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Rosser F. Outdoor Air Pollution and Pediatric Respiratory Disease. Clin Chest Med 2024; 45:531-541. [PMID: 39069319 PMCID: PMC11286236 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2024.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Outdoor air pollution is ubiquitous, and no safe level of exposure has been identified for the most common air pollutants such as ozone and particle pollution. Children are uniquely more susceptible to the harms of outdoor air pollution, which can cause and exacerbate respiratory disease. Although challenging to identify the effects of outdoor air pollution on individual patients, understanding the basics of outdoor air pollution is essential for pediatric respiratory health care providers. This review covers basic information regarding outdoor air pollution, unique considerations for children, mechanisms for increased susceptibility, and association with incident and exacerbation of respiratory disease in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Rosser
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA.
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Du J, Shao B, Gao Y, Wei Z, Zhang Y, Li H, Li J, Li G. Relationship between exposure to fine particulate matter and cardiovascular risk factors and the modifying effect of socioeconomic status: a cross-sectional study in Beijing, China. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1398396. [PMID: 39100956 PMCID: PMC11294222 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1398396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Accumulating research suggested that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, evidence regarding the relationship between PM2.5 and CVD risk factors remains inconsistent. We hypothesized that this association may be partially modified by socioeconomic status (SES). To investigate the relationships and to test the modifying effect of SES, we included baseline data for 21,018 adults from September 2017 to May 2018. PM2.5 concentrations were determined by employing an amalgamation of linear measurements obtained from monitoring stations located near the participants' residential and workplace addresses. We assessed SES across several domains, including income, education, and occupation levels, as well as through a composite SES index. The results indicated that for every 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure, the risk of hypercholesterolemia, hyperbetalipoproteinemia, diabetes, and hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) increased by 7.7% [Odds ratio (OR) = 1.077, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.011, 1.146], 19.6% (OR = 1.196, 95% CI = 1.091, 1.312), 4.2% (OR = 1.042, 95% CI = 1.002, 1.084), and 17.1% (OR = 1.171, 95% CI = 1.133, 1.209), respectively. Compared to the high SES group, those with low SES are more prone to hypercholesterolemia, hyperbetalipoproteinemia, diabetes, and HHcy. Notably, the disparities in SES appear significant in the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and hypercholesterolemia as well as hyperbetalipoproteinemia. But for diabetes and HHcy, the modification effect of SES on PM2.5 shows an inconsistent pattern. In conclusion, the results confirm the association between PM2.5 and cardiovascular risk factors and low SES significantly amplified the adverse PM2.5 effect on dyslipidemia. It is crucial to emphasize a need to improve the socioeconomic inequality among adults in Beijing and contribute to the understanding of the urgency in protecting the health of vulnerable groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Du
- Institute of Information and Statistics Center, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Shao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
| | - Yanlin Gao
- Institute of Information and Statistics Center, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
| | - Zaihua Wei
- Institute of Information and Statistics Center, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Hongzheng Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Tianjin, China
| | - Hong Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
| | - Jiang Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
| | - Gang Li
- Institute of Information and Statistics Center, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
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McCann ZH, Chang HH, D'Souza R, Scovronick N, Ebelt S. Assessment of census-tract level socioeconomic position as a modifier of the relationship between short-term PM 2.5 exposure and cardiovascular emergency department visits in Missouri. J Epidemiol Community Health 2024; 78:296-302. [PMID: 38302278 PMCID: PMC11006568 DOI: 10.1136/jech-2023-221438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ambient particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) exposure elevates the risk for cardiovascular disease morbidity (CVDM). The aim of this study is to characterise which area-level measures of socioeconomic position (SEP) modify the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and CVDM in Missouri at the census-tract (CT) level. METHODS We use individual level Missouri emergency department (ED) admissions data (n=3 284 956), modelled PM2.5 data, and yearly CT data from 2012 to 2016 to conduct a two-stage analysis. Stage one uses a case-crossover approach with conditional logistic regression to establish the baseline risk of ED visits associated with IQR changes in PM2.5. In the second stage, we use multivariate metaregression to examine how CT-level SEP modifies the relationship between ambient PM2.5 exposure