The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is perhaps the largest offshore oil spill and one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. While the parameters of the spill’s physical impact remain unknown, the Gulf States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas are already experiences adverse effects—states with large proportions of racial/ethnic minorities and individuals with limited-English proficiency (LEP). As the situation continues to unfold, public health officials are taking steps address the health threats associated with the spill—such as contaminated air, food, and water—as well as mental health impacts associated with social and economic disruption. Below is a list of translated materials and resources to aid preparedness and response efforts for diverse populations.
- US Department of Health and Human Services: Oil Spill Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990
- Institute of Medicine: Effects of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill on Human Health- A Summary of the June 2010 Workshop
- American Medical Association: Helping Physicians in the Gulf: Recognizing Mental and Behavioral Health Issues in Your Patients
- CDC: Environmental Health Surveillance- Oil Spill
- CNN: Vietnamese Fishermen in Gulf Fight to Not Get Lost in Translation
- Boat People S.O.S.: Services for Vietnamese-American Victims of Deep Horizon Oil Spill
- New York Times: Spill Takes Toll on Gulf Workers’ Psyches
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Managing Traumatic Incident Stress for Deepwater Horizon Response and Volunteer Workers: English, Spanish
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Reducing Occupational Exposures while Working with Dispersants During the Deepwater Horizon Response: English, Spanish
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Tips for Deep Water Horizon Response Workers: English, Spanish, Vietnamese
- OSHA Deepwater Horizon/Mississippi Canyon 252 Oil Spill Fact Sheet: English, Spanish, Vietnamese
- NIEHS Oil Spill Cleanup Initiative- Safety Awareness for Oil Spill Cleanup Workers: English, Spanish, Vietnamese (PDF)
- NIEHS Oil Spill Cleanup Initiative- Safety Awareness for Oil Spill Cleanup Workers: English, Spanish, Vietnamese (PowerPoint)
- National Library of Medicine Tox Town- Crude Oil: English, Spanish
- National Library of Medicine: Multilingual Resources