The association between mountaintop mining and birth defects among live births in central Appalachia, 1996-2003. | |
MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 21689813 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Birth defects are examined in mountaintop coal mining areas compared to other coal mining areas and non-mining areas of central Appalachia. The study hypothesis is that higher birth-defect rates are present in mountaintop mining areas. National Center for Health Statistics natality files were used to analyze 1996-2003 live births in four Central Appalachian states (N=1,889,071). Poisson regression models that control for covariates compare birth defect prevalence rates associated with maternal residence in county mining type: mountaintop mining areas, other mining areas, or non-mining areas. The prevalence rate ratio (PRR) for any birth defect was significantly higher in mountaintop mining areas compared to non-mining areas (PRR=1.26, 95% CI=1.21, 1.32), but was not higher in the non-mountaintop mining areas, after controlling for covariates. Rates were significantly higher in mountaintop mining areas for six of seven types of defects: circulatory/respiratory, central nervous system, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and 'other'. There was evidence that mountaintop mining effects became more pronounced in the latter years (2000-2003) versus earlier years (1996-1999.) Spatial correlation between mountaintop mining and birth defects was also present, suggesting effects of mountaintop mining in a focal county on birth defects in neighboring counties. Elevated birth defect rates are partly a function of socioeconomic disadvantage, but remain elevated after controlling for those risks. Both socioeconomic and environmental influences in mountaintop mining areas may be contributing factors. |
Authors:
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Melissa M Ahern; Michael Hendryx; Jamison Conley; Evan Fedorko; Alan Ducatman; Keith J Zullig |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2011-6-18 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Environmental research Volume: - ISSN: 1096-0953 ISO Abbreviation: - Publication Date: 2011 Jun |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2011-6-21 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0147621 Medline TA: Environ Res Country: - |
Other Details:
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Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: - |
Copyright Information:
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Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
Affiliation:
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Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University, P.O. Box 1495, Spokane, WA 99210, USA. |
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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