LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Posted November 2, 2018
Dear Editor:
I have seen my name lambasted on Facebook for daring to point out the lack of evidence provided by the residents of DeWitt County who oppose the wind farms based upon my testimony at a County Board land use meeting. I based my testimony on scientific fact because I can practice based solely on proven scientific fact and not on fear, hearsay or what we in the health care community call “Dr. Google”.
I presented to the board evidence-based science which can be reproduced and dispels the notion that wind towers cause all sorts of health effects. In their article http://ijomeh.eu/Evaluation-of-annoyance-from-the-wind-turbine-noise-a-pilot-study,2025,0,2.html, Pawlaczyk-Luszczynska et al concluded that if you have a negative attitude towards wind farms or turbines you are more likely to report negative health effects.
In another research study of those who live around wind farms, Chrichton, Chapman, Cundy et. al stated in https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4227478/; “An analysis of the evidence concerning symptom reporting attributed to sound produced by wind farms supports the nocebo expectation hypothesis; that health complaints can be explained by the influence of negative expectations.”
None of these studies have found any direct link of a wind tower causing negative health effects. These symptoms were brought on by negative expectations which I normally see in patients with stress, anxiety and sometimes paranoia. I have yet to diagnose anyone with “wind turbine syndrome”. You may continue to throw your brickbats at me, however I do have scientific evidence on my side.
Sincerely,
Sara O'Brien, RN, BSN, MSN, APRN, FNP
Wapella, Illinois 61777