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Impact of 9/11‐related chronic conditions and PTSD comorbidity on early retirement and job loss among World Trade Center disaster rescue and recovery workers
Author(s) -
Yu Shengchao,
Brackbill Robert M.,
Locke Sean,
Stellman Steven D.,
Gargano Lisa M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.22640
Subject(s) - medicine , comorbidity , odds , logistic regression , job loss , occupational safety and health , odds ratio , world trade center , health and retirement study , environmental health , gerontology , demography , psychiatry , unemployment , terrorism , archaeology , pathology , sociology , economics , history , economic growth
Background The economic impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks has rarely been studied. We examined the association between 9/11‐related chronic health conditions with or without post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and one important aspect of the economic impact, retirement, and job loss before age 60. Methods A total of 7,662 workers who participated in the World Trade Center Health Registry surveys were studied. Logistic regression models examined the association of 9/11‐related health and labor force exit. Results Workers with chronic conditions were more likely to experience early retirement and job loss, and the association was stronger in the presence of PTSD comorbidity: the odds ratios for reporting early retirement or job loss were increased considerably when chronic conditions were comorbid with PTSD. Conclusions Disaster‐related health burden directly impacts premature labor force exit and income. Future evaluation of disaster outcome should include its long‐term impact on labor force. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:731–741, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.