Origins of Stress Responses to Chemical Exposures

Informing workers of chemical risks may have no effect on psychiatric complaints (Houts and McDougall 1988). Most victims initially respond with denial of both exposure and consequences. When asbestos workers with malignant mesothelioma learned of the apparent role of asbestos in their illness, most denied a causal link, denied personal responsibility, and denied anger at the asbestos industry (Lebovits et al. 1983). Michigan women with breast milk contaminated by polybrominated biphenyls refused testing and denied any effect of the chemical on their breast-fed children some developed the 

TABLE 2-1. Differences between technological and natural disasters 

Recall bias occurs some time after an exposure and distorts the measurement of stress. The victim retrospectively reports more symptoms than would be recalled within 24-48 hours of the exposure (Hopwood and Guidotti 1988). The media can induce biased reporting by victims, and investigators using symptom checklists may suggest symptoms to victims. Bias also may result from victims skepticism about the veracity of manufacturers reports of the known toxic properties of commercial chemicals (Lees-Haley and Brown 1992). 

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