Cancer incidence in World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers by race and ethnicity.

Introduction: It is unclear whether differences in health outcomes by racial and ethnic groups among World Trade Center (WTC) rescue and recovery workers reflect those of the population of New York State (NYS) or show distinct patterns. We assessed cancer incidence in WTC workers by self-reported race and ethnicity, and compared it to population figures for NYS.

Methods: A total of 61,031 WTC workers enrolled between September 11, 2001 and January 10, 2012 were followed to December 31, 2015.

A 15-year follow-up study of mortality in a pooled cohort of World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers.

Introduction: Hazardous exposures from the World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks have been linked to increased incidence of adverse health conditions, often associated with increased mortality. We assessed mortality in a pooled cohort of WTC rescue/recovery workers over 15 years of follow-up.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed mortality through 2016 in a pooled and deduplicated cohort of WTC rescue/recovery workers from three WTC-exposed cohorts (N = 60,631): the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY); the WTC Health Registry (WTCHR); and the General Responder Cohort (GRC).

COVID-19-Specific Mortality among World Trade Center Health Registry Enrollees Who Resided in New York City.

We examined the all-cause and COVID-19-specific mortality among World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR) enrollees. We also examined the socioeconomic factors associated with COVID-19-specific death. Mortality data from the NYC Bureau of Vital Statistics between 2015-2020 were linked to the WTCHR.

Scientific Value of the Sub-Cohort of Children in the World Trade Center Health Registry.

The World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR) was established in 2002 as a public health resource to monitor the health effects from the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster. We evaluated the representativeness of the WTC youth population (<18 years on 11 September 2001) by comparing the distributions of age, gender, race/ethnic groups, and income to 2000 census data for the matched geographic area, including distance from disaster. There were 2379 WTCHR enrolled children living in Lower Manhattan south of Canal Street on 11 September 2001, along with 752 enrolled students who attended school in Lower Manhattan but were not area residents.

Mortality after the 9/11 terrorist attacks among world trade center health registry enrollees with cancer.

Background: While several studies have reported the association between 9/11 exposure and cancer risk, cancer survival has not been well studied in the World Trade Center (WTC) exposed population. We examined associations of 9/11-related exposures with mortality in WTC Health Registry enrollees diagnosed with cancer before and after 9/11/2001.

Patients And Methods: This is a longitudinal cohort study of 5061 enrollees with a first-ever primary invasive cancer diagnosis between 1995 and 2015 and followed through 2016.

Change in Asthma Is Associated with Change in PTSD in World Trade Center Health Registrants, 2011 to 2016.

The WTC Health Registry (WTCHR) is a closed, longitudinal cohort of rescue/recovery workers and survivors exposed to the 11 September 2001 disaster. WTCHR enrollees diagnosed with asthma after 11 September 2001 continued to experience poor control despite treatment. Asthma is associated with mental problems, although their bidirectional movement has not been studied.

Temporal Aspects of the Association between Exposure to the World Trade Center Disaster and Risk of Cutaneous Melanoma.

Rescue/recovery workers who responded to the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks were exposed to known/suspected carcinogens. Studies have identified a trend toward an elevated risk of cutaneous melanoma in this population; however, few found significant increases. Furthermore, temporal aspects of the association have not been investigated.

Temporal association of prostate cancer incidence with World Trade Center rescue/recovery work.

Background: The World Trade Center (WTC) attacks on 11 September 2001 created a hazardous environment with known and suspected carcinogens. Previous studies have identified an increased risk of prostate cancer in responder cohorts compared with the general male population.

Objectives: To estimate the length of time to prostate cancer among WTC rescue/recovery workers by determining specific time periods during which the risk was significantly elevated.

Cancer Incidence in World Trade Center Rescue and Recovery Workers: 14 Years of Follow-Up.

Background: Statistically significantly increased cancer incidence has been reported from 3 cohorts of World Trade Center (WTC) disaster rescue and recovery workers. We pooled data across these cohorts to address ongoing public concerns regarding cancer risk 14 years after WTC exposure.

