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Cortes-Ramirez J, Mengersen K, Morawska L, Sly P, Jagals P, Wraith D. The hospitalisation risk of chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases associated with coal mining in the general population in Queensland, Australia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:174989. [PMID: 39053553 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Queensland is the main coal mining state in Australia where populations in coal mining areas have been historically exposed to coal mining emissions. Although a higher risk of chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases has been associated with coal mining globally, few studies have investigated these associations in the Queensland general population. This study estimates the association of coal production with hospitalisations for chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases in Queensland considering spatial and temporal variations during 1997-2014. An ecological analysis used a Bayesian hierarchical spatiotemporal model to estimate the association of coal production with standardised rates of each, chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and considering the spatial structure of Queensland's statistical areas (SA2) in the 18-year period. Two specifications; with and without a space-time interaction effect were compared using the integrated nested Laplace approximation -INLA approach. The posterior mean of the best fit model was used to map the spatial, temporal and spatiotemporal trends of risk. The analysis considered 2,831,121 hospitalisation records. Coal mining was associated with a 4 % (2.4-5.5) higher risk of hospitalisation for chronic respiratory diseases in the model with a space-time interaction effect which had the best fit. An emerging higher risk of either chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases was identified in eastern areas and some coal-mining areas in central and southeast Queensland. There were important disparities in the spatiotemporal trend of risk between coal -and non-coal mining areas for each, chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases. Coal mining is associated with an increased risk of chronic respiratory diseases in the Queensland general population. Bayesian spatiotemporal analyses are robust methods to identify environmental determinants of morbidity in exposed populations. This methodology helps identifying at-risk populations which can be useful to support decision-making in health. Future research is required to investigate the causality links between coal mining and these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Cortes-Ramirez
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Australia; Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia; School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
| | - K Mengersen
- Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
| | - L Morawska
- Queensland University of Technology, International Laboratory for Air Quality & Health, Australia; Australia Global Centre for Clean Air Research, School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - P Sly
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - P Jagals
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - D Wraith
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
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Assessing health disparities in breast cancer incidence burden in Tennessee: geospatial analysis. BMC WOMENS HEALTH 2021; 21:186. [PMID: 33941168 PMCID: PMC8091807 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-021-01274-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Background Tennessee women experience the 12th highest breast cancer mortality in the United States. We examined the geographic differences in breast cancer incidence in Tennessee between Appalachian and non-Appalachian counties from 2005 to 2015. Methods We used ArcGIS 10.7 geospatial analysis and logistic regression on the Tennessee Cancer Registry incidence data for adult women aged ≥ 18 years (N = 59,287) who were diagnosed with breast cancer from 2005 to 2015 to evaluate distribution patterns by Appalachian county designation. The Tennessee Cancer Registry is a population-based, central cancer registry serving the citizens of Tennessee and was established by Tennessee law to collect and monitor cancer incidence. The main outcome was breast cancer stage at diagnosis. Independent variables were age, race, marital status, type of health insurance, and county of residence. Results Majority of the sample were White (85.5%), married (58.6%), aged ≥ 70 (31.3%) and diagnosed with an early stage breast cancer (69.6%). More than half of the women had public health insurance (54.2%), followed by private health insurance coverage (44.4%). Over half of the women resided in non-Appalachian counties, whereas 47.6% were in the Appalachian counties. We observed a significant association among breast cancer patients with respect to marital status and type of health insurance coverage (p = < 0.0001). While the logistic regression did not show a significant result between county of residence and breast cancer incidence, the spatial analysis revealed geographic differences between Appalachian and non-Appalachian counties. The highest incidence rates of 997.49–1164.59/100,000 were reported in 6 Appalachian counties (Anderson, Blount, Knox, Rhea, Roane, and Van Buren) compared to 3 non-Appalachian counties (Fayette, Marshall, and Williamson). Conclusions There is a need to expand resources in Appalachian Tennessee to enhance breast cancer screening and early detection. Using geospatial techniques can further elucidate disparities that may be overlooked in conventional linear analyses to improve women’s cancer health and associated outcomes.
