Immediate and long-term health impact of exposure to gas-mining induced earthquakes and related environmental stressors.

Background Little is known about the public health impact of chronic exposure to physical and social stressors in the human environment. Objective of this study was to investigate the immediate and long-term health effects of living in an environment with gas-mining induced earthquakes and related s...

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Published in:European Journal of Public Health Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 715 - 722
Main Authors: Dückers, Michel L A, Baliatsas, Christos, Spreeuwenberg, Peter, Verheij, Robert A, Reifels, Lennart, Yzermans, C Joris
Format: pictorial research Journal Article
Published: Oxford University Press / USA Aug2021
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      jtl: European Journal of Public Health
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      dt: Aug2021
      vid: 31
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      pub: Oxford University Press / USA
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        10.1093/eurpub/ckaa244
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        atl: Immediate and long-term health impact of exposure to gas-mining induced earthquakes and related environmental stressors.
      aug:
        au:
          Dückers, Michel L A
          Baliatsas, Christos
          Spreeuwenberg, Peter
          Verheij, Robert A
          Reifels, Lennart
          Yzermans, C Joris
        affil: Nivel—Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research , Utrecht, The Netherlands
      sug:
        subj:
          Natural Disasters Adverse Effects
          Environmental Exposure Adverse Effects
          Mining Adverse Effects
          Health Status
          Stress, Psychological Risk Factors
          Risk Assessment
          Human
          Netherlands
          Electronic Health Records
          Socioeconomic Factors
          Maps
          Public Health
          Social Problems
          Physicians, Family
          Descriptive Statistics
          Relative Risk
          Age Factors
          Sex Factors
      ab: Background Little is known about the public health impact of chronic exposure to physical and social stressors in the human environment. Objective of this study was to investigate the immediate and long-term health effects of living in an environment with gas-mining induced earthquakes and related stressors in the Netherlands. Methods Data on psychological, somatic and social problems recorded routinely in electronic health records by general practitioners during a 6-year period (2010–2015) were combined with socioeconomic status and seismicity data. To assess immediate health effects of exposure to M L≥1.5 earthquakes, relative risk ratios were calculated for patients in the week of an earthquake and the week afterwards, and compared to the week before the earthquake. To analyse long-term health effects, relative risks of different groups, adjusted for age, sex and socioeconomic status, were computed per year and compared. Results Apart from an increase in suicidality, few immediate health changes were found in an earthquake week or week afterwards. Generally, the prevalence of health problems was higher in the mining province in the first years, but dropped to levels equal to or even below the control group in subsequent years, with lower relative risks observed in more frequently exposed patients. Conclusions From a public health perspective, the findings are fascinating. Contrary to our expectation, health problems presented in general practice in the earthquake province decreased during the study period. More frequently exposed populations reported fewer health issues to general practitioners, which might point at health adaptation to chronic exposure to stressors.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        pictorial
        research
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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