Discerning the influence of mining activity on the socio-economic determinants of health

Health is considered as a unified notion determined by clinical, social and environmental factors. Mining or any other industrial activity, not just brings about a modification in the geology of the region but also impacts the physical health of the people in the vicinity, their mental and social well-being. The cumulative effect of environmental degradation, land acquisition, livelihood losses, livelihood shifts, decline in social capital, and physical illness due to industrial or mining activity influences prevalence of diseases in these regions. The study employs an ex-post facto design using a control (non-mining village) and an experimental (mining village) group. To encapsulate the factors behind the prevailing state of health in the mining affected environments; income, migration, location, household member working in mines and social capital are assessed. Logistic regression is used to model the determinants of health. The empirical investigation reveals that health outcome is being determined largely by income, location, migration and working in mines. A health assessment model is designed to look into the perspectives of the mining affected environmental factors and non-mining factors influencing health rather than just the physical factors. Once these determinants are identified the reasons of the emergence of the health hazards can be effectively catered.