NEW YORK, Sept. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Most of the rescue and recovery workers who responded to the World Trade Center attack still experienced breathing and mental problems, according to a government report released Thursday.

    The report focuses on over 1,000 of the 11,000 people screened over a two-year period, so as to get an idea of the magnitude of health problems facing recovery workers.

    The study, commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and conducted by researchers at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, started in July of 2002 and was completed last month.

    The respiratory problems include sinus inflammation, nasal congestion, throat irritation, persistent dry cough, shortness of breath, wheezing and chest tightness. Many of the workers were also diagnosed with asthma after the attack.

    According to the report, only about one out of five workers had appropriate respiratory protection in the days after the attack, when they were exposed to the dust from the collapsed twin towers, which contained the highest amounts of pulverized cement, glass fibers, asbestos and other contaminants.

    In addition, 18 percent of the recovery workers had back and shoulder pain.

    More than half of the workers showed some evidence of psychiatric symptoms 16 months after the attack, said the report.

    One out of five had post traumatic stress disorder, four times the rate in the general population. About 15 percent said they had problems with their social life, 14 percent had work problems and 13 percent had difficulties in their family life. Enditem