Assessing Oil Spill's Health Effects on Another Key Species: Us

A special Senate committee hearing is under way to evaluate the potential short- and long-term human health problems that could result from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will hear from four experts today, all of whom will address the disaster's possible implications for our well-being.

"All of us see the pictures of oil-soaked pelicans and tarballs on the beach, and we can't help but think: How will this affect my drinking water? The air I breathe? The food I eat?" said Sen. Tom Harkin, the committee chairman.

The panel will address chemical toxins, which are already causing acute health problems, like headaches and nausea, for some of the spill's clean-up crews.

But the impact of the oil spill could persist for years, and physical health isn't the only concern.

"The oil spill may also affect mental health," Harkin warned, citing a study out of Alaska after the Exxon-Valdez spill, which concluded that locals were disproportionately affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

Already, some federal agencies are taking steps to alleviate potential health problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is issuing key information online, and the federal Department of Health and Human Services has established improvised clinics to monitor residents in affected regions.