Dermal symptoms and diagnoses associated with Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposures

We evaluated acute and longer-term dermal health outcomes among U.S. Coast Guard responders to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill via cross-sectional and longitudinal (followed up to 5 years post spill) analyses. Associations between cross-sectional skin rash/itching and oil spill response exposures were evaluated with log-binomial regressions to calculate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Incident outcomes were evaluated with multivariable Cox Proportional Hazard regression models. Ever (vs never) skin rash/itching prevalence was higher among responders exposed to crude oil + dispersant (aPR, 95% CI: 3.33, 2.41 to 4.59) than for crude oil only (aPR, 95% CI: 2.23, 1.77 to 2.80) when compared with responders exposed to neither. Statistically significant associations were observed primarily for unspecified diagnoses with no clear disease process. The environment of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill may have contributed to skin rash/itching and long-term dermatologic conditions in responders.