A Decade After September 11, Health Problems Linger

Conflicting reports on Ground Zero workers' September 11 health problems emerge

September 11 health problems have been well-monitored and documented in the past ten years after the terror attacks. But the evidence based on multiple studies do not provide a solid link between dust exposure and incidence of cancer and other ailments.

One major study shows that firefighters who worked at Ground Zero were 19 times more likely to develop cancer than their colleagues who have not been exposed to the dust in the site. Doctors involved in the study said more cases of cancer may be recorded as time goes by. This small study supports the belief, fueled by anecdotal proof among alleged sufferers, that September 11 health problems are real and are worse than thought.

But another study by the New York City health department of death rates among 42,000 residents exposed to dust in the World Trade Center site suggest no increase in death. Even more bewildering was the fact that this study shows that among those exposed to dust, there was a 43 percent lower incidence of death and respiratory disorders.

The two conflicting studies about September 11 health problems will be published in The Lancet this Friday. At the center of the debate is the health and lives of hundreds of workers who have worked on the rubble of the World Trade Center over the past decade.

Advocates for the alleged victims see the smaller study as proof that government officials ought to add cancer to the list of conditions that is covered under a health bill. If the legislation pushes through, people exposed to the dust at Ground Zero may receive substantial payments to cover their health care expenses.

September 11 health problems may be growing in number but some health experts remain unconvinced that a spike in mortality and ailments necessarily means that exposure was the culprit. They point out that many factors are involved in the development of cancer and it usually takes decades for damage to be seen.

Advocates for those with ailments said it is better to act now and provide prompt care to Ground Zero workers rather than wait for decades to see what happens. A public health nightmare may just be another sad legacy of September 11.

Posted by George Daniels on Monday September 05 2011, 6:36 AM EST. Ref: AP. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0