Upshur R, James ML, Richardson E, Brunton G, Hunter W, Chambers L
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was the documentation of the short-term morbidity and
mortality experiences of an urban community exposed to the airborne byproducts
of a large polyvinylchloride plastics fire. The authors administered a survey to
representatives of each household who had lived in an area evacuated during the
fire; A time-series analysis was per; formed on emergency room visits and
admissions for all hospitals in the city. Chloracne surveillance was instituted.
Sixty-two percent of the individuals surveyed from the evacuation area reported
no health concerns or symptoms related to the fire. Thirty-eight percent of the
residents reported symptoms, and less than 2% of those surveyed reported that
they sought medical attention for their health concerns. There was no evidence
of increased hospital admissions or emergency room use during and immediately
following the fire. No cases of chloracne were reported, and: no deaths or
serious injuries occurred during the fire. Polyvinylchloride plastics recycling
plants pose potential health hazards to civilian populations. Public health
authorities should be prepared to assess population health status rapidly and to
disseminate relevant health information in a timely way during a crisis.
Author Keywords: chloracne, hospital admissions, plastics, polyvinylchloride
Addresses:
Upshur R, Sunnybrook & Womens Coll, Hlth Sci Ctr, Primary Care Res Unit,
Room E349B,Sunnybrook Campus,2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada McMaster Univ,
Inst Environm & Hlth, Hamilton, ON, Canada Univ Toronto, Dept Family &
Community Med, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada Univ Toronto, Dept Publ Hlth Sci,
Toronto, ON, Canada City Hamilton Social & Publ Hlth Sci, Hamilton, ON,
Canada McMaster Univ, Fac Hlth Sci, Dept Family Med, Hamilton, ON, Canada City
Hamilton Social & Publ Hlth Serv, Environm Hlth Branch, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Hamilton Wentworth Reg Publ Hlth Dept, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Publisher: HELDREF PUBLICATIONS, WASHINGTON
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