Methods: From a combined deduplicated cohort of 69 102 WTC rescue and recovery workers, a sample of 57 402 workers enrolled before 2009 and followed through 2015 was studied.

Cancer survival among World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers: A collaborative cohort study.

Background: World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed responders may be eligible to receive no-cost medical monitoring and treatment for certified conditions, including cancer. The survival of responders with cancer has not previously been investigated.

Methods: This study compared the estimated relative survival of WTC-exposed responders who developed cancer while enrolled in two WTC medical monitoring and treatment programs in New York City (WTC-MMTP responders) and WTC-exposed responders not enrolled (WTC-non-MMTP responders) to non-responders from New York State (NYS-non-responders), all restricted to the 11-southernmost NYS counties, where most responders resided.

Impact of healthcare services on thyroid cancer incidence among World Trade Center-exposed rescue and recovery workers.

Background: A recent study of World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed firefighters and emergency medical service workers demonstrated that elevated thyroid cancer incidence may be attributable to frequent medical testing, resulting in the identification of asymptomatic tumors. We expand on that study by comparing the incidence of thyroid cancer among three groups: WTC-exposed rescue/recovery workers enrolled in a New York State (NYS) WTC-medical monitoring and treatment program (MMTP); WTC-exposed rescue/recovery workers not enrolled in an MMTP (non-MMTP); and the NYS population.

Methods: Person-time began on 9/12/2001 or at enrollment in a WTC cohort and ended at death or on 12/31/2015.

Respiratory impedance measured using impulse oscillometry in a healthy urban population.

This study derives normative prediction equations for respiratory impedance in a healthy asymptomatic urban population using an impulse oscillation system (IOS). In addition, this study uses body mass index (BMI) in the equations to describe the effect of obesity on respiratory impedance. Data from an urban population comprising 472 healthy asymptomatic subjects that resided or worked in lower Manhattan, New York City were retrospectively analysed.

Combining Three Cohorts of World Trade Center Rescue/Recovery Workers for Assessing Cancer Incidence and Mortality.

Three cohorts including the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), the World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR), and the General Responder Cohort (GRC), each funded by the World Trade Center Health Program have reported associations between WTC-exposures and cancer. Results have generally been consistent with effect estimates for excess incidence for all cancers ranging from 6 to 14% above background rates. Pooling would increase sample size and de-duplicate cases between the cohorts.

Confirming mortality in a longitudinal exposure cohort: optimizing National Death Index search result processing.

Purpose: The National Death Index (NDI) is an important resource for mortality ascertainment. Methods selected to process NDI search results are rarely described in studies using linked data and can have an impact on resources and mortality ascertainment. We evaluate methods to process NDI search results among a 9/11-exposed cohort-the World Trade Center Health Registry (Registry).

Association Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Mortality Among Responders and Civilians Following the September 11, 2001, Disaster.

Importance: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with increased mortality, primarily in studies of veterans. The World Trade Center Health Registry (Registry) provides a unique opportunity to study the association between PTSD and mortality among a population exposed to the World Trade Center attacks in New York, New York, on September 11, 2001 (9/11).

Objectives: To assess whether 9/11-related probable PTSD (PTSD) is associated with increased mortality risk, as well as whether this association differs when including repeated measures of PTSD over time vs a single baseline assessment.

Pulmonary Fibrosis among World Trade Center Responders: Results from the WTC Health Registry Cohort.

Dust created by the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers on 9/11 included metals and toxicants that have been linked to an increased risk of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in the literature. Little has been reported on PF among WTC responders. This report used self-reported physician diagnosis of PF with an unknown sub-type to explore the association between levels of WTC dust exposure and PF.

9/11 Residential Exposures: The Impact of World Trade Center Dust on Respiratory Outcomes of Lower Manhattan Residents.

