Nine months after a train derailed in East Palestine releasing toxic chemicals into the environment, locals were still feeling the effects — physically and mentally.
That’s according to a new study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress.
In a survey of 1,000 adults who lived within 65 miles of the derailment site, more than half reported at least one physical health concern since the disaster. And many reported mental health effects too.
The study found the rate of PTSD among residents to be around 15%, about double the national average.
The rate of major depression was high as well, with 13% of respondents meeting criteria for the disorder.
“[These results] are quite consistent with what we know about exposure to natural disasters and human-caused technological disasters,” said study author Cameron Pugach, with the Medical University of South Carolina.
Researchers found similarly elevated rates of PTSD and depression following the lead water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
Why rates remain high months later
Pugach says the stress and uncertainty of these sorts of disasters often lingers.
In the case of the train derailment in East Palestine, three-quarters of people surveyed were concerned about their exposure to toxic chemicals.
“And I think most strikingly, over 90% of the sample reported concerns for what that exposure meant for their short and long-term health,” Pugach said.
For many, government leaders didn’t appease those concerns. In fact, half of respondents said they had little or no confidence in information from public officials.
“The less people trusted the credibility of the information from public officials, the more likely they were to report PTSD and depression,” Pugach said.
Symptoms of those disorders are common in the days or weeks following traumatic experiences, he explained.
“But for a subset of people, after a month's time, those symptoms tend to persist. They tend to persist for a long time without intervention.”
He says the study speaks to a need for continued mental health services, especially trauma-focused treatments, in East Palestine. And for future disasters, it demonstrates the importance of credible information from trusted officials.
