Mental and overall health problems are common across a large group of 9/11 emergency responders-and remain persistent for 10 to 30 percent of them, according to a new study. The findings, reported in the journal Lancet, reviewed the health of over 27,000 emergency workers. Among rescue and recovery workers, 27.5 percent had been diagnosed with depression and over 31 percent had been diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Police officers were at lower risk for mental illness than other responders, according to researchers who say training and experience may have better equipped law enforcement personnel with dealing with traumatic situations. (HealthDay News, 9/1/11)
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