and CVDM. RESULTS We find that overall, ambient PM2.5 exposure is associated with increased risk for CVDM. We test effect modification in statewide and urban CTs, and in the warm season only. Effect modification results suggest that among SEP measures, poverty is most consistently associated with increased risk for CVDM. For example, across Missouri, the highest poverty CTs are at an elevated risk for CVDM (OR=1.010 (95% CI 1.007 to 1.014)) compared with the lowest poverty CTs (OR=1.004 (95% CI 1.000 to 1.008)). Other SEP modifiers generally display an inconsistent or null effect. CONCLUSION Overall, we find some evidence that area-level SEP modifies the relationship between ambient PM2.5 exposure and CVDM, and suggest that the relationship between air-pollution, area-level SEP and CVDM may be sensitive to spatial scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary H McCann
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Howard H Chang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory Univeristy, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Rohan D'Souza
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory Univeristy, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Noah Scovronick
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stefanie Ebelt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Domingo KN, Gabaldon KL, Hussari MN, Yap JM, Valmadrid LC, Robinson K, Leibel S. Impact of climate change on paediatric respiratory health: pollutants and aeroallergens. Eur Respir Rev 2024; 33:230249. [PMID: 39009406 PMCID: PMC11262702 DOI: 10.1183/16000617.0249-2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Paediatric populations are particularly vulnerable to respiratory diseases caused and exacerbated by aeroallergens, pollutants and infectious agents. Worsening climate change is expected to increase the prevalence of pollutants and aeroallergens while amplifying disease severity and causing disproportionate effects in under-resourced areas. The purpose of this narrative review is to summarise the role of anthropogenic climate change in the literature examining the future impact of aeroallergens, pollutants and infectious agents on paediatric respiratory diseases with a focus on equitable disease mitigation. The aeroallergens selected for discussion include pollen, dust mites and mould as these are prevalent triggers of paediatric asthma worldwide. Human rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus are key viruses interacting with climate change and pollution and are primary causal agents of viral respiratory disease. Within this review, we present the propensity for aeroallergens, climate change and pollution to synergistically exacerbate paediatric respiratory disease and outline measures that can ameliorate the expected increase in morbidity and severity of disease through a health equity lens. We support shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy worldwide, across sectors, as a primary means of reducing increases in morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karyssa N Domingo
- School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- K.N. Domingo and K.L. Gabaldon contributed equally
| | - Kiersten L Gabaldon
- School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- K.N. Domingo and K.L. Gabaldon contributed equally
| | | | - Jazmyn M Yap
- School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Kelly Robinson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sydney Leibel
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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5
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Sharma R, Humphrey JL, Frueh L, Kinnee EJ, Sheffield PE, Clougherty JE. Neighborhood violence and socioeconomic deprivation influence associations between acute air pollution and temperature on childhood asthma in New York city. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116235. [PMID: 37244495 PMCID: PMC10364588 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Ambient air pollution, temperature, and social stressor exposures are linked with asthma risk, with potential synergistic effects. We examined associations for acute pollution and temperature exposures, with modification by neighborhood violent crime and socioeconomic deprivation, on asthma morbidity among children aged 5-17 years year-round in New York City. Using conditional logistic regression in a time-stratified, case-crossover design, we quantified percent excess risk of asthma event per 10-unit increase in daily, residence-specific exposures to PM2.5, NO2, SO2, O3, and minimum daily temperature (Tmin). Data on 145,834 asthma cases presenting to NYC emergency departments from 2005 to 2011 were obtained from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS). Residence- and day-specific spatiotemporal exposures were assigned using the NYC Community Air Survey (NYCCAS) spatial data and daily EPA pollution and NOAA weather data. Point-level NYPD violent crime data for 2009 (study midpoint) was aggregated, and Socioeconomic Deprivation Index (SDI) scores assigned, by census tract. Separate models were fit for each pollutant or temperature exposure for lag days 0-6, controlling for co-exposures and humidity, and mutually-adjusted interactions (modification) by quintile of violent crime and SDI were assessed. We observed stronger main effects for PM2.5 and SO2 in the cold season on lag day 1 [4.90% (95% CI: 3.77-6.04) and 8.57% (5.99-11.21), respectively]; Tmin in the cold season on lag day 0 [2.26% (1.25-3.28)]; and NO2 and O3 in the warm season on lag days 1 [7.86% (6.66-9.07)] and 2 [4.75% (3.53-5.97)], respectively. Violence and SDI modified the main effects in a non-linear manner; contrary to hypotheses, we found stronger associations in lower-violence and -deprivation quintiles. At very high stressor exposures, although asthma exacerbations were highly prevalent, pollution effects were less apparent-suggesting potential saturation effects in socio-environmental synergism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachit Sharma
