Helping Heroes — Drs. Thomas Aldrich and Charles Hall each have received funding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study obstructive airway disease (OAD), a common problem among 9/11 World Trade Center (WTC) responders. OAD is often but not always associated with bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR, asthma-like excessive sensitivity of airways). Dr. Aldrich will re-examine firefighters who had or did not have BHR soon after 9/11, to determine whether BHR is associated with excessive lung function decline and whether this effect is reduced in those who received asthma medication. Dr. Hall will investigate whether WTC exposure continues to be associated with new onset OAD in responders more than 10 years following the event. These studies will help shape existing policies that fund healthcare for WTC responders. They also will help identify potential long-term health risks that may be relevant to other environmental or occupational exposure incidents. Dr. Aldrich is professor of medicine; Dr. Hall is professor of epidemiology & population health and of neurology.
Posted on: Friday, November 16, 2012