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The W ild W est: Associations between mining and violence in W estern A ustralia
Author(s) -
Gilmore William,
Liang Wenbin,
Chikritzhs Tanya
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
australian journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.48
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1584
pISSN - 1038-5282
DOI - 10.1111/ajr.12228
Subject(s) - occupational safety and health , environmental health , poison control , suicide prevention , injury prevention , medicine , human factors and ergonomics , sexual assault , government (linguistics) , confounding , geography , public health , demography , nursing , pathology , sociology , linguistics , philosophy
Objective To investigate the association between mining activity and police‐reported assault offences across W estern A ustralia. Design A cross‐sectional multivariable negative binomial regression analysis at the local government area level. Setting Local government areas in W estern A ustralia. Participants Victims of reported assault offences occurring in 2008–2009. Main outcome measures Eight reported assault measures by gender of victim and type of assault. The analysis controlled for a range of potentially confounding variables, including numbers of licensed outlets and alcohol sales. Results Compared with females in other areas, females in mining regions had a 64% increased risk of assault, a 59% increased risk of non‐domestic assault and a 136% increased risk of sexual assault. Risk of domestic assault was 64% higher for males in mining regions. Conclusions Regions where mining is a major employer of people usually or temporarily residing in the area (i.e. usual residents or temporary fly‐in fly‐out residents) are associated with higher risk of assaults among females and domestic assaults among males, and these associations appear to be independent of licensed outlet numbers and alcohol sales. Mining communities appear to present a special case for the management and reduction of violence; public health and safety intervention needs to identify and address risk factors independent of alcohol use.