Tracking diseases related to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001

Abstract

Accurate, timely, and complete disease reporting is essential to understanding the extent and long-term consequences of diseases related to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11). Although there are no public health disease reporting requirements that specifically mention 9/11, other mechanisms exist to track 9/11-related illnesses. These include the availability of 9/11-exposed cohorts, some open to new member recruitment and others closed. Record linkages of 9/11 cohorts to various data registries (eg statewide cancer registries and the National Death Index) are periodically performed. This paper describes these 9/11 cohorts and the efforts to track their health experience.

Keywords:

• 9/11
• cancer registry
• chemical exposure
• disease tracking
• dust
• FDNY
• health registry
• mortality
• public health surveillance
• responder
• survivor
• terrorist attack
• World Trade Center

Disclosure statement

The author reports that there are no competing interests to declare.

Institutional review board (IRB) review

This activity did not involve human subjects and therefore did not require IRB review.

Additional information

Funding

Dr. Calvert is an employee of the US federal government and contributed to this paper as part of his official job duties.