Adolescents in Vulnerable Appalachian Communities

Adolescents are critical to the future of Appalachian communities and must be nurtured, integrated, and offered opportunities to make their communities better for themselves, for their families, and for future generations. This chapter provides an overview of Appalachia’s historical reliance on natural resources in the form of coal mining, which has not only produced boom-and-bust economic cycles for the region but also disproportionate environmental and social degradation in vulnerable, socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. We contend that connections among the environment, community, and cultural social fabric of the Appalachian region have been underestimated, much to the detriment of youth living in impacted communities. Therefore, an emphasis on public health is critical to changing the trajectory of the region’s current and future population health standing and will require a focus on health disparities. This chapter details both historical and contemporary forces shaping the Appalachian region with a specific emphasis on youth and youth development in resource-dependent communities. A brief history of mining practices is followed by a consideration of their impacts on youth development before the twenty-first century. The chapter concludes with successful youth development efforts in the twenty-first century and projections for the future.