Investigating the health impacts of particulates associated with coal mining in the Hunter Valley

There have been many calls for epidemiological investigations into the potential health impacts of coal mining in the Hunter Valley. Epidemiological studies of air pollution and health are subject to potential confounding by other determinants of health outcomes such as temperature, tobacco smoke exposure and socio-economic status. Furthermore, the effect sizes are generally quite small. Therefore, large and well-designed studies, with careful measurement of air pollution exposures, health outcomes and potential confounders are required to establish whether adverse health effects of the pollutant exposure do exist. Studies conducted in smaller populations are very likely to miss small but important impacts. There is a need, therefore, to integrate understanding of dose response (concentration-response) relationships between particulate exposure and health outcomes from large population based studies with local exposure monitoring data to assess potential public health impacts and to evaluate local sources of pollution