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Jamie L Humphrey
- Center for Health Analytics, Media & Policy, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Lisa Frueh
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ellen J Kinnee
- University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Perry E Sheffield
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, and Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jane E Clougherty
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Schwarz L, Aguilera R, Aguilar-Dodier LC, Castillo Quiñones JE, García MEA, Benmarhnia T. Wildfire smoke knows no borders: Differential vulnerability to smoke effects on cardio-respiratory health in the San Diego-Tijuana region. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0001886. [PMID: 37347761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to fine particles in wildfire smoke is deleterious for human health and can increase cases of cardio-respiratory illnesses and related hospitalizations. Neighborhood-level risk factors can increase susceptibility to environmental hazards, such as air pollution from smoke, and the same exposure can lead to different health effects across populations. While the San Diego-Tijuana border can be exposed to the same wildfire smoke event, socio-demographic differences may drive differential effects on population health. We used the October 2007 wildfires, one the most devastating wildfire events in Southern California that brought smoke to the entire region, as a natural experiment to understand the differential effect of wildfire smoke on both sides of the border. We applied synthetic control methods to evaluate the effects of wildfire smoke on cardio-respiratory hospitalizations in the Municipality of Tijuana and San Diego County separately. During the study period (October 11th- October 26th, 2007), 2009 hospital admissions for cardio-respiratory diseases occurred in San Diego County while 37 hospital admissions were reported in the Municipality of Tijuana. The number of cases in Tijuana was much lower than San Diego, and a precise effect of wildfire smoke was detected in San Diego but not in Tijuana. However, social drivers can increase susceptibility to environmental hazards; the poverty rate in Tijuana is more than three times that of San Diego. Socio-demographics are important in modulating the effects of wildfire smoke and can be potentially useful in developing a concerted regional effort to protect populations on both sides of the border from the adverse health effects of wildfire smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Schwarz
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Rosana Aguilera
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - L C Aguilar-Dodier
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Tijuana, México
| | | | | | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
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Reid CE, Considine EM, Watson GL, Telesca D, Pfister GG, Jerrett M. Effect modification of the association between fine particulate air pollution during a wildfire event and respiratory health by area-level measures of socio-economic status, race/ethnicity, and smoking prevalence. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, HEALTH : ERH 2023; 1:025005. [PMID: 38332844 PMCID: PMC10852067 DOI: 10.1088/2752-5309/acc4e1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) is decreasing in most areas of the United States, except for areas most affected by wildfires, where increasing trends in PM2.5 can be attributed to wildfire smoke. The frequency and duration of large wildfires and the length of the wildfire season have all increased in recent decades, partially due to climate change, and wildfire risk is projected to increase further in many regions including the western United States. Increasingly, empirical evidence suggests differential health effects from air pollution by class and race; however, few studies have investigated such differential health impacts from air pollution during a wildfire event. We investigated differential risk of respiratory health impacts during the 2008 northern California wildfires by a comprehensive list of socio-economic status (SES), race/ethnicity, and smoking prevalence variables. Regardless of SES level across nine measures of SES, we found significant associations between PM2.5 and asthma hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits during these wildfires. Differential respiratory health risk was found by SES for ED visits for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease where the highest risks were in ZIP codes with the lowest SES levels. Findings for differential effects by race/ethnicity were less consistent across health outcomes. We found that ZIP codes with higher prevalence of smokers had greater risk of ED visits for asthma and pneumonia. Our study suggests that public health efforts to decrease exposures to high levels of air pollution during wildfires should focus on lower SES communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E Reid
- Department of Geography, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | - E M Considine
