Risk Of Early Dementia Nine Times Higher Among 9/11 First Responders

The risk of early dementia has been nine times higher among first responders who worked at the New York City World Trade Center (WTC) following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. In this study, about 4.6% (228 people) of 5,010 first responders treated at the Stony Brook WTC Health and Wellness Program developed dementia before age 65.

For responders who did not use personalized protective equipment (PPE, including masks and hazmat suits for example), and who reported dangerous occupational activities such as digging through WTC Ground Zero debris, the dementia incidence rates reached 42.36 per 1,000 . . .