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Shi R, Meacham S, Davis GC, You W, Sun Y, Goessl C. Factors influencing high respiratory mortality in coal-mining counties: a repeated cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2019; 19:1484. [PMID: 31703658 PMCID: PMC6839055 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-7858-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have associated elevated mortality risk in central Appalachia with coal-mining activities, but few have explored how different non-coal factors influence the association within each county. Consequently, there is a knowledge gap in identifying effective ways to address health disparities in coal-mining counties. To specifically address this knowledge gap, this study estimated the effect of living in a coal-mining county on non-malignant respiratory diseases (NMRD) mortality, and defined this as "coal-county effect." We also investigated what factors may accentuate or attenuate the coal-county effect. METHODS An ecological epidemiology protocol was designed to observe the characteristics of three populations and to identify the effects of coal-mining on community health. Records for seven coal-mining counties (n = 19,692) were obtained with approvals from the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Statistics for the years 2005 to 2012. Also requested were records from three adjacent coal counties (n = 10,425) to provide a geographic comparison. For a baseline comparison, records were requested for eleven tobacco-producing counties (n = 27,800). We analyzed the association of 57,917 individual mortality records in Virginia with coal-mining county residency, county-level socioeconomic status, health access, behavioral risk factors, and coal production. The development of a two-level hierarchical model allowed the coal-county effect to vary by county-level characteristics. Wald tests detected sets of significant factors explaining the variation of impacts across counties. Furthermore, to illustrate how the model estimations help explain health disparities, two coal-mining county case studies were presented. RESULTS The main result revealed that coal-mining county residency increased the probability of dying from NMRD. The coal-county effect was accentuated by surface coal mining, high smoking rates, decreasing health insurance coverage, and a shortage of doctors. In Virginia coal-mining regions, the average coal-county effect increased by 147% (p-value< 0.01) when one doctor per 1000 left, and the effect increased by 68% (p-value< 0.01) with a 1% reduction of health insurance rates, holding other factors fixed. CONCLUSIONS This study showed a high mortality risk of NMRD associated with residents living in Virginia coal-mining counties. Our results also revealed the critical role of health access in reducing health disparities related to coal exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoding Shi
- Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, Virginia Tech, 250 Drillfield Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Susan Meacham
- Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, 2265 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - George C. Davis
- Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, Virginia Tech, 250 Drillfield Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Wen You
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, 200 Jeanette Lancaster Way, Charlottesville, VA 22903 USA
| | - Yu Sun
- China Center for Health Economic Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China
| | - Cody Goessl
- Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 42nd and Emile, Omaha, NE 68198 USA
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Ostrom QT, Gittleman H, Kruchko C, Barnholtz-Sloan JS. Primary brain and other central nervous system tumors in Appalachia: regional differences in incidence, mortality, and survival. J Neurooncol 2018; 142:27-38. [PMID: 30543034 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-018-03073-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Appalachian region is a large geographic and economic area, representing 7.69% of the United States (US). This region is more rural, whiter, older, and has a higher level of poverty as compared to the rest of the US. Limited research has been done on primary brain and other central nervous system tumors (PBT) epidemiology in this region. In this analysis we characterize incidence, mortality, and survival patterns. METHODS Data from 2006 to 2015 were obtained from the central brain tumor registry of the US (provided by CDC and NCI). Appalachian counties were categorized using the Appalachia Regional Council scheme. Overall and histology-specific age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates per 100,000 population were generated. 1-, 5-, and 10-year relative survival (RS) was estimated using CDC national program of cancer registry data from 2001 to 2014. RESULTS Overall PBT incidence within Appalachia was 22.62 per 100,000, which is not significantly different from the non-Appalachian US (22.77/100,000, p = 0.1189). Malignant incidence was 5% higher in Appalachia (7.55/100,000 vs. 7.23/100,000, p < 0.0001), while non-malignant incidence was 3% lower (15.07/100,000 vs. 15.54/100,000, p < 0.0001). 5-year RS for malignant PBT was lower (31.4% vs. 36.0%), and mortality due to malignant PBT was higher in Appalachia (4.86/100,000 vs. 4.34/100,000, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Appalachia has increased malignant and decreased non-malignant PBT incidence, and poorer survival outcomes for malignant PBT compared to the non-Appalachian US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn T Ostrom
- Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States, Hinsdale, IL, USA.,Department of Medicine, Section of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Haley Gittleman
- Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States, Hinsdale, IL, USA.,Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center,, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2-526 Wolstein Research Building, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106-7295, USA
| | - Carol Kruchko
- Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States, Hinsdale, IL, USA
| | - Jill S Barnholtz-Sloan
- Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States, Hinsdale, IL, USA. .,Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center,, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2-526 Wolstein Research Building, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106-7295, USA.
