Examining health and well-being outcomes associated with mining activity in rural communities of high-income countries: A systematic review

Mactaggart, Fiona; McDermott, Liane; Tynan, Anna; Gericke, Christian A.

doi:10.1111/ajr.12285

Cited by 32 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 28 publications

(50 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This review did not include related types of coal mining outside of this region that may be relevant to community health exposures as covered in recent systematic reviews by Jenkins et al (2013) of coal mining and cancer and Mactaggart et al (2016) of mining in rural communities in high-income countries. Although perhaps limiting, we felt justified focusing on the potential health effects from MTR mining in the Appalachian Mountains.…”

Section: Limitations Of This Systematic Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic review of community health impacts of mountaintop removal mining

Boyles

Blain

Rochester

et al. 2017

Environment International

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background The objective of this evaluation is to understand the human health impacts of mountaintop removal (MTR) mining, the major method of coal mining in and around Central Appalachia. MTR mining impacts the air, water, and soil and raises concerns about potential adverse health effects in neighboring communities;exposures associated with MTR mining include particulate matter (PM), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, hydrogen sulfide, and other recognized harmful substances. Methods A systematic review was conducted of published studies of MTR mining and community health, occupational studies of MTR mining, and any available animal and in vitro experimental studies investigating the effects of exposures to MTR-mining-related chemical mixtures. Six databases (Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, Toxline, and Web of Science) were searched with customized terms, and no restrictions on publication year or language, through October 27, 2016. The eligibility criteria included all human population studies and animal models of human health, direct and indirect measures of MTR-mining exposure, any health-related effect or change in physiological response, and any study design type. Risk of bias was assessed for observational and experimental studies using an approach developed by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT). To provide context for these health effects, a summary of the exposure literature is included that focuses on describing findings for outdoor air, indoor air, and drinking water. Results From a literature search capturing 3088 studies, 33 human studies (29 community, four occupational), four experimental studies (two in rat, one in vitro and in mice, one in C. elegans), and 58 MTR mining exposure studies were identified. A number of health findings were reported in observational human studies, including cardiopulmonary effects, mortality, and birth defects. However, concerns for risk of bias were identified, especially with respect to exposure characterization, accounting for confounding variables (such as socioeconomic status), and methods used to assess health outcomes. Typically, exposure was assessed by proximity of residence or hospital to coal mining or production level at the county level. In addition, assessing the consistency of findings was challenging because separate publications likely included overlapping case and comparison groups. For example, 11 studies of mortality were conducted with most reporting higher rates associated with coal mining, but many of these relied on the same national datasets and were unable to consider individual-level contributors to mortality such as poor socioeconomic status or smoking. Two studies of adult rats reported impaired microvascular and cardiac mitochondrial function after intratracheal exposure to PM from MTR-mining sites. Exposures associated with MTR mining included reports of PM levels that sometimes exceeded Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards; higher levels of dust, tra...

show abstract

Section: Limitations Of This Systematic Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic review of community health impacts of mountaintop removal mining

Boyles

Blain

Rochester

et al. 2017

Environment International

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These findings suggest that rural-urban differences in adolescent substance use were largely driven by counties with economic dependence on mining and support the argument that there may be environmental and cultural factors unique to the economic typology of rural communities that influence risk behaviors. 20 While we were not able to ascertain what is driving the higher rates of substance use among young adolescents in mining communities, the higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use behaviors among adults in the mining industry 25,27,30 may play a role. Research has demonstrated that adolescent substance is strongly influenced by parental and family substance use behaviors and attitudes toward substance use.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…While we were not able to ascertain what is driving the higher rates of substance use among young adolescents in mining communities, the higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use behaviors among adults in the mining industry may play a role. Research has demonstrated that adolescent substance is strongly influenced by parental and family substance use behaviors and attitudes toward substance use .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Several studies in Australia have also found that mining industry workers are at significantly higher risk for heavy alcohol consumption and short‐term alcohol‐related harm when compared with workers in other industries . Furthermore, a systematic review assessed the influence of living in proximity to mining in high‐income countries and found that mining may contribute to work‐family conflict . However, the direct effects on youth risk behaviors were not assessed in any of the studies reviewed.…”

Section: Purposementioning

confidence: 99%

“…28,29 Furthermore, a systematic review assessed the influence of living in proximity to mining in high-income countries and found that mining may contribute to work-family conflict. 30 However, the direct effects on youth risk behaviors were not assessed in any of the studies reviewed.…”

Section: Purposementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Community‐Level Exposure to the Rural Mining Industry: The Potential Influence on Early Adolescent Alcohol and Tobacco Use

Clements-Nolle

Packham

Ackerman

et al. 2018

The Journal of Rural Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Suicide and Self-Harm: It’s Everyone’s Business

Lutkin¹,

Buckby²

2020

Handbook of Rural, Remote, and Very Remote Mental Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Globally suicide is often reported as being one of the top ten causes of death across many countries, and so suicide and self-harm are global issues that warrant closer inquiry. The global suicide rate is estimated to be over 10 per 100,000, and those who self-harm have higher suicide risks. Many countries have found that the rate of suicide increases with greater distances from major centers. There are a number of specific external and internal factors that have been found to contribute to suicide in rural and remote communities.

show abstract

Examining health and well-being outcomes associated with mining activity in rural communities of high-income countries: A systematic review

Abstract: This review highlights the broader health and well-being outcomes associated with mining activity that should be monitored and addressed in addition to environmental health impacts to support co-existence of mining activities and rural communities.

Cited by 32 publications

References 28 publications

Systematic review of community health impacts of mountaintop removal mining

Systematic review of community health impacts of mountaintop removal mining

Community‐Level Exposure to the Rural Mining Industry: The Potential Influence on Early Adolescent Alcohol and Tobacco Use

Suicide and Self-Harm: It’s Everyone’s Business

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About