Table 1.
Demographic information of participants in follow-up assessment compared with those who sought medical care for chlorine exposure identified during the rapid assessment after the train derailment
| Demographic information | Follow-up assessment (n = 94) | Rapid assessment (n = 605)a |
|---|---|---|
| n (%) | n (%) | |
| Age (in years) | ||
| Mean | 41 | 36 |
| Range | 2–81 | <1–85 |
| Sex | ||
| Male | 60 (63.8) | 332 (58.8) |
| Female | 34 (36.2) | 233 (41.2) |
| Race/ethnicity | ||
| White | 65 (69.2) | 255 (59.9) |
| Black | 27 (28.7) | 150 (35.2) |
| Hispanic | 1 (1.1) | 11 (2.6) |
| Otherb | 1 (1.1) | 10 (2.4) |
| Patient categoryc | ||
| Graniteville resident | 38 (40.4) | 110 (33.2) |
| Worker at mill | 24 (25.5) | 103 (31.1) |
| Resident of contiguous town | 10 (10.6) | 23 (7.0) |
| In vehicle close to site | 8 (8.5) | 36 (10.9) |
| Resident of noncontiguous town | 4 (4.3) | 19 (5.7) |
| Rescue worker | 4 (4.3) | 12 (3.6) |
| In vehicle farther from site | 3 (3.2) | 21 (6.3) |
| Other | 3 (3.2) | 7 (2.1) |
| Exposure severity rating | ||
| Moderate-to-extreme exposure | 45 (47.9) | 145 (49.7) |
| No or low exposure | 49 (52.1) | 147 (50.3) |
| Medical outcome | ||
| Severe medical outcome | 15 (16.0) | 51 (8.4) |
| Less severe medical outcome | 79 (84.0) | 544 (91.6) |
aBecause of missing data, percentages are based on the following sample sizes: sex, 565; race/ethnicity, 426, patient category, 331; exposure severity rating, 292
bOther responses for race/ethnicity included Native American, Pacific Islander, Indian, and multiracial or ethnic backgrounds
cPatient category describes where the person was at the time of exposure. Night-shift mill workers were categorized as “worker at mill,” even if they lived in Graniteville. Day-shift mill workers who lived in Graniteville were categorized as “Graniteville residents”