Gulf Coast Depression Rates Up 25% Since Spill, Says Gallup Poll

by Miles Wolf Tamboli -Talk Radio News

Gallup released findings of a study, early Tuesday, showing a sharp rise in mental distress among Gulf Coast residents since the BP-Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on April 20th, crippling the coast’s economy and strongly affecting livelihoods in the region.

Thousands of interviews conducted before and after the spill - as a part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index - measured overall emotional health by surveying residents about a number of indicators, including daily worry, stress, sadness, and clinical depression.

The most worrisome measure was that of clinically diagnosed depression rates, which rose 25.6% after the spill began. 

Whereas most measures showed increased mental distress in Gulf Coast-facing communities, the studies conducted even slightly inland showed little or no change.

The findings highlight an enhanced need for post-disaster psychological support systems along the coast, and emphasizes that interventions are needed much more on the coast itself than simply in the affected states as a whole.