SATURDAY, May 18, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- How much damage did the Sept. 11 terrorist attack wreak on Manhattan?
While that may be impossible ever to determine fully, the U.S. government believes certain findings concerning public health are worth exploring, and it's backing its philosophy with money.
The Department of Health and Human Services is providing grants worth $10.5 million to address health concerns and to finance research and training in the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center.
An additional $2 million is available in special grants for mental health and substance abuse services for firefighters, police and other rescue worker who responded to the attack.
Among the grant recipients is the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, which will do a study of 200 ironworkers dismantling the remains of the World Trade Center and compare them to ironworkers working elsewhere.
Mount Sinai will also analyze infrared images of the plumes of pollutants from the fires and collapse of the World Trade Center in order to assess exposures in the immediate area.
New York University, Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the University of Rochester will team up to do a clinical study of respiratory symptoms in 300 New York City firefighters plus a survey and follow-up of 6,000 residents.
Johns Hopkins University will develop a registry of the 3,000-4,000 cleanup workers at the World Trade Center site who will be studied by questionnaire and function tests.
Columbia University will look at pregnancy outcomes and subsequent child development in a sample of exposed women and compare them to other women.
Columbia will also analyze air and dust samples collected between October and January, along with soil samples and New York harbor and lake sediments.
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey will look at possible increases in premature birth defects, post-traumatic stress, depression and panic in surrounding communities.
More information
This link to a news release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives an update on how health inspectors responded to the attack.
