A distant city: Assessing the impact of Dutch socioeconomic developments on urban and rural health using respiratory disease as a proxy

Maia, Casna,; Schats, Rachel; Hoogland, Menno L. P.; Schrader, Sarah

doi:10.1016/j.ijpp.2023.07.003

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…In the past, most bioarcheological studies focusing on respiratory diseases associated higher rates of sinusitis to overcrowding and exposure indoor/outdoor to air pollution (e.g., Bernofsky, 2010;Casna et al, 2021;Sundman & Kjellström, 2013). However, recent research has started to acknowledge the diverse and intricate etiology of sinusitis, shedding light on the challenges linked to pinpointing the particular factors that could be responsible for the fluctuations in prevalence rates within different archaeological populations (e.g., Boyd, 2020;Casna et al, 2023;Davies-Barrett et al, 2023). While changes in risk factors such as working and living conditions, food resources availability, and access to healthcare are usually addressed in most publications on chronic maxillary sinusitis, others such as exposure to adverse weather conditions, genetic predisposition, and cultural habits (e.g., smoking) have revealed to be very difficult to address in archaeological settings…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, prevalence rates of ear and pulmonary infections for the same study did not match this pattern, suggesting other factors are at play, such as exposure to cold climates, tobacco smoke, and genetic predisposition (Boyd, 2020;Casna et al, 2023;Davies-Barrett et al, 2023).…”

Section: Nonspecific Stress Indicators and Respiratory Diseases In Re...mentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Linear enamel hypoplasia Chronic maxillary sinusitis N n(%) despite them being extremely prevalent in most populations (Casna et al, 2023;Davies-Barrett et al, 2023;Sundman & Kjellström, 2013).…”

Section: Porotic Hyperostosis Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While our findings provide valuable insights into the impact of urbanization and economic collapse on the health of Zeeuws citizens during the post-medieval era, it is imperative to acknowledge the presence of several limitations, such as disparities in sample sizes among different assemblages and difficulties in addressing every risk factor for the health of the individuals under study (e.g., climate). To date, the impact that the natural environment had on the health of past populations has received almost no attention from bioarcheologists, despite it likely playing a significant role in the well-being of many past societies (Casna et al, 2023;Davies-Barrett et al, 2023;Roberts, 2016). In the Netherlands (and in Zeeland specifically), climate has always been heavily impacted by the North Sea (Wintle, 2000).…”

Section: Limitations Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the investigation of respiratory diseases in urban contexts has always yielded varying results and rarely revealed a direct correlation between urbanization and individual health (e.g., Boyd, 2020;Casna et al, 2021). In a recent study by Casna et al (2023) on six Dutch populations dating 475-1866 CE, it was observed that sinusitis prevalence rates remained consistent between rural and urban populations. However, these rates showed a progressive increase over time in both settings, suggesting that the process of urbanization had a detrimental impact on the health of individuals in both rural and urban areas.…”

Section: Nonspecific Stress Indicators and Respiratory Diseases In Re...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The urban sea: Cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, linear enamel hypoplasia, and sinusitis in three diachronic urban sites from the Dutch province of Zeeland (1030–1800 CE)

Casna,

Schrader

2024

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Until the 17th century, the Dutch coastal region of Zeeland ranked among Europe's most urbanized areas, driven by thriving international trade networks. People living in this time of flourishing economy benefitted enormously from it in terms of employment opportunities and working conditions, which were reportedly better than in the rest of the Low Countries. However, the rapid growth of Zeeland's urban centers likely presented increasing challenges for the population in terms of accessing essential resources, including food, clean water, and housing. In the 19th century, Zeeland's economy ultimately faced a significant downturn due to the decline in the maritime trade, leading to a substantial reduction in its urban population. Examining patterns of urbanization and economic histories that differ from the commonly studied thriving industrial contexts in bioarcheological research, as exemplified by Zeeland, is a crucial yet relatively underexplored facet in our efforts to understanding the human past. To address this gap, this study investigates the impact of urbanization on the health of Zeeland's inhabitants over time by analyzing nonspecific stress markers (i.e., cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, and linear enamel hypoplasia) and chronic maxillary sinusitis in a sample of 246 individuals from three urban sites dating from 1030 to 1800 CE. Our analysis of skeletal remains reveals significant differences in the prevalence of porotic hyperostosis, linear enamel hypoplasia, and sinusitis between the medieval and post‐medieval periods. These findings suggest that de‐urbanization and economic decline adversely affected the health and well‐being of the populations under study, influenced by factors such as working conditions and food availability. This study provides a new perspective on bioarcheological approaches to urbanization, shedding light on the intricate realities of urbanization in Zeeland and offering important insights into its complexities.

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