Thousands of lower Manhattan residents sustained damage to their homes following the collapse of the Twin Towers on 11 September 2001. Respiratory outcomes have been reported in this population. We sought to describe patterns of home damage and cleaning practices in lower Manhattan and their impacts on respiratory outcomes among World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR) respondents.

Persistent mental and physical health impact of exposure to the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attacks.

Background: Asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression have each been linked to exposure to the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks (9/11). We described the prevalence and patterns of these conditions and associated health-related quality of life (HRQOL) fifteen years after the attacks.

Methods: We studied 36,897 participants in the WTC Health Registry, a cohort of exposed rescue/recovery workers and community members, who completed baseline (2003-2004) and follow-up (2015-16) questionnaires.

Behavior problems in adolescence and subsequent mental health in early adulthood: results from the World Trade Center Health Registry Cohort.

Background: The present study examined the association between 9/11-related adolescent behavioral problems on mental health outcomes in early adulthood.

Methods: Data from enrollees of the World Trade Center Health Registry, who completed at least one adolescent (2006-2007 or 2011-2012) and adult survey (2011-2012 or 2015-2016), were analyzed. Adolescent behavioral difficulties were assessed using the adolescent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Mortality among rescue and recovery workers and community members exposed to the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attacks, 2003-2014.

Background: Multiple chronic health conditions have been associated with exposure to the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks (9/11). We assessed whether excess deaths occurred during 2003-2014 among persons directly exposed to 9/11, and examined associations of 9/11-related exposures with mortality risk.

Materials And Methods: Deaths occurring in 2003-2014 among members of the World Trade Center Health Registry, a cohort of rescue/recovery workers and lower Manhattan community members who were exposed to 9/11, were identified via linkage to the National Death Index.

Comorbidity amplifies the effects of post-9/11 posttraumatic stress disorder trajectories on health-related quality of life.

Purpose: The present study aims to examine the impact of physical and mental health comorbidities on the association between post-9/11 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) trajectories over 10 years and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among 9/11-exposed persons.

Methods: 30,002 responding adult World Trade Center Health Registry enrollees reporting no pre-9/11 PTSD were studied. PTSD trajectories (chronic, delayed, remitted, no PTSD) were defined based on a 17-item PTSD Checklist-Specific to 9/11 across three waves of survey data.

Risk factors for persistence of lower respiratory symptoms among community members exposed to the 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attacks.

Objectives: We studied the course of lower respiratory symptoms (LRS; cough, wheeze or dyspnoea) among community members exposed to the 9/11/2001 World Trade Center (WTC) attacks during a period of 12-13 years following the attacks, and evaluated risk factors for LRS persistence, including peripheral airway dysfunction and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods: Non-smoking adult participants in a case-control study of post-9/11-onset LRS (exam 1, 2008-2010) were recruited for follow-up (exam 2, 2013-2014). Peripheral airway function was assessed with impulse oscillometry measures of R and R.

Effect of asthma and PTSD on persistence and onset of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms among adults exposed to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Background: Little is known about the direction of causality among asthma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and onset of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (GERS) after exposure to the 9/11/2001 World Trade Center (WTC) disaster.

Methods: Using data from the WTC Health Registry, we investigated the effects of early diagnosed post-9/11 asthma and PTSD on the late onset and persistence of GERS using log-binomial regression, and examined whether PTSD mediated the asthma-GERS association using structural equation modeling.

Results: Of 29,406 enrollees, 23% reported GERS at follow-up in 2011-2012.

Asthma among Staten Island fresh kills landfill and barge workers following the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attacks.

Background: Although airborne respiratory irritants at the World Trade Center (WTC) site have been associated with asthma among WTC Ground Zero workers, little is known about asthma associated with work at the Staten Island landfill or barges.

Methods: To evaluate the risk of asthma first diagnosed among Staten Island landfill and barge workers, we conducted a survey and multivariable logistic regression analysis regarding the association between Staten Island landfill and barge-related work exposures and the onset of post-9/11 asthma.

Results: Asthma newly diagnosed between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2004 was reported by 100/1,836 (5.