It has been found in a new study that people who live close to fracking sites have more chances of getting sick than others. In the US, fracking has increased to a great extent during the past decade. It is also called hydraulic drilling.

As per reports, it is a type of oil and gas drilling and causes air and water pollution. There are a number of fracked wells in Pennsylvania. Fracking could lead to hospitalizations by causing many health conditions such as heart problems and neurological disorders. People who live near these areas are more likely to suffer from such conditions.

Data that shows rates of hospitalization in the northeastern counties in the state was studied by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania. The study was published on July 15 in the online journal PLOS ONE.

Fracking has increased a lot in Bradford and Susquehanna from 2007 to 2011. And these areas are known to have a fracked well density of more than 0.79 wells per square kilometer. But fracking is not permitted in Wayne, for the reason that the county is situated near the Delaware River watershed.

According to Dr. Reynold Panettieri, Jr., deputy director of the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology at the University of Pennsylvania, and senior author of the study, "At this point, we suspect that residents are exposed to many toxicants, noise and social stressors due to hydraulic fracturing near their homes, and this may add to the increased number of hospitalizations".