Deep coal mining and meningococcal meningitis in England and Wales, 1931–38: Ecological study, with implications for deep shaft mining activities worldwide. (September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smallman-Raynor, Matthew R.; Cliff, Andrew D.
• Is Part Of: Health & place. Volume 47(2017:Sep.)
• Page Start: 115
• Page End: 125
• Publication Date: 2017-09
• Subjects: Deep coal mining -- Ecological study -- England and Wales -- Meningococcal meningitis -- Regression analysis; Health -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Health services accessibility -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Political planning -- Periodicals; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Epidemiology -- Periodicals; Health Policy -- Periodicals; Health Services Accessibility -- Periodicals; Public Health -- Periodicals; Public Policy -- Periodicals; Sociology, Medical -- Periodicals; Épidémiologie -- Périodiques; Politique sanitaire -- Périodiques; Santé, Services de -- Accessibilité -- Périodiques; Health services accessibility; Health -- Social aspects; Political planning; Public health; Social medicine; Periodicals; 613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.08.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1353-8292

Abstract

Abstract: The hypothesized role of deep coal mining in the development of community-based outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis has gone largely unexplored. Taking the coalfields of Britain as a historical testbed, techniques of linear and binomial logistic regression were used to assess the association between meningococcal meningitis rates and male occupation rates for coal mining in England and Wales during the national epidemic of 1931–32 and in its aftermath. Adjusting for the epidemiological effects of age, residential density, recent changes in the number of families, housing stock and low social class, the analysis yielded evidence of a significant and positive association between coal mining occupation rates and notified levels of meningitis activity in the epidemic period. Communities in areas of the world that currently maintain substantial deep coal extraction industries may be at increased risk for the epidemic transmission of meningococcal meningitis. Highlights: The 1931–32 epidemic of meningococcal meningitis was focussed on coal mining areas. A dose-response gradient existed between mining occupation rates and disease rates. Coal mining may be a risk-modifier for outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis.