Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs estimating the associations between acute health effects* and crude oil exposure, using the oil exposure index (OEI)
| Health effect | OEI | Noutcome | Prevalence | PR | 95% CI | p Trend |
| Respiratory† | ||||||
| Any respiratory health effect (n=1018) | None | 261 | 0.118 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 339 | 0.271 | 1.62 | 1.39 to 1.89 | ||
| High | 418 | 0.301 | 1.78 | 1.53 to 2.07 | <0.01 | |
| Coughing (n=942) | None | 241 | 0.109 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 315 | 0.249 | 1.62 | 1.38 to 1.90 | ||
| High | 386 | 0.278 | 1.78 | 1.52 to 2.08 | <0.01 | |
| Shortness of breath (n=265) | None | 53 | 0.024 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 87 | 0.069 | 1.78 | 1.25 to 2.52 | ||
| High | 125 | 0.090 | 2.30 | 1.65 to 3.21 | <0.01 | |
| Wheezing (n=173) | None | 32 | 0.015 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 32 | 0.025 | 2.09 | 1.34 to 3.25 | ||
| High | 80 | 0.058 | 2.32 | 1.51 to 3.56 | <0.01 | |
| Neurological‡ | ||||||
| Any neurological health effect (n=2090) | None | 657 | 0.298 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 635 | 0.503 | 1.31 | 1.20 to 1.44 | ||
| High | 798 | 0.575 | 1.43 | 1.31 to 1.57 | <0.01 | |
| Headaches (n=1891) | None | 580 | 0.263 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 579 | 0.458 | 1.33 | 1.20 to 1.47 | ||
| High | 732 | 0.527 | 1.46 | 1.32 to 1.62 | <0.01 | |
| Light-headedness/Dizziness (n=643) | None | 132 | 0.060 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 225 | 0.178 | 1.74 | 1.40 to 2.18 | ||
| High | 286 | 0.206 | 1.96 | 1.58 to 2.45 | <0.01 | |
| Difficulty concentrating (n=468) | None | 159 | 0.072 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 130 | 0.103 | 0.97 | 0.76 to 1.24 | ||
| High | 179 | 0.129 | 1.11 | 0.88 to 1.41 | 0.30 | |
| Numbness or tingling sensations (n=229) | None | 57 | 0.026 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 71 | 0.056 | 1.14 | 0.78 to 1.66 | 0.20 | |
| High | 101 | 0.073 | 1.26 | 0.88 to 1.82 | ||
| Blurred/Double vision (n=218) | None | 71 | 0.032 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 30 | 0.024 | 0.87 | 0.59 to 1.27 | ||
| High | 90 | 0.065 | 1.17 | 0.81 to 1.67 | 0.26 | |
| Memory loss/Confusion (n=127) | None | 34 | 0.015 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 44 | 0.035 | 1.60 | 0.93 to 2.76 | ||
| High | 49 | 0.035 | 1.24 | 0.76 to 2.05 | ||
| Tremors (n=28) | None | 10 | 0.005 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 5 | 0.004 | 0.31 | 0.10 to 1.01 | ||
| High | 13 | 0.009 | 0.62 | 0.23 to 1.64 | 0.60 | |
| Dermal‡ | ||||||
| Skin rash or itching (n=536) | None | 103 | 0.047 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 198 | 0.157 | 1.91 | 1.49 to 2.45 | ||
| High | 235 | 0.169 | 1.87 | 1.45 to 2.40 | <0.01 | |
| Gastrointestinal‡ | ||||||
| Any gastrointestinal health effect (n=928) | None | 262 | 0.119 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 284 | 0.225 | 1.28 | 1.08 to 1.51 | ||
| High | 382 | 0.275 | 1.45 | 1.23 to 1.71 | <0.01 | |
| Diarrhoea (n=622) | None | 151 | 0.069 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 190 | 0.150 | 1.40 | 1.13 to 1.75 | ||
| High | 281 | 0.202 | 1.76 | 1.42 to 2.17 | <0.01 | |
| Stomach pain (n=454) | None | 112 | 0.051 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 142 | 0.112 | 1.41 | 1.08 to 1.83 | <0.01 | |
| High | 200 | 0.144 | 1.67 | 1.29 to 2.16 | ||
| Constipation (n=325) | None | 99 | 0.045 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 94 | 0.074 | 1.12 | 0.82 to 1.51 | ||
| High | 132 | 0.095 | 1.28 | 0.95 to 1.72 | 0.09 | |
| Nausea or vomiting (n=300) | None | 72 | 0.033 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 101 | 0.080 | 1.34 | 0.97 to 1.86 | ||
| High | 127 | 0.091 | 1.48 | 1.07 to 2.04 | 0.02 | |
| Genitourinary‡ | ||||||
| Burning or painful urination (n=35) | None | 6 | 0.003 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 9 | 0.007 | 1.49 | 0.48 to 4.56 | ||
| High | 20 | 0.014 | 2.89 | 1.03 to 8.11 | 0.02 | |
| Cardiovascular‡ | ||||||
| Any cardiovascular health effect (n=167) | None | 51 | 0.023 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 44 | 0.035 | 0.91 | 0.58 to 1.41 | ||
| High | 72 | 0.052 | 1.21 | 0.80 to 1.84 | 0.24 | |
| Chest pain (n=108) | None | 37 | 0.017 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 24 | 0.019 | 0.64 | 0.36 to 1.13 | ||
| High | 47 | 0.034 | 1.05 | 0.63 to 1.74 | 0.56 | |
| Sudden heartbeat changes (n=96) | None | 25 | 0.011 | 1.00 | ||
| Low/Medium | 29 | 0.023 | 1.30 | 0.72 to 2.34 | ||
| High | 42 | 0.030 | 1.50 | 0.85 to 2.66 | 0.17 |
*Acute health effects shown had at least five unexposed cases.
†Adjusted for age, exhaust exposure during deployment and smoking during deployment.‡Adjusted for age, dispersant exposure during deployment and exhaust exposure during deployment.Counts of responders by exposure level: none (N=2204); low/medium (N=1263); high (N=1388).
Bold typeface indicates statistical significance.