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Lung Cancer Mortality Is Elevated in Coal Mining Areas of Appalachia

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Hendryx

    (School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington)

  • Kathryn O'Donnell
  • Kimberly Horn

    (Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, West Virginia University)

Abstract

Previous research has documented increased lung cancer incidence and mortality in Appalachia. The current study tests whether residence in coal mining areas of Appalachia is a contributing factor. We conducted a national county-level analysis to identify contributions of smoking rates, socioeconomic variables, coal mining intensity and other variables to age-adjusted lung cancer mortality. Results demonstrate that lung cancer mortality for the years 2000-2004 is higher in areas of heavy Appalachian coal mining after adjustments for smoking, poverty, education, age, sex, race and other covariates. Higher mortality may be the result of exposure to environmental contaminates associated with the coal mining industry, although smoking and poverty are also contributing factors. The knowledge of the geographic areas within Appalachia where lung cancer mortality is higher can be used to target programmatic and policy interventions. The set of socioeconomic and health inequalities characteristic of coal mining areas of Appalachia highlights the need to develop more diverse, alternative local economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Hendryx & Kathryn O'Donnell & Kimberly Horn, 2008. "Lung Cancer Mortality Is Elevated in Coal Mining Areas of Appalachia," Working Papers Working Paper 2008-01, Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University.
    • Handle: RePEc:rri:wpaper:2008wp01
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    File URL: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/rri_pubs/74/
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. S. Vögele & K. Govorukha & P. Mayer & I. Rhoden & D. Rübbelke & W. Kuckshinrichs, 2023. "Effects of a coal phase-out in Europe on reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 879-916, January.
    2. Paulien Hagedoorn & Hadewijch Vandenheede & Didier Willaert & Katrien Vanthomme & Sylvie Gadeyne, 2016. "Regional Inequalities in Lung Cancer Mortality in Belgium at the Beginning of the 21st Century: The Contribution of Individual and Area-Level Socioeconomic Status and Industrial Exposure," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, January.
    3. Sameem, Sediq, 2020. "Are U.S. lung cancer mortality rates converging?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 190-197.
    4. Shi, Ruoding & Meacham, Susan L. & Davis, George C. & You, Wen & Sun, Yu & Goessl, Cody, 2017. "Understanding Elevated Mortality Disparities in Virginia Coal Regions: Extract Coal-Mining Health Effect from Other Major Risk Factors," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258374, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    5. Höök, Mikael & Fantazzini, Dean & Angelantoni, André & Snowden, Simon, 2013. "Hydrocarbon liquefaction: viability as a peak oil mitigation strategy," MPRA Paper 46957, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Mueller, Rose M., 2022. "Surface coal mining and public health disparities: Evidence from Appalachia," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    7. Surber, Sarah J. & Simonton, D. Scott, 2017. "Disparate impacts of coal mining and reclamation concerns for West Virginia and central Appalachia," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 1-8.
    8. Vojtěch Máca & Jan Melichar, 2016. "The Health Costs of Revised Coal Mining Limits in Northern Bohemia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-20, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    lung cancer; coal mining; mortality; Appalachia; social inequalities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development

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