Analyzing Health and Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Communities

This assignment analyzes the health crisis in Appalachian coal mining communities through a system thinking lens, focusing on mortality rates, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases. It examines the historical context of coal mining in Appalachia, highlighting the shift from economic benefits to severe health risks. The analysis delves into the trends of increasing cancer cases, pollution exposure, and the impact of mountaintop removal, citing statistics on mortality and disease prevalence. The assignment explores the root causes of these issues, including air pollution, disparities in coalfields, and the effects of toxic substances on miners. The Iceberg Model is used to explain how events, patterns, and underlying structures contribute to the health crisis. The assignment uses several peer-reviewed research articles to support the findings and understand the impact of coal mining activities on the health of Appalachian communities.

Running head: SYSTEM THINKING 1
Appalachian Coal Mining Communities
Student Name
Institution

SYSTEM THINKING 2
Iceberg Model (system thinking)
Event (what is happening)
Appalachia is wallowing in poverty and high mortality rates. The region has capitalized
in coal mining since the last 100 years. Today, coal mining in Appalachia is dying, and the
community is being left vulnerable to fatal risks. Since 1979, mortality rates in Appalachian coal
mining zones have been high. According to (Michael & Melissa, 2009), Appalachia coal mining
communities have the poorest socioeconomic issues. In comparison to the economic benefits of
coal mining in these zones, the cost of mortality rates exceeds this benefit.
Describe about high mortality in Appalachian (coal mining area)
The largest coal mining zones of Appalachia have the worse socioeconomic problems.
Prior to adjusting for covariates, the number of people dying ranged from 3,975 to 10,923
between 1979 and 2005. Since the covariates were adjusted, the number of annual deaths in
Appalachian mining communities decreased to a range of 1,736 to 2,889 (Michael & Melissa,
2009). However, the value of statistical life in these areas continues to increase and exceed the
mining returns. Other than these deaths, there are over 60,000 people living with cancer in
Appalachia due to mountaintop removal out of coal mining activities.
Provide the number of people death
As stated above, the number of deaths in Appalachian communities range from 3,975 to
10,923 per year; this is before adjustment of covariates. After covariates adjustment, the number
ranges from 1,736 to 2,889 (Michael & Melissa, 2009).
These higher deaths come from?
These high death rates in Appalachia coal mining zones come from air pollution, growth
of tumor, lung cancer, and dust from mountaintop (Hydzik, 2013). The other cause of death case
in this area is high disparities in the coalfields.
Patterns (What has been happening) (what are the trends)

SYSTEM THINKING 3
Since 1742, coal mining has been a major source of state employment in America. The
major trend in Appalachia is surface coal mining techniques, and these include mountaintop
removal, high wall and area mining, and contour (Hendryx & Esch, 2016). Today, coal mining is
causing health risks in the region, with the number of cancer victims growing day by day; this is
another bad trend in Appalachian coal mining communities. Also, there are increased levels of
exposure to pollution in the Appalachian communities (Kulkarni, Levin-Rector, Ezzati, &
Murray, 2011). Other merging issues are respiratory disease such as lung problems.
Describe about declining in health of Appalachian people overtime (annually) in coal mining
area
Coal mining activities in Appalachia continue to pose health risks and concerns to the
community overtime. Cases of lung cancer and respiratory problems in Appalachian coal mining
zones continue to increase (Wolfe, Hendryx, & Webb, 2011). Additionally, communities
residing close to the mountaintop removal mines encounter higher lung cancer rates compared to
other Appalachian communities. Miners who work with toxic substances are the most affected
people. Also, tumor growth health concerns have also increased in Appalachian people, and this
is highly associated with air pollution by coal mining activities. (O'Donnell, Hendryx, & Horn,
2015) By 2011, the number of Appalachian people living with cancer had reached 60,000.
Today, the death rate is 1200 per 100,000 annually across all coal mining communities in
Appalachia; and the main causes are lung cancer and respiratory diseases (Hydzik, 2013).

SYSTEM THINKING 4
References
Hendryx, M., & Esch, L. (2016). Chronic Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in Mountaintop
Mining Areas of Central Appalachian States. Journal of Rural Health, 2(1), 1-8.
Hydzik, A. P. (2013, March 14). COAL-MINING COUNTIES HAVE HIGHER DEATH
RATES. Futurity, 1(1), 6-14. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from
https://www.futurity.org/coal-mining-counties-have-higher-death-rates/
Kulkarni, S., Levin-Rector, A., Ezzati, M., & Murray, C. (2011). Falling behind: life expectancy
in US counties from 2000 to 2007 in an international contexT. Population Health
Metrics, 16(5), 16.
Michael, H., & Melissa, A. M. (2009). Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The
Value of Statistical Life Lost. Public Health Reports, 124(4), 541-550. Retrieved
September 3, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2693168/
O'Donnell, K., Hendryx, M., & Horn, K. (2015). Lung cancer mortality is elevated in coal-
mining areas of Appalachia. Lung Cancer, 12(4), 1-7.
Wolfe, L. J., Hendryx, M. L., & Webb, B. (2011). Self-Reported Cancer Rates in Two Rural
Areas of West Virginia with and Without Mountaintop Coal Mining. Journal of
Community Health, 4(3), 50-56.