Community Assessment of Chemical Exposures After a Train Derailment-East Palestine, Ohio, and Darlington Township, Pennsylvania, February-March 2023.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate chemical exposures and health effects after a train derailment in Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data (February-March 2023) on symptoms, exposures, medical care, and needs were collected using the Assessment of Chemical Exposures toolkit. Associations between exposures and symptoms were analyzed using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Participants reported chemical exposures (86%), mental health symptoms (70%), and physical symptoms (92%). Ears, nose, or throat symptoms (80%) and headache (76%) were the most common. Forty-one percent sought medical care, and 44% had unmet needs. Participants aged 18-64 years had higher odds of experiencing ophthalmic (odds ratio [OR], 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.19), neurological (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.51-3.83), and dermatological symptoms (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.04-2.15), compared with participants aged ≥65 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Most participants experienced chemical exposures, symptoms, and needs. Findings supported the establishment of a permanent health clinic.