Health status of communities living around Jharia coalfield area

Abstract

<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman; mso-bidi-language:HI">Coal is one of the most abundant and important energy resource of the world. It plays an imperative role in defining economy of a nation. It dominates the energy matrix in India, contributing over 50% of the total primary energy production and is expected to continue as a crucial future energy source. Each step of the coal utilization: mining, transportation, washing, combustion, and disposing of post combustion ashes has impacts on human health. Various human diseases associated with coal mining mainly results from inhalation of particulate matter during the mining process. High levels of coal production were associated with worse health status and with higher rates of cardiopulmonary (heart/lung) disease, hypertension, lung disease, and kidney disease. Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis is characterized by coal dust-induced lesions in the gas exchange regions of the lung. The connection between potential environmental problems with human health is a fairly new field and requires the cooperation of both the geoscience and medical disciplines. The miners as well as the inhabitant's vicinity to the mining areas are generally susceptible to the respiratory disorders due to constant exposure to the coalmine dust for a prolonged period. Health survey was conducted in the close proximity of the 18 different spots where the dust samples were collected with epidemiological questionnaires. Peoples were interacted to give respond about the diseases symptoms they have due to the exposure of environmental contaminants. Each subject was interviewed to assess the accurate medical history like symptoms related with cough, sputum production, and other symptoms related with eyes, nose, throat, chest, etc. Results are presented as percentage of those affected in each site, for a particular characteristic. The extent to which there was a difference between coal mine and control communities was estimated by odds ratio (OR). Statistical significance was evaluated by chi-square test using software (SYSTAT-12). Among the males, the severity of disease symptom in residential site could be arranged as joint discomfort, eye irritation, general weakness, dizziness etc. In case of commercial site the severity is dry cough, eye irritation, general weakness etc. Whereas for female the severity was higher for hip pain followed by eye irritation, general weakness and dizziness. In general, female are more vulnerable to general weakness.

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