Vínculos entre minería aurífera y salud

The research about the relation of mining and health has traditionally been carried out ex post, that is, with evaluation of the effects of mining on the health profiles of miners or exposed people, time after to the start of this economic activity. This limits the evaluation of the impact of mining on health, given the lack of knowledge about health indicators prior to the start of mining, or due to the absence of a baseline to analyze series of time. In addition, specific indicators such as vector-borne diseases (for example, malaria morbidity or mortality in endemic areas with mining activity), respiratory problems, effects of contamination with materials used in mining, among other topics, are generally investigated in illegal mining contexts. In Colombia there are few publications about the health profiles in legal mining areas, prior to the mining phase, as a determining aspect to establish a baseline that allows quantitative evaluation of the impacts of this economic activity on the health of the exposed people. This research analyzes the health profile of the residents of a geographic area with the presence of underground gold mining in Buritica-Antioquia, according to sociodemographic conditions during 2019. The central outcomes of this profile were risk factors related to health services and lifestyle, felt morbidity, overweight and obesity, high blood pressure, STIs, breast disorders, lung conditions, all with their potential socio-economic risks.