- Department of Applied Math, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States of America
- Current address: Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University., Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - G L Watson
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - D Telesca
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - G G Pfister
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | - M Jerrett
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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8
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Ebelt ST, D'Souza RR, Yu H, Scovronick N, Moss S, Chang HH. Monitoring vs. modeled exposure data in time-series studies of ambient air pollution and acute health outcomes. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:377-385. [PMID: 35595966 PMCID: PMC9675877 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00446-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Population-based short-term air pollution health studies often have limited spatiotemporally representative exposure data, leading to concerns of exposure measurement error. OBJECTIVE To compare the use of monitoring and modeled exposure metrics in time-series analyses of air pollution and cardiorespiratory emergency department (ED) visits. METHODS We obtained daily counts of ED visits for Atlanta, GA during 2009-2013. We leveraged daily ZIP code level concentration estimates for eight pollutants from nine exposure metrics. Metrics included central monitor (CM), monitor-based (inverse distance weighting, kriging), model-based [community multiscale air quality (CMAQ), land use regression (LUR)], and satellite-based measures. We used Poisson models to estimate air pollution health associations using the different exposure metrics. The approach involved: (1) assessing CM-based associations, (2) determining if non-CM metrics can reproduce CM-based associations, and (3) identifying potential value added of incorporating full spatiotemporal information provided by non-CM metrics. RESULTS Using CM exposures, we observed associations between cardiovascular ED visits and carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter, elemental and organic carbon, and between respiratory ED visits and ozone. Non-CM metrics were largely able to reproduce CM-based associations, although some unexpected results using CMAQ- and LUR-based metrics reduced confidence in these data for some spatiotemporally-variable pollutants. Associations with nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide were only detected, or were stronger, when using metrics that incorporate all available monitoring data (i.e., inverse distance weighting and kriging). SIGNIFICANCE The use of routinely-collected ambient monitoring data for exposure assignment in time-series studies of large metropolitan areas is a sound approach, particularly when data from multiple monitors are available. More sophisticated approaches derived from CMAQ, LUR, or satellites may add value when monitoring data are inadequate and if paired with thorough data characterization. These results are useful for interpretation of existing literature and for improving exposure assessment in future studies. IMPACT STATEMENT This study compared and interpreted the use of monitoring and modeled exposure metrics in a daily time-series analysis of air pollution and cardiorespiratory emergency department visits. The results suggest that the use of routinely-collected ambient monitoring data in population-based short-term air pollution and health studies is a sound approach for exposure assignment in large metropolitan regions. CMAQ-, LUR-, and satellite-based metrics may allow for health effects estimation when monitoring data are sparse, if paired with thorough data characterization. These results are useful for interpretation of existing health effects literature and for improving exposure assessment in future air pollution epidemiology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie T Ebelt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Rohan R D'Souza
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Haofei Yu
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Noah Scovronick
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shannon Moss
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Howard H Chang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Rosser F, Balmes J. Ozone and childhood respiratory health: A primer for US pediatric providers and a call for a more protective standard. Pediatr Pulmonol 2023; 58:1355-1366. [PMID: 36815617 PMCID: PMC10121852 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.26368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Ground level ozone is a potent respiratory toxicant with decades of accumulated data demonstrating respiratory harms to children. Despite the ubiquity of ozone in the United States, impacting both urban and rural communities, the associated harms of exposure to this important air pollutant are often infrequently or inadequately covered during medical training including pulmonary specialization. Thus, many providers caring for children's respiratory health may have limited knowledge of the harms which may result in reduced discussion of ozone pollution during clinical encounters. Further, the current US air quality standard for ozone does not adequately protect children. In this nonsystematic review, we present basic background information for healthcare providers caring for children's respiratory health, review the US process for setting air quality standards, discuss the respiratory harms of ozone for healthy children and those with underlying respiratory disease, highlight the urgent need for a more protective ozone standard to adequately protect children's respiratory health, review impacts of climate change on ozone levels, and provide information for discussion in clinical encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Rosser
