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In The Face of Uncertainty: Community Health, Environmental Hazards and Statistical Significance
Unformatted Document Text:  1 I. In the face of uncertainty: Community Health, Environmental Hazards and Statistical Significance The Center for Disease Control (CDC) conducted a study of leukemia rates among people living near Yellow Creek, Kentucky. Yellow Creek flows through rural areas and had been polluted by untreated wastewater from a tanning company for over twenty years. The CDC study yielded statistically insignificant results, yet leukemia rates were four times higher than expected. Nonetheless, the CDC still recommended a new water source for the community and limited exposure to the current water supply. This illustration provides an example of research results that are of public health significance even though not statistically significant. Because small samples usually characterize community health studies, like the study conducted in Yellow Creek, it is mathematically-difficult to find statistically significant associated between environments and health. This is not to say, however, that relationships between communities, neighborhoods, and environmental hazards do not exist, or are not significant. Science is the tool we use to assess the link between environmental hazards and health, and to create environmental regulations and policy. Toxicological research has informed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for regulation of hazardous chemicals and recognition of associated health effects, which have resulted in increased human and ecological safety (Tesh 2000). While science is the best tool available, it is uncertain because of the sheer multitude of chemicals produced by industrial facilities, unpredictable interactions between chemicals, the long lag time between exposure and health effects, and the multi-faceted etiology of many environmentally associated illnesses (Tesh 2000). This uncertainty is compounded by the fact that acute exposure to hazardous industrial facilities is often at a small scale and therefore possible resulting health problems are difficult to detect with current statistical methods. Moreover, it is also nearly impossible to discern the exact cause of many health problems. One’s environment, genes, and lifestyle interact to create confusing etiologies for health researchers.

Authors: Grineski, Sara., Kronenfeld, Jennie. and Bolin, Bob.
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1
I.
In the face of uncertainty: Community Health, Environmental Hazards and Statistical
Significance
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) conducted a study of leukemia rates among people living
near Yellow Creek, Kentucky. Yellow Creek flows through rural areas and had been polluted by
untreated wastewater from a tanning company for over twenty years. The CDC study yielded
statistically insignificant results, yet leukemia rates were four times higher than expected. Nonetheless,
the CDC still recommended a new water source for the community and limited exposure to the current
water supply. This illustration provides an example of research results that are of public health
significance even though not statistically significant. Because small samples usually characterize
community health studies, like the study conducted in Yellow Creek, it is mathematically-difficult to
find statistically significant associated between environments and health. This is not to say, however,
that relationships between communities, neighborhoods, and environmental hazards do not exist, or are
not significant.
Science is the tool we use to assess the link between environmental hazards and health, and to
create environmental regulations and policy. Toxicological research has informed Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for regulation of hazardous chemicals and recognition of
associated health effects, which have resulted in increased human and ecological safety (Tesh 2000).
While science is the best tool available, it is uncertain because of the sheer multitude of chemicals
produced by industrial facilities, unpredictable interactions between chemicals, the long lag time
between exposure and health effects, and the multi-faceted etiology of many environmentally associated
illnesses (Tesh 2000). This uncertainty is compounded by the fact that acute exposure to hazardous
industrial facilities is often at a small scale and therefore possible resulting health problems are difficult
to detect with current statistical methods. Moreover, it is also nearly impossible to discern the exact
cause of many health problems. One’s environment, genes, and lifestyle interact to create confusing
etiologies for health researchers.


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