Chronic Disease In Appalachia

Appalachia is a 200 000 square mile stretch that extends from southern New York to northern Mississippi as reported by Robin, Bin and Brent (2007), encompassing 410 counties and home to about 8% of United States’ population. The Appalachian region is grouped together on the basis of economic and geographical commonalities, culture and religion values. Despite the fact that Appalachia is well-known for coal mining, agriculture, art, music, love and hospitality, the dwellers seem to experience a great share of “acute and chronic diseases, disability and mortality”(Robin et al , 2007, p. 83). The chronic disease that will be addressed in this research paper is cancer. According to Nancy, Christina, Jenna, Eliza and Elwanda (2013), cancer has claimed
Barbara (1987) suggests that in the early 19th century, company doctors were instructed by company owners to overlook Black Lung so as to prevent the economy from fluctuating. In West Virginia, company doctors blamed Black Lung symptoms on typhoid fever. They also accused families of poor hygiene in their homes which they claimed comprised the miner’s health causing them to continuously cough while spitting black sputum (Barbara, 1987). In Pennsylvania and in other Appalachian states where coal mining was intensively carried out, inspectors continued to ignore Black Lung until the 20th century (Alan, 1988). Coal miners could not argue with the company doctors since they had limited knowledge pertaining cancer and other medical issues. Fortunately, minority doctors persistently urged the company owners to carry out further researches on the disease until a valid conclusion was made. This was because the minority doctors suspected the doctors were reluctant on revealing the whole truth pertaining the deadly lung disease, which was later confirmed and dubbed, Black Lung, during the late 19th century (Barbara
Teenagers who start smoking at an early age have a higher probability of dropping out of high school making it difficult for them to secure high paying jobs. These kids will have to work in coal mines even at an early age so as to earn a living (Barbara, 1987). Early exposure to coal dust increases chances for an individual to suffer from Black Lung in the near future. According to Robert, Phillip and Ronnie (2012), thirty six percent of children from rural Appalachian Cincinnati counties come from dysfunctional families with at least one family member who is a smoker. This not only impacts their emotional stand point which affects their performance at school, “ contributing to the above-average high school dropout rate” in Appalachian Cincinnati, but it also exposes the children to tar contaminated air, increasing their risk of lung cancer .(Robert et al,