New research has discovered that exposure to pollutants tied with petroleum refineries have a strong link to stroke rates across the southern US.
The south of the US has a concentration of petroleum production and refining (PPR).
Multiple pollutants which have been previously linked to diseases which linked to stroke are caused by the processes involved in the production and refining of petroleum.
However, the link between exposure to PPR and causing strokes was not previously well studied, until now.
Lead author of the study, Honghyok Kim says: “The geographic concentration of economic sectors, and their associated by-products, is an under explored, plausible risk factor for stroke.
“By-products of petroleum production and refining include a mixture of pollutants that may impact the quality of adjacent air, soil, and potable water in residential areas.”
Researchers at Yale, Brown and Seoul Nation universities have examined the link between petroleum exposure and the number of strokes in adults.
The research team took data from the centres for disease control and Prevention of the US’s Population Level Analysis and Community Estimates (PLACES) for seven southern US states and focused on areas within a 2.5km or 5km radius of petrol refineries.
In these areas it was found that a pollutant of PPR, there was high levels of sulphur dioxide, chemical who may increase stroke risk.
The researchers discovered that living in close proximity to petrol refineries accounted for 5.6 per cent of strokes in adults.
This number varied by state, with Mississippi having petrol refineries potentially explaining the prevalence of strokes to the highest degree 11.7 per cent.
This number further differentiates by census tract with one census tract located in Texas having the highest prevalence of strokes that have the potential to be caused by petrol refineries 25.3 per cent.
Furthermore, the team discovered that the increased prevalence of strokes due to PPR may also differ because of sociodemographic factors. People with lower socioeconomic status typically lived closer to petroleum refineries, meaning that they were affected disproportionately.
Kim concludes: “Our research has the potential to inform both public health and environmental regulatory interventions to mitigate the potential health risks conferred by PPR exposure.”
