Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University have stated in their report that residents of two northeastern Pennsylvania counties having a lot many active shale gas wells are more likely to be hospitalized than residents in other areas having no drilling.

They can be hospitalized for heart, nervous and other medical conditions. In order to find out the link between natural gas production activities and health care use from 2007 to 2011, the researchers have evaluated state drilling databases and more than 95,000 inpatient records.

The data of two counties studied were Bradford and Susquehanna counties. During the study period, shale gas drilling has increased significantly. In its neighboring area, Wayne County, where the geographical conditions are same as the two counties, but drilling there is not allowed as the county is present within the Delaware River watershed.

Study's co-author Reynold Panettieri, deputy director of the University of Pennsylvania's Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, stated that they do not mean to say that drilling activities have led the residents to suffer health problems.

They think that collective exposure from the increased drilling, including noise, vehicles, drilling and flaring lead to stress on body making people more susceptible to health problems. The researchers have found a strong association between a higher density of wells and hospitalization rates for heart and neurological conditions. It proves taxing on pocket as well.