The Saltville Waste Disposal Site is a National Priority List site used during the 77- year operation (1895–1972) of an electrolytic chlorine and caustic soda plant. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine disease prevalence among Saltville Medical Center (SMC) patients. Diseases associated with chronic exposures to mercury, arsenic, and lead were reviewed in patient records and these data were analyzed. Ratios of illness observed at the SMC were compared to health studies of similar environmental exposures and disease prevalence among residents of neighboring communities. Prevalence ratios were calculated for residents and non-residents of Saltville who were SMC patients. Saltville residence accounted for a higher risk of developing the targeted diseases (odds ratio=1.68, 95% confidence interval (1.54, 1.82)). Increased risk was among patients aged 31-45 years; with a history of smoking; and family history of the same disease.
","abstract_html":"<p>The Saltville Waste Disposal Site is a National Priority List site used during the 77- year operation (1895–1972) of an electrolytic chlorine and caustic soda plant. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine disease prevalence among Saltville Medical Center (SMC) patients. Diseases associated with chronic exposures to mercury, arsenic, and lead were reviewed in patient records and these data were analyzed. Ratios of illness observed at the SMC were compared to health studies of similar environmental exposures and disease prevalence among residents of neighboring communities. Prevalence ratios were calculated for residents and non-residents of Saltville who were SMC patients. Saltville residence accounted for a higher risk of developing the targeted diseases (odds ratio=1.68, 95% confidence interval (1.54, 1.82)). Increased risk was among patients aged 31-45 years; with a history of smoking; and family history of the same disease.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Haywood, Danette"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MSEH (Master of Science in Environmental Health)","degree_level":"Thesis - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Environmental Health","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2003,"date_issued":"2003-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2003-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:28Z","subjects":["lead","environmental health","chronic exposure to heavy metals","arsenic","mercury","Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/852","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Haywood, Danette"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2003-12-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Environmental Health"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MSEH (Master of Science in Environmental Health)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["lead","environmental health","chronic exposure to heavy metals","arsenic","mercury","Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2009/viewcontent/HaywoodD120403f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/852"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The Saltville Waste Disposal Site is a National Priority List site used during the 77- year operation (1895–1972) of an electrolytic chlorine and caustic soda plant. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine disease prevalence among Saltville Medical Center (SMC) patients. Diseases associated with chronic exposures to mercury, arsenic, and lead were reviewed in patient records and these data were analyzed. Ratios of illness observed at the SMC were compared to health studies of similar environmental exposures and disease prevalence among residents of neighboring communities. Prevalence ratios were calculated for residents and non-residents of Saltville who were SMC patients. Saltville residence accounted for a higher risk of developing the targeted diseases (odds ratio=1.68, 95% confidence interval (1.54, 1.82)). Increased risk was among patients aged 31-45 years; with a history of smoking; and family history of the same disease.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Survey of Health Effects among Residents Adjacent to a National Priority List Site in Ssouthwest Virginia."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Haywood, Danette"],"dc:date.available":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2003-12-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The Saltville Waste Disposal Site is a National Priority List site used during the 77- year operation (1895–1972) of an electrolytic chlorine and caustic soda plant. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine disease prevalence among Saltville Medical Center (SMC) patients. Diseases associated with chronic exposures to mercury, arsenic, and lead were reviewed in patient records and these data were analyzed. Ratios of illness observed at the SMC were compared to health studies of similar environmental exposures and disease prevalence among residents of neighboring communities. Prevalence ratios were calculated for residents and non-residents of Saltville who were SMC patients. Saltville residence accounted for a higher risk of developing the targeted diseases (odds ratio=1.68, 95% confidence interval (1.54, 1.82)). Increased risk was among patients aged 31-45 years; with a history of smoking; and family history of the same disease.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2009/viewcontent/HaywoodD120403f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/852"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["lead","environmental health","chronic exposure to heavy metals","arsenic","mercury","Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"],"dc:title":["Survey of Health Effects among Residents Adjacent to a National Priority List Site in Ssouthwest Virginia."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Environmental Health"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["MSEH (Master of Science in Environmental Health)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:28Z"}