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - John Balmes
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA
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10
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Bi J, D’Souza RR, Moss S, Senthilkumar N, Russell AG, Scovronick NC, Chang HH, Ebelt S. Acute Effects of Ambient Air Pollution on Asthma Emergency Department Visits in Ten U.S. States. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:47003. [PMID: 37011135 PMCID: PMC10069759 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies of short-term ambient air pollution exposure and asthma morbidity in the United States have been limited to a small number of cities and/or pollutants and with limited consideration of effects across ages. OBJECTIVES To estimate acute age group-specific effects of fine and coarse particulate matter (PM), major PM components, and gaseous pollutants on emergency department (ED) visits for asthma during 2005-2014 across the United States. METHODS We acquired ED visit and air quality data in regions surrounding 53 speciation sites in 10 states. We used quasi-Poisson log-linear time-series models with unconstrained distributed exposure lags to estimate site-specific acute effects of air pollution on asthma ED visits overall and by age group (1-4, 5-17, 18-49, 50-64, and 65+ y), controlling for meteorology, time trends, and influenza activity. We then used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate pooled associations from site-specific associations. RESULTS Our analysis included 3.19 million asthma ED visits. We observed positive associations for multiday cumulative exposure to all air pollutants examined [e.g., 8-d exposure to PM2.5: rate ratio of 1.016 with 95% credible interval (CI) of (1.008, 1.025) per 6.3-μg/m3 increase, PM10-2.5: 1.014 (95% CI: 1.007, 1.020) per 9.6-μg/m3 increase, organic carbon: 1.016 (95% CI: 1.009, 1.024) per 2.8-μg/m3 increase, and ozone: 1.008 (95% CI: 0.995, 1.022) per 0.02-ppm increase]. PM2.5 and ozone showed stronger effects at shorter lags, whereas associations of traffic-related pollutants (e.g., elemental carbon and oxides of nitrogen) were generally stronger at longer lags. Most pollutants had more pronounced effects on children (<18 y old) than adults; PM2.5 had strong effects on both children and the elderly (>64 y old); and ozone had stronger effects on adults than children. CONCLUSIONS We reported positive associations between short-term air pollution exposure and increased rates of asthma ED visits. We found that air pollution exposure posed a higher risk for children and older populations. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11661.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhao Bi
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rohan R. D’Souza
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Shannon Moss
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Niru Senthilkumar
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Armistead G. Russell
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Noah C. Scovronick
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Howard H. Chang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stefanie Ebelt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Burbank AJ, Hernandez ML, Jefferson A, Perry TT, Phipatanakul W, Poole J, Matsui EC. Environmental justice and allergic disease: A Work Group Report of the AAAAI Environmental Exposure and Respiratory Health Committee and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2023; 151:656-670. [PMID: 36584926 PMCID: PMC9992350 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2022.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Environmental justice is the concept that all people have the right to live in a healthy environment, to be protected against environmental hazards, and to participate in decisions affecting their communities. Communities of color and low-income populations live, work, and play in environments with disproportionate exposure to hazards associated with allergic disease. This unequal distribution of hazards has contributed to health disparities and is largely the result of systemic racism that promotes segregation of neighborhoods, disinvestment in predominantly racial/ethnic minority neighborhoods, and discriminatory housing, employment, and lending practices. The AAAAI Environmental Exposure and Respiratory Health Committee and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee jointly developed this report to improve allergy/immunology specialists' awareness of environmental injustice, its roots in systemic racism, and its impact on health disparities in allergic disease. We present evidence supporting the relationship between exposure to environmental hazards, particularly at the neighborhood level, and the disproportionately high incidence and poor outcomes from allergic diseases in marginalized populations. Achieving environmental justice requires investment in at-risk communities to increase access to safe housing, clean air and water, employment opportunities, education, nutrition, and health care. Through policies that promote environmental justice, we can achieve greater health equity in allergic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison J Burbank
- Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Children's Research Institute, Chapel Hill, NC.
