Case Studies in Environmental Medicine: Benefits and Risks of Seafood Consumption in the Gulf Coast Region

Following the unprecedented release of approximately 4.4 million barrels of oil into the northern Gulf of Mexico as a result of an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil drilling rig, fisheries across the Gulf of Mexico were closed because of concerns about seafood safety. Federal agencies developed a protocol to determine that seafood (including fish, oysters, crabs, and shrimp) from these fisheries was safe, and by April 2011 all Gulf of Mexico federal waters were open to fisheries. However, concerns remain as to the safety of consuming seafood from the Gulf. This course will help medical providers evaluate the risks and benefits associated with seafood consumption and convey this information to their patients in a manner that supports both individual health and the economic health of the Gulf region.

Objectives

• Recognize the benefits and risks of seafood consumption
• Identify the populations most susceptible to harm from seafood contaminants, as well as the unique health benefits some of these populations derive from seafood
• Explain the concerns about seafood consumption raised by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and how to discuss these concerns with patients
• Apply broad population-level health advice to individual patients

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