The Hazelwood mine fire in 2014 has been linked to a spike in doctor visits by Latrobe Valley residents, as well as a jump in rates of prescription medicine being dispensed.
That is according to new findings from the Hazelwood Health Study released today.
The Monash University-led health study, which is being funded by the Victorian Government, found there were an extra 5,137 visits to GPs in the Latrobe Valley in a month when the coal mine fire was alight in 2014.
This included 405 cardiovascular visits, 174 respiratory visits and 286 mental health consultations.
The fire burned inside the mine for 45 days and shrouded Morwell and surrounding towns in smoke and ash.
Study researcher Yuming Guo said the increase in GP visits was attributed to the fine particles emitted by the coal fire four years ago.
"The Hazelwood health study was established to monitor any long-term health effect of that smoke event," he said.
"For [every] 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in coal mine fine particles, there was a 17 per cent increase in health service visitors, including 29 per cent cardiovascular services and 27 per cent respiratory services."
Mental health prescriptions increase
The study estimated there was an extra 1,429 mental health-related medications being dispensed during the period examined, along with an additional 2,501 cardiovascular prescription medications and 574 respiratory medications.
Mr Guo said the study would continue to monitor the long-term effects from the fire.
"Our study provided some evidence that the coal mine fire is a health risk in the Latrobe Valley," he said.
"In future we want to look at carbon monoxide, which is also a type of pollution, so we want to look at this type of pollution in the future."
