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. 2019 Jun 15;16(12):2123.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph16122123.

A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Literature Assessing Health Outcomes in Populations Living near Oil and Natural Gas Operations: Study Quality and Future Recommendations

Alison M Bamber  1 , Stephanie H Hasanali  2 , Anil S Nair  3 , Sharon M Watkins  4 , Daniel I Vigil  5 , Michael Van Dyke  6 , Tami S McMullin  7 , Kristy Richardson  8
Affiliations

A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Literature Assessing Health Outcomes in Populations Living near Oil and Natural Gas Operations: Study Quality and Future Recommendations

Alison M Bamber et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

A systematic method was used to review the existing epidemiologic literature and determine the state of the scientific evidence for potential adverse health outcomes in populations living near oil and natural gas (ONG) operations in the United States. The review utilized adapted systematic review frameworks from the medical and environmental health fields, such as Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE), the Navigation Guide, and guidance from the National Toxicology Program's Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT). The review included 20 epidemiologic studies, with 32 different health outcomes. Studies of populations living near ONG operations provide limited evidence (modest scientific findings that support the outcome, but with significant limitations) of harmful health effects including asthma exacerbations and various self-reported symptoms. Study quality has improved over time and the highest rated studies within this assessment have primarily focused on birth outcomes. Additional high-quality studies are needed to confirm or dispute these correlations.

Keywords: environmental health; epidemiology; fracking; hydraulic fracturing; oil and natural gas; systematic literature review; unconventional oil and gas.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Steps in the current systematic review of epidemiologic literature.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Populations, exposures, comparators, and outcomes (PECO) statement.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram for study inclusion. * Exclusion criteria is detailed within the methods.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The approach used for developing level of certainty ratings for each study outcome. * No randomized control trials were identified in this review.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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