Table 3.
Respiratory and eye irritation symptoms at the time of spill response associated with dispersant exposure, differentiating exposure by direct or indirect exposure (GuLF STUDY 2011–2013).
| Outcome | Direct work with dispersants | Indirect work with dispersants |
|---|---|---|
| PRa (95% CI) | PRa (95% CI) | |
| Cough | 1.47 (1.31, 1.63) | 1.29 (1.13, 1.47) |
| Wheeze | 1.45 (1.28, 1.63) | 1.17 (1.01, 1.36) |
| Tightness in chest | 1.74 (1.48, 2.04) | 1.30 (1.07, 1.58) |
| Shortness of breath | 1.63 (1.43, 1.85) | 1.07 (0.90, 1.27) |
| Burning in nose/throat/lungs | 1.75 (1.52, 2.02) | 1.30 (1.09, 1.55) |
| Burning eyes | 1.58 (1.41, 1.76) | 1.28 (1.12, 1.47) |
| Itchy eyes | 1.39 (1.27, 1.52) | 1.17 (1.05, 1.31) |
Note: CI, confidence interval; PR, prevalence ratio.
a
Adjusted for gender, age, race, education, smoking, residential proximity to oil spill, level of oil exposure (total hydrocarbons, THC), use of decontamination chemicals, and preexisting lung disease (respiratory models).