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Cortes-Ramirez J, Naish S, Sly PD, Jagals P. Mortality and morbidity in populations in the vicinity of coal mining: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 2018; 18:721. [PMID: 29890962 PMCID: PMC5996462 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-5505-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence of the association of coal mining with health outcomes such as increased mortality and morbidity in the general population has been provided by epidemiological studies in the last 25 years. Given the diverse sources of data included to investigate different health outcomes in the exposed populations, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) can be used as a single classification standard to compare the findings of studies conducted in different socioeconomic and geographic contexts. The ICD classifies diagnoses of diseases and other disorders as codes organized by categories and chapters. OBJECTIVES Identify the ICD codes found in studies of morbidity and/or mortality in populations resident or in proximity of coal mining and assess the methods of these studies conducting a systematic review. METHODS A systematic database search of PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus following the PRISMA protocol was conducted to assess epidemiological studies from 1990 to 2016. The health outcomes were mapped to ICD codes and classified by studies of morbidity and/or mortality, and the categories and chapters of the ICD. RESULTS Twenty-eight epidemiological studies with ecological design from the USA, Europe and China were included. The exposed populations had increased risk of mortality and/or morbidity by 78 ICD diagnosis categories and 9 groups of ICD categories in 10 chapters of the ICD: Neoplasms, diseases of the circulatory, respiratory and genitourinary systems, metabolic diseases, diseases of the eye and the skin, perinatal conditions, congenital and chromosomal abnormalities, and external causes of morbidity. Exposed populations had non-increased risk of 9 ICD diagnosis categories of diseases of the genitourinary system, and prostate cancer. CONCLUSIONS There is consistent evidence of the association of coal mining with a wide spectrum of diseases in populations resident or in proximity of the mining activities. The methods of the studies included in this review can be integrated with individual-level and longitudinal studies to provide further evidence of the exposure pathways linked to increased risk in the exposed populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Cortes-Ramirez
- Child Health Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Suchithra Naish
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Peter D Sly
- Child Health Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul Jagals
- Child Health Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Severino AL, Shadfar A, Hakimian JK, Crane O, Singh G, Heinzerling K, Walwyn WM. Pain Therapy Guided by Purpose and Perspective in Light of the Opioid Epidemic. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:119. [PMID: 29740351 PMCID: PMC5925443 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prescription opioid misuse is an ongoing and escalating epidemic. Although these pharmacological agents are highly effective analgesics prescribed for different types of pain, opioids also induce euphoria, leading to increasing diversion and misuse. Opioid use and related mortalities have developed in spite of initial claims that OxyContin, one of the first opioids prescribed in the USA, was not addictive in the presence of pain. These claims allayed the fears of clinicians and contributed to an increase in the number of prescriptions, quantity of drugs manufactured, and the unforeseen diversion of these drugs for non-medical uses. Understanding the history of opioid drug development, the widespread marketing campaign for opioids, the immense financial incentive behind the treatment of pain, and vulnerable socioeconomic and physical demographics for opioid misuse give perspective on the current epidemic as an American-born problem that has expanded to global significance. In light of the current worldwide opioid epidemic, it is imperative that novel opioids are developed to treat pain without inducing the euphoria that fosters physical dependence and addiction. We describe insights from preclinical findings on the properties of opioid drugs that offer insights into improving abuse-deterrent formulations. One finding is that the ability of some agonists to activate one pathway over another, or agonist bias, can predict whether several novel opioid compounds bear promise in treating pain without causing reward among other off-target effects. In addition, we outline how the pharmacokinetic profile of each opioid contributes to their potential for misuse and discuss the emergence of mixed agonists as a promising pipeline of opioid-based analgesics. These insights from preclinical findings can be used to more effectively identify opioids that treat pain without causing physical dependence and subsequent opioid abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amie L. Severino
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Veteran Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- UCLA Brain Research Institute, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Arash Shadfar
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Joshua K. Hakimian
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- UCLA Brain Research Institute, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Oliver Crane
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- UCLA Brain Research Institute, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ganeev Singh
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- UCLA Brain Research Institute, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Keith Heinzerling
- Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Wendy M. Walwyn
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- UCLA Brain Research Institute, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Boyles AL, Blain RB, Rochester JR, Avanasi R, Goldhaber SB, McComb S, Holmgren SD, Masten SA, Thayer KA. Systematic review of community health impacts of mountaintop removal mining. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2017; 107:163-172. [PMID: 28738262 PMCID: PMC5562233 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
