Long term health complaints following the Amsterdam Air Disaster in police officers and fire-fighters
- A C Huizink1,
- P Slottje3,
- A B Witteveen2,
- J A Bijlsma2,
- J W R Twisk2,
- N Smidt2,
- I Bramsen2,
- W van Mechelen3,
- H M van der Ploeg4,
- L M Bouter2,
- T Smid5
- 1Erasmus Medical Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- 2Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 3Department of Public and Occupational Health, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 4Department of Medical Psychology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 5KLM Health and Safety, Schiphol Airport, Netherlands
- Correspondence to: Dr A C Huizink Erasmus Medical Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, WK-219, PO Box 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, Netherlands; a.c.huizink{at}erasmusmc.nl
- Accepted 7 April 2006
- Published Online First 27 April 2006
Abstract
Background: On 4 October 1992, a cargo aircraft crashed into apartment buildings in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Fire-fighters and police officers assisted with the rescue work.
Objectives: To examine the long term health complaints in rescue workers exposed to a disaster.
Methods: A historical cohort study was performed among police officers (n = 834) and fire-fighters (n = 334) who performed at least one disaster related task and reference groups of their non-exposed colleagues (n = 634 and n = 194, respectively). The main outcome measures included digestive, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, nervous system, airway, skin, post-traumatic stress, fatigue, and general mental health complaints; haematological and biochemical laboratory values; and urinalysis outcomes.
Results: Police officers and fire-fighters who were professionally exposed to a disaster reported more physical and mental health complaints, compared to the reference groups. No clinically relevant statistically significant differences in laboratory outcomes were found.
Conclusions: This study is the first to examine long term health complaints in a large sample of rescue workers exposed to a disaster in comparison to reference groups of non-exposed colleagues. Findings show that even in the long term, and in the absence of laboratory abnormalities, rescue workers report more health complaints.
Footnotes
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Published Online First 27 April 2006
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Funding: the study was funded by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports, the City of Amsterdam, the regional police force Amsterdam-Amstelland, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
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Competing interests: none
