Appalachia Mortality: Understanding Health Patterns via Iceberg Model

This report examines the high mortality rates in Appalachia through the lens of the Iceberg Health Model, identifying black lung disease as a significant factor, with over 2000 deaths attributed to it in the last decade. Respiratory disorders, linked to hazardous working conditions in the mining sector, account for 41 percent of deaths. While opioid-related deaths have also contributed to the problem, they are not exclusive to Appalachia. The report highlights the importance of addressing hazardous working conditions and lifestyle behaviors to mitigate the high mortality rate, emphasizing preventive guidelines and cultural shifts.

High mortality in Appalachia
From the point of view of the iceberg health model, we can figure out that the disease of Black
lungs is the most consistent reason behind the cases of the mortality in Appalachia. According to
estimation, during the last decade more than 2000 patients died of this disease. Various studies
also give us an idea that 41 percent of the deaths in this region are because of the respiratory
disorders where various reasons behind the lung failure attributed to the cause of death. During
the last decade deaths caused by opioids also emerged as a big problem. However, they are not
specific to the area of Appalachia because it was more or less like an epidemic for the entire
USA (Schuknecht, 2019).
Health Patterns on the scale of Iceberg chart
The health patterns presented in the above mentioned diagrams show us three levels. The
hazardous working conditions cannot be neglected they are the root cause behind 41 percent of
the problems. The mining sector and other sectors are working hard to come up with preventive

guidelines. These guidelines are mitigating the impact of hazardous working conditions
(Feinberg, 2019).
The recent attack of the opioids and other factors can be studied in the lifestyle and behavioral
patterns. These patterns keep on changing in accordance with the popular culture. In the special
case of Appalachia, we can witness the fact that Hazardous working conditions are the primary
reason behind the high mortality rate in Appalachia.
Bibliography
Feinberg, J. (2019). Tackle the epidemic, not the opioids. Nature,
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02671-9.
Schuknecht, C. (2019). 'I Figured It Was Going To Be A Horrible Death, And It Probably Will
Be'. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2019/01/23/686000458/i-figured-it-was-going-to-be-a-
horrible-death-and-it-probably-will-be.