Depression climbs among Gulf Coast residents after BP oil spill

Gulf Coast residents reported a 25.6 % increase in depression after the massive BP oil spill spewed an estimated 172 million gallons of crude into the water, a Gallup poll released Tuesday finds.

A clinical diagnosis of depression among those surveyed was up four points--25.6%-- in the 15 weeks after the April 20 Deepwater Horizon explosion compared to the 15 weeks before the oil spill.

Shoreline impacted by oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in Bay Jimmy is seen in Plaquemines Parish, La., on Sept. 21.

CAPTION

By Gerald Herbert, AP

The poll found residents of inland counties reported a 2.2% decrease in depression, while residents of non-Gulf states reported a 0.6% rise.

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Gallup also found a 15.5 % increase in feelings of worry and sadness reported by Gulf Coast residents, compared to a 1.8 % decrease for those not in the Gulf.

Its findings are based on 2,598 interviews conducted from Jan. 2-Aug. 6, 2010, with residents from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas. During the same period, 30,657 interviews were conducted with residents of inland counties of Gulf Coast states and 179,435 in non-Gulf states.