Socio-Psychological Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Community Health and Well-Being

Abstract

At the core of the hydraulic fracturing (fracking) debate is the level of perceived risk involved with extractive industries, such as the release of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals, increased population growth, and truck traffic. However, industry supporters of fracking acclaim the benefits of oil and gas drilling, such as energy independence and economic gains. In this study, we examine the perceived impacts of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on community health and well-being based on interviews with anti-fracking activists in Denton, Texas who were active in the “anti-fracking” community organization, Frack Free Denton (FFD). Emergent from the interviews, we discuss the socio-psychological stressors these community members experienced following the introduction of hydraulic fracturing in the region. Some of the major socio-psychological impacts included perceived physical health risks through anxiety surrounding toxins and carcinogens that may be released through this process. Participants also discussed stress put on community relations, primarily through the form of an “us vs. them” mentality related to the support for, or opposition to, fracking in the community. Moreover, we found anxiety and stress surrounding trust in community members’ relationships with governing bodies, such as the federal government, state government, and local governments. This research will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of how fracking can impact the socio-psychological well-being of the community.

Assessing Unconventional Oil and Gas Exposure in the Appalachian Basin: Comparison of Exposure Surrogates and Residential Drinking Water Measurements

“…Additionally, 22% of participants reported primarily consuming bottled water instead of their well water, underscoring how individual behavior may influence exposures. This also indicates individual and community concern over water quality, which can contribute to negative mental health outcomes, such as psychosocial stress. − …”

Fracking: Calling for an Effective Geo-Communication Strategy

“…Studies also show that the topic of fracking causes stress and mistrust (including "us vs. them" mentality) in interviews with the public [2,3]. And a UK case study illustrates that while the public's perception of fracking is overall conflicted, the public support for fracking drops when asked about allowing it locally [4].…”

Psychosocial impacts

“…In March 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake triggered many tsunamis and led to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident (together called the 'triple disaster'), which has had many ongoing psychosocial impacts (Shigemura & Chhem, 2016;Maeda & Oe, 2017). The psychosocial impacts of many other events, projects, or issues have also been considered, including: dams (Luís et al, 2015;Marques et al, 2015); floods (Paranjothy et al, 2011); hydraulic fracturing (fracking) (Hirsch et al, 2018;Soyer et al, 2020); local contamination (Brown & Mikkelsen, 1997;Calloway et al, 2020;Menegatto et al, 2022); solid waste facilities (Taylor et al, 1991;Lima & Marques, 2005); toxic waste spills (Hastrup et al, 2007); and climate change (Doherty & Clayton, 2011). The psychosocial impacts experienced by Indigenous peoples have also been studied (Berger, 1977;Shkilnyk, 1985;Firelight, 2021;see Chapter 31).…”