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, trace metals, hydrogen sulfide gas; and a report of increased public drinking water violations. DISCUSSION This systematic review could not reach conclusions on community health effects of MTR mining because of the strong potential for bias in the current body of human literature. Improved characterization of exposures by future community health studies and further study of the effects of MTR mining chemical mixtures in experimental models will be critical to determining health risks of MTR mining to communities. Without such work, uncertainty will remain regarding the impact of these practices on the health of the people who breathe the air and drink the water affected by MTR mining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abee L Boyles
- Office of Health Assessment and Translation, Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, NC, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Stephanie D Holmgren
- Office of Science Information Management, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Scott A Masten
- Office of Nomination and Selection, Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kristina A Thayer
- Office of Health Assessment and Translation, Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, NC, USA
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Krometis LA, Gohlke J, Kolivras K, Satterwhite E, Marmagas SW, Marr LC. Environmental health disparities in the Central Appalachian region of the United States. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2017; 32:253-266. [PMID: 28682789 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2017-0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Health disparities that cannot be fully explained by socio-behavioral factors persist in the Central Appalachian region of the United States. A review of available studies of environmental impacts on Appalachian health and analysis of recent public data indicates that while disparities exist, most studies of local environmental quality focus on the preservation of nonhuman biodiversity rather than on effects on human health. The limited public health studies available focus primarily on the impacts of coal mining and do not measure personal exposure, constraining the ability to identify causal relationships between environmental conditions and public health. Future efforts must engage community members in examining all potential sources of environmental health disparities to identify effective potential interventions.
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Nichols CE, Shepherd DL, Knuckles TL, Thapa D, Stricker JC, Stapleton PA, Minarchick VC, Erdely A, Zeidler-Erdely PC, Alway SE, Nurkiewicz TR, Hollander JM. Cardiac and mitochondrial dysfunction following acute pulmonary exposure to mountaintop removal mining particulate matter. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2015; 309:H2017-30. [PMID: 26497962 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00353.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the United States, air pollution correlates with adverse health outcomes, and cardiovascular disease incidence is commonly increased following environmental exposure. In areas surrounding active mountaintop removal mines (MTM), a further increase in cardiovascular morbidity is observed and may be attributed in part to particulate matter (PM) released from the mine. The mitochondrion has been shown to be central in the etiology of many cardiovascular diseases, yet its roles in PM-related cardiovascular effects are not realized. In this study, we sought to elucidate the cardiac processes that are disrupted following exposure to mountaintop removal mining particulate matter (PM MTM). To address this question, we exposed male Sprague-Dawley rats to PM MTM, collected within one mile of an active MTM site, using intratracheal instillation. Twenty-four hours following exposure, we evaluated cardiac function, apoptotic indices, and mitochondrial function. PM MTM exposure elicited a significant decrease in ejection fraction and fractional shortening compared with controls. Investigation into the cellular impacts of PM MTM exposure identified a significant increase in mitochondrial-induced apoptotic signaling, as reflected by an increase in TUNEL-positive nuclei and increased caspase-3 and -9 activities. Finally, a significant increase in mitochondrial transition pore opening leading to decreased mitochondrial function was identified following exposure. In conclusion, our data suggest that pulmonary exposure to PM MTM increases cardiac mitochondrial-associated apoptotic signaling and decreases mitochondrial function concomitant with decreased cardiac function. These results suggest that increased cardiovascular disease incidence in populations surrounding MTM mines may be associated with increased cardiac cell apoptotic signaling and decreased mitochondrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody E Nichols
- West Virginia University School of Medicine, Division of Exercise Physiology, Morgantown, West Virginia; Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Danielle L Shepherd
- West Virginia University School of Medicine, Division of Exercise Physiology, Morgantown, West Virginia; Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Travis L Knuckles
- Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia; West Virginia University, School of Public Health, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Dharendra Thapa
- West Virginia University School of Medicine, Division of Exercise Physiology, Morgantown, West Virginia; Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Janelle C Stricker
- Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Phoebe A Stapleton
- Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia; West Virginia University, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Valerie C Minarchick
- Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia; West Virginia University, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Aaron Erdely
- West Virginia University, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Morgantown, West Virginia; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Patti C Zeidler-Erdely
- West Virginia University, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Morgantown, West Virginia; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Stephen E Alway
- West Virginia University School of Medicine, Division of Exercise Physiology, Morgantown, West Virginia; Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Timothy R Nurkiewicz
- Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia; West Virginia University, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - John M Hollander
- West Virginia University School of Medicine, Division of Exercise Physiology, Morgantown, West Virginia; Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, West Virginia;
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