| | - Michelle L Hernandez
- Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Children's Research Institute, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Akilah Jefferson
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Ark; Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, Ark
| | - Tamara T Perry
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Ark; Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, Ark
| | - Wanda Phipatanakul
- Division of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass
| | - Jill Poole
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Neb
| | - Elizabeth C Matsui
- Departments of Population Health and Pediatrics, Dell Medical School at University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Tex
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12
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Figaroa MNS, Gielen M, Casas L, Loos RJF, Derom C, Weyers S, Nawrot TS, Zeegers MP, Bijnens EM. Early-life residential green spaces and traffic exposure in association with young adult body composition: a longitudinal birth cohort study of twins. Environ Health 2023; 22:18. [PMID: 36800959 PMCID: PMC9936720 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-00964-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, the rapid increase of obesity is reaching alarming proportions. A new approach to reduce obesity and its comorbidities involves tackling the built environment. Environmental influences seem to play an important role, but the environmental influences in early life on adult body composition have not been thoroughly investigated. This study seeks to fill the research gap by examining early-life exposure to residential green spaces and traffic exposure in association with body composition among a population of young adult twins. METHODS As part of the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey (EFPTS) cohort, this study included 332 twins. Residential addresses of the mothers at time of birth of the twins were geocoded to determine residential green spaces and traffic exposure. To capture body composition, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist circumference, skinfold thickness, leptin levels, and fat percentage were measured at adult age. Linear mixed modelling analyses were conducted to investigate early-life environmental exposures in association with body composition, while accounting for potential confounders. In addition, moderator effects of zygosity/chorionicity, sex and socio-economic status were tested. RESULTS Each interquartile range (IQR) increase in distance to highway was found associated with an increase of 1.2% in WHR (95%CI 0.2-2.2%). For landcover of green spaces, each IQR increase was associated with 0.8% increase in WHR (95%CI 0.4-1.3%), 1.4% increase in waist circumference (95%CI 0.5-2.2%), and 2.3% increase in body fat (95%CI 0.2-4.4%). Stratified analyses by zygosity/chorionicity type indicated that in monozygotic monochorionic twins, each IQR increase in land cover of green spaces was associated with 1.3% increase in WHR (95%CI 0.5-2.1%). In monozygotic dichorionic twins, each IQR increase in land cover of green spaces was associated with 1.4% increase in waist-circumference (95%CI 0.6-2.2%). CONCLUSIONS The built environment in which mothers reside during pregnancy might play a role on body composition among young adult twins. Our study revealed that based on zygosity/chorionicity type differential effects of prenatal exposure to green spaces on body composition at adult age might exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- M N S Figaroa
- Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - M Gielen
- Department of Epidemiology, NUTRIM School for Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200, MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - L Casas
- Social Epidemiology and Health Policy, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development (IMDO), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - R J F Loos
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - C Derom
- Department of Human Structure and Repair, University Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - S Weyers
- Department of Human Structure and Repair, University Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - T S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - M P Zeegers
- Department of Epidemiology, NUTRIM School for Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200, MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - E M Bijnens
- Department of Human Structure and Repair, University Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Open University, Heerlen, The Netherlands
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13
