents in southern Iceland to continuous ash fall for more than 5 weeks in spring 2010. This study was conducted during November 2010-March 2011, 6-9 months after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult (18-80 years of age) eruption-exposed South Icelanders (N=1148) and a control population of residents of Skagafjörður, North Iceland (N=510). The participation rate was 72%.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical symptoms in the previous year (chronic), in the previous month (recent), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) measured psychological morbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The likelihood of having symptoms during the last month was higher in the exposed population, such as; tightness in the chest (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.1 to 5.8), cough (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.7 to 3.9), phlegm (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.3 to 3.2), eye irritation (OR 2.9; 95% CI 2.0 to 4.1) and psychological morbidity symptoms (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.7). Respiratory symptoms during the last 12 months were also more common in the exposed population; cough (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.6 to 2.9), dyspnoea (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1 to 2.3), although the prevalence of underlying asthma and heart disease was similar. Twice as many in the exposed population had two or more symptoms from nose, eyes or upper-respiratory tract (24% vs 13%, p<0.001); these individuals were also more likely to experience psychological morbidity (OR 4.7; 95% CI 3.4 to 6.5) compared with individuals with no symptoms. Most symptoms exhibited a dose-response pattern within the exposed population, corresponding to low, medium and high exposure to the eruption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  6-9 months after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, residents living in the exposed area, particularly those closest to the volcano, had markedly increased prevalence of various physical symptoms. A portion of the exposed population reported multiple symptoms and may be at risk for long-term physical and psychological morbidity. Studies of long-term consequences are therefore warranted.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Public Health Sciences,  University of Iceland, Reykjavík,  Iceland.
authors.forename: Hanne Krage
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Carlsen
authors.forename: Arna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hauksdottir
authors.forename: Unnur Anna
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Valdimarsdottir
authors.forename: Thorarinn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gíslason
authors.forename: Gunnlaug
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Einarsdottir
authors.forename: Halldor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Runolfsson
authors.forename: Haraldur
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Briem
authors.forename: Ragnhildur Gudrun
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Finnbjornsdottir
authors.forename: Sigurdur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gudmundsson
authors.forename: Thorir Björn
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kolbeinsson
authors.forename: Throstur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thorsteinsson
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pétursdóttir