Study finds BP oil spill had psychological impact on areas not hit by oil

A study by the University of Maryland School of Medicine in collaboration with the University of Florida found that the BP oil spill had a significant psychological impact on people living in coastal communities on the Gulf, even in those areas that did not have direct oil exposure
Study results will be published in the February 17 online edition of Environmental Health Perspectives, a publication of the National Institutes of Health.
The study found that people living in communities with and without direct oil exposure had similar levels of psychological distress.
They examined the psychological impact in two fishing communities: Baldwin County, Alabama, and Franklin County, Florida.
Baldwin County had direct oil exposure; Franklin County did not.
Researchers recruited 71 residents in Florida and 23 from Alabama for the psychological assessment.
The people in Florida, where oil had not reached shore, showed similar elevated levels of anxiety and depression as those living in Alabama who had direct oil exposure.
Both groups had similar high levels of worry about the impact of the spill on the environment, health and seafood safety.
However, the levels of psychological distress were higher in both communities among people who had suffered income loss because of the spill.
They had significantly more tension, anger, fatigue and overall mood disturbance than those whose income was not adversely affected.
The findings may have important implications for planning public health response in similar situations.
From a public health standpoint, the study implies that when there is a significant environmental crisis, public health outreach and education, as well as psychological monitoring and mental health services need to be expanded beyond the immediately affected areas, paying particular attention to people at risk for income loss.

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