What We Know from the Research

Office Workers and Passersby:

More than 61% of Registry enrollees (43,000 people) were office workers, passersby or in transit south of Chambers Street on 9/11. The majority lived in New York City (71%), were male (53%) non-Hispanic white (59%) and non-smokers (59%). Forty-eight percent (48%) were between 25 and 44 years of age, with the largest percentage (33%) earning between $75,000 and $150,000 in 2003-2004.¹

Among this group, 92% said  they experienced trauma on 9/11,  71% were caught in the dust cloud and 16% suffered an injury, such as a cut, sprain or strain.¹  In addition, 5 to 6 years after 9/11:

• About 8.4% of office workers and 8.6% of passersby developed new-onset asthma 5 to 6 years after the attacks. Intense dust cloud exposure and experiencing heavy dust in the office were major contributors for both groups and office workers, respectively.
• Passersby had the highest rate of probable PTSD (23.2%) of any group, including rescue and recovery workers and residents. They were also more likely to have chronic post-traumatic stress symptoms, which means they had symptoms in 2003-2004 and 2006-2007.
• Probable PTSD was more likely to be resolved for office workers than for other eligibility groups in the Registry; the prevalence declined from 19.1% in 2003-2004 to 16.9% in 2006-2007.²

In a study of 750 New York City office workers, most reported they were in good or excellent health 2 years after 9/11. Those directly exposed or who had offices closer to the World Trade Center (south of Canal Street) were more likely to report headaches or cough.³

Tower Survivors:

Nearly 8,500 adults who survived collapsed or damaged buildings in lower Manhattan on 9/11—including 3,690 evacuated from the World Trade Center—enrolled in the WTC Health Registry Among this group,:⁴

• Most began evacuating when the first plane hit the north tower. However, many survivors from surrounding damaged or destroyed buildings did not start evacuating until after the second plane hit.
• 62% were caught in the dust cloud.
• 64% experienced at least 3 potentially psychologically traumatizing events (seeing an airplane hit either one of the WTC towers, a building collapse, people running away, someone who was injured or killed, or people falling or jumping from the WTC towers).
• Injuries were common (44%), but few survivors reported injuries that required extensive treatment. The most common were cuts and sprains or strains.
• Building type and time of evacuation were associated with injuries on September 11, 2001 and reported symptoms; building type (collapsed versus damaged) also was associated with mental distress.

To search for 2003/2004 baseline survey data, visit the Health Department's interactive health data tool.

References:

1. Farfel M, DiGrande L, Brackbill R, et al. An Overview of 9/11 Experiences and Respiratory and Mental Health Conditions among World Trade Center Health Registry Enrollees. Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine. 2008; 85(6): 880-909.
2. Brackbill RM, Hadler JL, Ekenga CC, et al. Asthma and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms 5 to 6 Years Following Exposure to the WTC Terrorist Attack . Journal of the American Medical Association 2009; 302(5):502-516.
3. Osinubi OY, Gandhi SK, Ohman-Strickland P, et al. Organizational Factors and Office Workers' Health after the World Trade Center Terrorist Attacks: Long-Term Physical Symptoms, Psychological Distress, and Work Productivity. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2008. 50(2):112-125.
4. Brackbill RM, Thorpe LE, DiGrande L, et al. Surveillance for World Trade Center disaster health effects among survivors of collapsed and damaged buildings . Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summary. 2006. 55;1-18.