A plethora of health disparities exist in the Appalachian region, but scientists aren't entirely sure why, according to recent research from a team at Blacksburg-based Virginia Tech.
Led by Leigh-Anne Krometis, PhD, the team analyzed public health studies investigating disparities in the Appalachian region. They published their literature review in Reviews on Environmental Health July 6, calling for more research on how the environment affects human health in Appalachia.
Studying health in Appalachia poses a variety of challenges, in part because monitoring personal exposure to environmental factors like air and water pollution is complicated and expensive, they wrote. For example, coal-mining in the region may contaminate the area's water or lead to acid rain. However, since it is hard to measure an individual's exposure to these factors, it becomes difficult to causally link that exposure to illness.
To get to the root of disparities in the region, the researchers propose studying individual, longitudinal measures related to: exposure to air and water; the health effects of natural gas extraction and changes in land use; and the region's mental health.
"Appalachia is frequently described as a region with communities highly tied to the idea of 'place'," the study authors concluded, noting successful interventions to reduce environmental health disparities should also include input from community members.
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