Staffordshire Environmental Community Health Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Staffordshire Environmental Community Health Study
IRAS ID
302839
Contact name
Kelvin Jordan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Keele University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
An observational study to determine whether reported air pollution / environmental issues in Newcastle-under-Lyme are associated with an increase in primary care consultations for potentially relevant symptoms or conditions. A one-off data extraction of anonymised patient medical records will be undertaken in 19 General Practices within the North Staffordshire and Stoke CCG. These fall into one of three groups, Group A (“exposed” practices) practices in the immediate vicinity (within 3km) of the alleged source of the environmental issues; Group B (“near” practices) six practices between 3km and 8km from the alleged source; Group C (“control” practices) six practices between 8km and 40km from the alleged source, and not close to another landfill site. The main objective is to determine whether there has been an increase in consultation for conditions hypothesised to be associated with environmental issues in practices within the immediate vicinity of the landfill. The study will focus on patterns of consultation rates between January 2016 and December 2021, with particular focus on the last 12 months. Patients of all ages consulting at one of the participating general practices between 1 January 2016 and 31st December 2021 for one of the following conditions will be included, mental health, respiratory, general symptoms i.e. nausea, eye irritation, headache, dizziness, sore throat, rhinitis), epilepsy, and urinary tract infection. The rate of recorded consultations will be assessed for three categories of “case” conditions hypothesised to be related to the air pollution / environmental issues (Mental health; Respiratory; Other symptoms (nausea, headache, eye irritation, sore throat, rhinitis, dizziness). Two “control” conditions hypothesised not to be related to the air pollution/environmental issues will also be investigated to allow assessment of whether any increase in consultation for the case conditions is due to an increased propensity to consult. These conditions are: UTI and Epilepsy.
REC name
N/A
REC reference
N/A