Environmental and Health Disparities in Appalachian Ohio: Perceptions and Realities

Background Appalachia is a region of the United States that faces significant environmental and health disparities. Understanding these disparities and the social determinants that contribute to them are critical to reducing health inequities. The purpose of this research is two-fold. First, through secondary data analysis, we document environmental and health disparities as well as demographic and economic conditions that may contribute to these disparities between Appalachian and non-Appalachian Ohio. Second, we examine perceptions of environmental health practitioners about the differences in environmental conditions between Appalachian and non-Appalachian Ohio. Methods We gathered secondary data about economics, health, and the environment from the Ohio Department of Health, Healthy Ohio Community Profiles, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Census. In addition, we conducted an online survey of environmental health professionals across Ohio. Comparisons were made between the 32 Appalachian counties in the state and the 56 non-Appalachian counties. Results The secondary data indicates that there are significant differences between Appalachian and non-Appalachian Ohio in terms of socioeconomic, health, and environmental indicators. In addition, environmental health professionals perceive worse environmental conditions in the Appalachian region and indicate that there are environmental and health conditions found in this part of the state that do not exist elsewhere. Conclusions The results contribute to understanding environmental and health conditions that may contribute to health disparities in the Appalachian region.