Residential Proximity to Coal Mining and Health Indicators in West Virginia

Objectives. This study investigates the relationship between health status, chronic disease, and residential proximity to coal mining sites by mining volume among adults in West Virginia. Methods. Data are merged from several sources and analyzed. Data include responses from a 2001 telephone survey of 16,493 adult West Virginians, county-level data on 2001 coal production figures measured in tons, and county level smoking rates. Multi-level linear and Bernoulli models are created to examine the relationship between health variables, including self-reported health status and presence of chronic illnesses, and coal production, controlling for age, sex, income, education, health insurance, and smoking rates. Results. After adjustments for social and economic confounds, greater coal production is associated with worse reported health status, and with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, lung disease, and kidney disease. Control illnesses such as diabetes do not show elevated adjusted rates. Results are present for women and men and so are not explained by miners who live in the area. Conclusions. Proximity to coal mining sites in West Virginia is related to certain types of chronic illness and to lower self-reported health status. The risks increase as a function of the mining intensity. Additional research is required to identify mechanisms of action and to ascertain the magnitude and consequences of a byproduct exposure effect. Policies are in place for protecting miners and for reducing air pollution from burning coal, but policies to protect residents of mining communities are lacking.