The Gulf Coast Population Impact Project Timeline
Nearly three years after the Deepwater Horizon platform exploded and the Macondo well released an estimated 4.9 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf waters , coastal communities continue to grapple with the impact of the oil leak. The long tails of the nation’s largest accidental disaster can be seen in the enduring economic, environmental, and social effects.
2010-04-20 15:34:36
Deepwater Horizon Explosion
British Petroleum's Deepwater Horizon oil rig explodes off the Louisiana coast, setting off one of the largest environmental disasters in US history. Crude oil gushes into the coastal waterways, threatening the health of children and families in the region.
2010-06-15 05:16:15
Phase I - Gulf Coast Visit
NCDP Director Irwin Redlener, MD, and a NCDP research team make a site visit to the Gulf region, accompanied by leaders from Children's Health Fund.
2010-06-20 09:31:27
Institute of Medicine Presentation
Drs. Redlener and Abramson give presentations at a major scientific workshop organized by the Institute on Medicine (IOM) in New Orleans, on "Assessing the Effects on the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill on Human Health."
2010-06-30 05:16:15
Project Planning
NCDP researchers organize a long-term method to track the impact of the gulf oil spill on children and families, similar to the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health Study (GCAFH) which was launched by NCDP and CHF following Katrina. Researchers begin developing a questionnaire.
2010-07-15 09:31:27
Phase II - Random Digit Dial Survey
The Gulf Coast Population Impact (GCPI) Project is up and running, led by NCDP, in partnership with the Children's Health Fund, with the survey conducted by The Marist Poll. 1,200 adults (18 years or older), residents of Louisiana and Mississippi who live within approximately 10 miles of the Gulf Coast, are interviewed by telephone.
2010-08-02 09:31:27
NCDP's Report of Preliminary Findings
NCDP releases its report, "Impact on Children and Families of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Preliminary Findings of the Coastal Population Impact Study."
2010-08-03 09:31:27
New York Times Article
An article appears in the New York Times, under the head 'Survey Finds Broad Anxiety Among Gulf Residents.' Dr. Redlener reports that 'Our survey shows a persistent and overwhelming level of anxiety among families living near the coast, driven by both medical symptoms in their children as a substantial level of psychological stress. "
2010-08-05 09:31:27
Senator's Letter to BP
US Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana cites the NCDP study in a letter to the CEO of BP, requesting grants to the Gulf states to support mental health services for individuals and families impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The NCDP study is the first evidence she cites in making the appeal for funds.
2010-08-16 15:34:53
BP's Pledge for mental health services
BP announces that it will provide $15 million to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals for mental health support and outreach programs. Senator Landrieu says that is a "down payment on combating the post traumatic stress, anxiety and depression that our people may face in the coming weeks and months."
2010-08-16 15:34:53
ProPublica's Article on Research Findings
ProPublica reports that BP will spend a total of $52 million in funding for one federal and four state agencies to provide support and outreach services for mental health programs in the Gulf. "BP's announcement comes after researchers from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health published an early study of the toll that the spill has on had on mental health in the Gulf region."
2012-04-16 15:34:53
Phase III - Household Assessment
The Gulf Coast Population Impact Project started the household survey component of the work. Over a span of four and a half months, a field team of six interviewers and two field coordinators completed 1,437 face-to-face household surveys in 15 communities, with 887 respondents in Louisiana, 177 in Mississippi, 140 in Alabama, and 233 in Florida. The parents whom we interviewed reported considerable exposure to the oil spill as well as a number of physical and mental health problems among their children.
2012-08-23 15:34:53
AT&T Features Research Team
The Gulf Coast Population Impact Project: Focus on Mobile Data Collection.
2012-10-07 15:34:53
Phase III - The Community Engagement
Based on the household data, we selected four communities where parents reported significant health effects; two in Louisiana, one in Mississippi, and one in Alabama. Between October 7 and October 18, 2012 our research team traveled to these four communities to interview local officials and leaders and conduct in-depth parent focus groups. Our final sample, across the four target communities, included 88 professionals, community leaders, and advocates representing the first four categories identified above. We also interviewed 64 parents and grandparents in the target communities. Of the twelve parent focus groups we convened, nine were carried out in English, two in Vietnamese (with the assistance of interpreters), and one in Spanish (with the assistance of an interpreter).
2013-01-31 15:34:53
NCDP Briefing Report Release
Children's Health After the Oil Spill: A Four-State Study - Findings from the Gulf Coast Population Impact Project
2013-02-19 15:34:53
Community Report Release
Children's Health After the Oil Spill: A Four-State Study
2013-05-06 15:34:53
Coming Soon: Project SHORELine - Focus Groups
SHOREline: Focus groups will be conducted with teenagers as part of the GCPI Project. The objectives of our research study are (1) to understand the impact of the BP Oil Spill on the health and well-being of children; (2) to identify the resources and services that can effectively meet the needs of children and youth; and (3) to help us plan a youth initiative in selected Gulf Coast high schools that will connect the teens living along the Gulf Coast with other teenagers affected by disasters. We are talking directly with youth in the communities that were highly-impacted by the BP Oil spill.