Table 2.
Incidence of somatic symptoms complaint by the oil spill cleanup works during initial visits and 5 years after the Gulf oil spill exposure.
| Illness symptom | Initial visit (N = 44) | 5-Year follow-up (N = 44) |
|---|---|---|
| Shortness of breath | 33 (75%) | 37 (84%) |
| Frequent headaches | 28 (64)% | 30 (68%) |
| Rash | 23 (52%) | 24 (55%) |
| Chronic cough | 20 (45%) | 21 (48%) |
| Weakness | 19 (43%) | 17 (39%) |
| Dizzy spells | 15 (34%) | 14 (32%) |
| Painful joints | 13 (30%) | 12 (27%) |
| Chest pain | 12 (27%) | 15 (34%) |
| Night sweats | 12 (27%) | 6 (14%) |
| Frequent diarrhea | 10 (23%) | 7 (16%) |
| Heartburn | 10 (23%) | 5 (11%) |
| Hoarseness | 9 (20%) | 9 (20%) |
| Numbness | 9 (20%) | 5 (11%) |
| Ringing in ears | 9 (20%) | 4 (9%) |
| Nasal obstruction | 7 (16%) | 10 (23%) |
| Poor appetite | 7 (16%) | 6 (14%) |
| Swelling of ankles | 7 (16%) | 6 (14%) |
| Double vision | 6 (14%) | 7 (16%) |
| Nosebleeds | 6 (14%) | 2 (5%) |
| Black tarry stools | 5 (11%) | 4 (9%) |
| Difficulty swallowing | 5 (11%) | 4 (9%) |
| Memory loss | 5 (11%) | 3 (7%) |
| Palpitations | 4 (9%) | 5 (11%) |
| Blindness | 3 (7%) | 2 (5%) |
| Loss of balance | 3 (7%) | 3 (7%) |
| Pain | 3 (7%) | 7 (16%) |
| Urinary frequency | 3 (7%) | 0 (0%) |
| Blood in urine/sputum | 2 (5%) | 2 (5%) |
| Constipation | 2 (5%) | 1 (2%) |
| Difficulty breathing | 2 (5%) | 4 (9%) |
| Discoordination | 2 (5%) | 1 (2%) |
| Hearing loss | 2 (5%) | 1 (2%) |
| Slow stream | 2 (5%) | 2 (5%) |
| Burning on urination | 1 (2%) | 0 (0%) |
| Dental problems | 1 (2%) | 1 (2%) |
| Painful urination | 1 (2%) | 0 (0%) |
| Skin lesions | 1 (2%) | 2 (5%) |
| Chronic rhinosinusitis | 0 (0%) | 40 (91%) |
| Reactive airway dysfunction syndrome | 0 (0%) | 20 (45%) |