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McCann ZH, Szaflarski M. Differences in county-level cardiovascular disease mortality rates due to damage caused by hurricane Matthew and the moderating effect of social capital: a natural experiment. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:60. [PMID: 36624492 PMCID: PMC9830798 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14919-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the climate continues to warm, hurricanes will continue to increase in both severity and frequency. Hurricane damage is associated with cardiovascular events, but social capital may moderate this relationship. Social capital is a multidimensional concept with a rich theoretical tradition. Simply put, social capital refers to the social relationships and structures that provide individuals with material, financial, and emotional resources throughout their lives. Previous research has found an association between high levels of social capital and lower rates of cardiovascular (CVD) mortality. In post-disaster settings, social capital may protect against CVD mortality by improving access to life-saving resources. We examined the association between county-level hurricane damage and CVD mortality rates after Hurricane Matthew, and the moderating effect of several aspects of social capital and hurricane damage on this relationship. We hypothesized that (1) higher (vs. lower) levels of hurricane damage would be associated with increased CVD mortality rates and (2) in highly damaged counties, higher (vs. lower) levels of social capital would be associated with lower CVD mortality. METHODS Analysis used yearly (2013-2018) county-level sociodemographic and epidemiological data (n = 183). Sociodemographic data were compiled from federal surveys before and after Hurricane Matthew to construct, per prior literature, a social capital index based on four dimensions of social capital (sub-indices): family unity, informal civil society, institutional confidence, and collective efficacy. Epidemiological data comprised monthly CVD mortality rates constructed from monthly county-level CVD death counts from the CDC WONDER database and the US Census population estimates. Changes in CVD mortality based on level of hurricane damage were assessed using regression adjustment. We used cluster robust Poisson population average models to determine the moderating effect of social capital on CVD mortality rates in both high and low-damage counties. RESULTS We found that mean levels of CVD mortality increased (before and after adjustment for sociodemographic controls) in both low-damage counties (unadjusted. Mean = 2.50, 95% CI [2.41, 2.59], adjusted mean = 2.50, 95% CI [2.40, 2.72]) and high-damage counties (mean = 2.44, CI [2.29, 2.46], adj. Mean = 2.51, 95% CI [2.49, 2.84]). Among the different social capital dimensions, institutional confidence was associated with reduced initial CVD mortality in low-damage counties (unadj. IRR 1.00, 95% CI [0.90, 1.11], adj. IRR 0.91 CI [0.87, 0.94]), but its association with CVD mortality trends was null. The overall effects of social capital and its sub-indices were largely nonsignificant. CONCLUSION Hurricane damage is associated with increased CVD mortality for 18 months after Hurricane Matthew. The role of social capital remains unclear. Future research should focus on improving measurement of social capital and quality of hurricane damage and CVD mortality data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary H McCann
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health-Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
| | - Magdalena Szaflarski
- Department of Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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14
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Aslam R, Sharif F, Baqar M, Nizami AS, Ashraf U. Role of ambient air pollution in asthma spread among various population groups of Lahore City: a case study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:8682-8697. [PMID: 35220536 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19086-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution levels rise as a result of industrial and vehicular emissions, epidemiological issues such as asthma become more prevalent in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan and cause adverse public health effects. Many studies explored the association between air pollutants and frequency of asthma hospital visits, although their effects are unclear. This study examined the link between air pollution, asthma, and socioeconomic and demographic factors. A questionnaire survey was administered among four age groups (15-25, 25-45, 45-60, and over 60 years old) in public and private hospitals of Lahore city. Daily average concentrations of five air pollutants including carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) were recorded at ten fixed air monitoring sites in Lahore city. There were favorable connections between outpatient department (OPD) asthma visits (64%) and levels of outdoor air quality during winter season throughout the study period. The correlation between 1, 29, and 370 asthma patients and average daily air pollution levels found that the condition was more prevalent in females (53%) than males (47%). There was a significant correlation between PM10 exposure and asthma OPD visits in the city (p 0.001), as well as the elevated PM10 levels were substantially linked with OPD asthma visits over the winter season in the city. The hazard index (HI) for all adult population was estimated 0.001132. The study's findings indicate that exposure to ambient air pollution is a significant predictor of asthma hospital visits, particularly among the elderly. Strategies can be developed by policymakers in response to the worrying situation of allergic disease asthma in industrial cities due to air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Aslam
- Sustainable Development Study Center, Government College University, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan.
