Invited Commentary: Considering Bias in the Assessment of Respiratory Symptoms among Residents of Lower Manhattan following the Events of September 11, 2001

• Published in: American journal of epidemiology Vol. 162; no. 6; pp. 508 - 510
• Main Authors: Vlahov, David, Galea, Sandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oxford University Press 15.09.2005; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Air pollution; Bias; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology); Health risk assessment; Humans; New York City - epidemiology; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Respiratory diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases - epidemiology; September 11 Terrorist Attacks; Terrorism; Urban Health; New York City New York
• ISSN: 0002-9262; 1476-6256
• DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwi234

Vlahov and Galea discuss the report by Lin et al. that presents data on past-year and past-month respiratory symptoms among residents of Lower Manhattan after the September 11, 2001, attack on and collapse of the World Trade Center, as compared with residents of Manhattan's Upper West Side. They say the report raises questions about potential bias, assessment of exposure and health outcomes, and potential unmeasured confounding pose considerable challenges to the interpretation of the results.