Healthcare in the wake of 9/11

A study conducted by researchers at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and published in the journal Biosecurity and Bioterrorism examines healthcare trends in the wake of September 11, 2001. The study found that the use of healthcare declined in the three weeks following the attack. Surprisingly though, mental health claims were lower than expected in the six months after 9/11, perhaps because free services were available to victims. But researchers did note a rise in certain cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and skin diseases often linked to stress. "…[F]or many with emotional stress related to the disaster, this stress appeared as physical illness, and this led to increases in healthcare use for conditions such as irregular heart beats, fainting, chest pain, or ulcers," noted author James W. Buehler, MD, in a press release. Researchers hope that by studying these healthcare trends, they can help healthcare providers better anticipate patients' needs in the wake of a disaster.

For more on healthcare post-9/11:
- see this press release