| | - Faiza Sharif
- Sustainable Development Study Center, Government College University, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | - Mujtaba Baqar
- Sustainable Development Study Center, Government College University, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | - Abdul-Sattar Nizami
- Sustainable Development Study Center, Government College University, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | - Uzma Ashraf
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Lahore School of Economics, Lahore, 53200, Pakistan
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15
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Zhou Q, Kang SL, Lin X, Zhang XY. Impact of air pollutants on hospital visits for pediatric asthma in Fuzhou city, southeast China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:58664-58674. [PMID: 35366721 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19928-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Rapid social development in China has resulted in severe air pollution and adverse impacts on people's health. Although studies have been conducted on the relationship between exposure to air pollutants and asthma exacerbation, most studies were performed in relatively heavily polluted areas, while little is known about the effect of air pollutants in less polluted areas. We assessed the effects of air pollutants on the risk of asthma-related outpatient and emergency visits of infants and children aged from 0 to 13 years during 2018 to 2020 in Fuzhou city, southeast China. Data of six air pollutants: sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxides (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), daily maximum 8-h average ozone (O3-8 h), particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM10), and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), were obtained from the Environmental Protection Administration of Fuzhou. Data of temperature, humidity, and wind speed were provided by the Meteorological Bureau of Fuzhou. Results revealed that on lag day 6, NO2, SO2, and CO were positively associated with the number of outpatient and emergency visits. Among the pollutants, SO2 had the highest effects on both outpatient visits (RR = 1.672, 95%CI 1.545, 1.809) and emergency visits (RR = 1.495, 95%CI 1.241, 1.800), and its effect on outpatient visits was stronger in children aged 0-4 years than in those aged 5-13 years (RR = 2.331 vs. 1.439). In conclusion, SO2 contributes substantially to the adverse effects of air pollutants on pediatric respiratory health in Fuzhou. Younger children were more affected by air pollution than their older counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Zhou
- Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, 350004, Fujian, China
- Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shu-Ling Kang
- Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, 350004, Fujian, China
- Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xin Lin
- Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, 350004, Fujian, China.
- Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Xiao-Yang Zhang
- Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou, 350004, Fujian, China.
- Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
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16
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Wei Y, Qiu X, Yazdi MD, Shtein A, Shi L, Yang J, Peralta AA, Coull BA, Schwartz JD. The Impact of Exposure Measurement Error on the Estimated Concentration-Response Relationship between Long-Term Exposure to PM2.5 and Mortality. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:77006. [PMID: 35904519 PMCID: PMC9337229 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure measurement error is a central concern in air pollution epidemiology. Given that studies have been using ambient air pollution predictions as proxy exposure measures, the potential impact of exposure error on health effect estimates needs to be comprehensively assessed. OBJECTIVES We aimed to generate wide-ranging scenarios to assess direction and magnitude of bias caused by exposure errors under plausible concentration-response relationships between annual exposure to fine particulate matter [PM ≤2.5μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5)] and all-cause mortality. METHODS In this simulation study, we use daily PM2.5 predictions at 1-km2 spatial resolution to estimate annual PM2.5 exposures and their uncertainties for ZIP Codes of residence across the contiguous United States between 2000 and 2016. We consider scenarios in which we vary the error type (classical or Berkson) and the true concentration-response relationship between PM2.5 exposure and mortality (linear, quadratic, or soft-threshold-i.e., a smooth approximation to the hard-threshold model). In each scenario, we generate numbers of deaths using error-free exposures and confounders of concurrent air pollutants and neighborhood-level covariates and perform epidemiological analyses using error-prone exposures under correct specification or misspecification of the concentration-response relationship between PM2.5 exposure and mortality, adjusting for the confounders. RESULTS We simulate 1,000 replicates of each of 162 scenarios investigated. In general, both classical and Berkson errors can bias the concentration-response curve toward the null. The biases remain small even when using three times the predicted uncertainty to generate errors and are relatively larger at higher exposure levels. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that the causal determination for long-term PM2.5 exposure and mortality is unlikely to be undermined when using high-resolution ambient predictions given that the estimated effect is generally smaller than the truth. The small magnitude of bias suggests that epidemiological findings are relatively robust against the exposure error. In practice, the use of ambient predictions with a finer spatial resolution will result in smaller bias. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10389.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaguang Wei
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xinye Qiu
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alexandra Shtein
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Liuhua Shi
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jiabei Yang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Adjani A. Peralta
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brent A. Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joel D. Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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17
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Miao Y, Porter WC, