title: Place-based perceptions of the impacts of fracking along the Marcellus Shale.
abstract: We examined community perspectives and experiences with fracking in Doddridge County, West Virginia, USA as part of a larger assessment to investigate the potential health impacts associated with fracking in neighboring Maryland, USA. In November 2013, we held two focus groups with community residents who had been impacted by fracking operations and conducted field observations in the impacted areas. Employing grounded theory, we conducted qualitative analysis to explore emergent themes related to direct and indirect health impacts of fracking. Three components of experience were identified, including (a) meanings of place and identity, (b) transforming relationships, and (c) perceptions of environmental and health impacts. Our findings indicate that fracking contributes to a disruption in residents' sense of place and social identity, generating widespread social stress. Although community residents acknowledged the potential for economic growth brought about by fracking, rapid transformations in meanings of place and social identity influenced residents' perceptions of environmental and health impacts. Our findings suggest that in order to have a more complete understanding of the health impacts of fracking, future work must consider the complex linkages between social disruption, environmental impacts, and health outcomes through critical engagements with communities undergoing energy development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Maryland, 1111 Woods Hall, 4302 Chapel Lane, College Park, MD, 20742, USA. Electronic address: tsangara@umd.edu.
authors.forename: Thurka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sangaramoorthy
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Maryland, 255 Valley Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Amelia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jamison
authors.affiliation: Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, 255 Valley Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Meleah D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.affiliation: Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, 255 Valley Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Devon C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Payne-Sturges
authors.affiliation: Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, 255 Valley Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sapkota
authors.affiliation: Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, 255 Valley Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Donald K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Milton
authors.affiliation: Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, 255 Valley Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Sacoby M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D004651:Employment / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D000067071:Hydraulic Fracking / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010465:Perception; D012922:Social Change; D014903:West Virginia
keywords: Energy development; Fracking; Health impacts; Qualitative research; Sense of place; Social and psychological stress; US