Injury Risk Factors in a Small-Scale Gold Mining Community in Ghana’s Upper East Region

Long, Rachel N.; Sun, Kan; Neitzel, Richard L.

doi:10.3390/ijerph120808744

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Injury Risk Factors in a Small-Scale Gold Mining Community in Ghana’s Upper East Region

Rachel N. Long

¹,

Kan Sun

¹ and

Richard L. Neitzel

^1,2,*

Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA

Risk Science Center, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Academic Editors: Nil Basu, Susan Keane and Paleah Black Moher

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12(8), 8744-8761; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120808744

Received: 18 May 2015 / Revised: 17 July 2015 / Accepted: 21 July 2015 / Published: 24 July 2015

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Assessment of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) in Ghana)

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Abstract

Occupational injury is one of many health concerns related to small-scale gold mining (ASGM), but few data exist on the subject, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2011 and 2013, we examined accidents, injuries, and potential risk factors in a Ghanaian ASGM community. In 2011, 173 participants were surveyed on occupational history and health, and 22 of these were surveyed again in 2013. Injury rates were estimated at 45.5 and 38.5 injuries per 100 person-years in 2011 and in 2013, respectively; these rates far surpass those of industrialized mines in the U.S. and South Africa. Demographic and job characteristics generally were not predictive of injury risk, though there was a significant positive association with injury risk for males and smokers. Legs and knees were the most common body parts injured, and falling was the most common cause of injury. The most common type of injuries were cuts or lacerations, burns and scalds, and contusions and abrasions. Only two miners had ever received any occupational safety training, and PPE use was low. Our results suggest that injuries should be a priority area for occupational health research in ASGM. View Full-Text

Keywords: small-scale gold mining; ASGM; injury risk; Ghana; occupational health

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Long, R.N.; Sun, K.; Neitzel, R.L. Injury Risk Factors in a Small-Scale Gold Mining Community in Ghana’s Upper East Region. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12, 8744-8761. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120808744

AMA Style

Long RN, Sun K, Neitzel RL. Injury Risk Factors in a Small-Scale Gold Mining Community in Ghana’s Upper East Region. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2015; 12(8):8744-8761. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120808744

Chicago/Turabian Style

Long, Rachel N., Kan Sun, and Richard L. Neitzel. 2015. "Injury Risk Factors in a Small-Scale Gold Mining Community in Ghana’s Upper East Region" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 12, no. 8: 8744-8761. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120808744

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Injury Risk Factors in a Small-Scale Gold Mining Community in Ghana’s Upper East Region

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