PSYCHOLOGICAL, PSYCHOSOCIAL, AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL SEQUELAE IN A COMMUNITY AFFECTED BY A RAILROAD CHEMICAL DISASTER

Psychological, psychosocial, and psychophysiological sequelae were stu died in a community which had experienced a railroad chemical spill of 19,000 gallons of the toxic pesticide metam sodium. Two hundred twent y exposed residents were compared to 114 controls and paired on age, e ducation, gender, race, and number of children. A clinical interview a nd physiological measurements (blood pressure, pulse, and cortisol lev el) were taken, the MMPI-2, IES Scale, Mood Scale, Environmental Worry , Perceived Social Support, and Perceived Control Scale and a question naire were administered. Results indicated greater levels of depressio n, anxiety, and somatic symptoms in the spill residents in addition to greater environmental worry and lower perceived social support. Spill residents had higher blood pressure and less fluctuation of cortisol levels than controls. No difference on litigation status was obtained except on the IES, Intrusion and the POMS scales. Chemical disasters a re associated with a wide variety of psychological, psychosocial, and physiological distress.