Publication Date:
2022-05-26
Description:
Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2010. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Harmful Algae 9 (2010): 419-425, doi:10.1016/j.hal.2010.02.005.
Description:
The marine dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, is responsible for Florida red tides. Brevetoxins, the
neurotoxins produced by K. brevis blooms, can cause fish kills, contaminate shellfish, and lead
to respiratory illness in humans. Although several studies have assessed different economic
impacts from Florida red tide blooms, no studies to date have considered the impact on beach
lifeguard work performance. Sarasota County experiences frequent Florida red tides and staffs
lifeguards at its beaches 365 days a year. This study examined lifeguard attendance records
during the time periods of March 1 to September 30 in 2004 (no bloom) and March 1 to
September 30 in 2005 (bloom). The lifeguard attendance data demonstrated statistically
significant absenteeism during a Florida red tide bloom. The potential economic costs resulting
from red tide blooms were comprised of both lifeguard absenteeism and presenteeism. Our
estimate of the costs of absenteeism due to the 2005 red tide in Sarasota County is about $3,000.
On average, the capitalized costs of lifeguard absenteeism in Sarasota County may be on the
order of $100,000 at Sarasota County beaches alone. When surveyed, lifeguards reported not
only that they experienced adverse health effects of exposure to Florida red tide but also that
their attentiveness and abilities to take preventative actions decrease when they worked during a
bloom, implying presenteeism effects. The costs of presenteeism, which imply increased risks to
beachgoers, arguably could exceed those of absenteeism by an order of magnitude. Due to the
lack of data, however, we are unable to provide credible estimates of the costs of presenteeism or
the potential increased risks to bathers.
Description:
This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under The Research Experience
for Undergraduate Program, grant number 0453955; the P01 ES 10594, DHHS NIH of the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; the Center for Oceans and Human Health at
the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution [National Science Foundation (NSF) OCE-0430724;
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) P50 ES012742]; and the Ocean
and Human Health Center at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School (NSF 0CE0432368;
NIEHS 1 P50 ES12736).
Keywords:
Florida Red Tide
;
K. brevis
;
Presenteeism
;
Absenteeism
;
Lifeguard work habits
Repository Name:
Woods Hole Open Access Server
Type:
Preprint
Format:
application/pdf
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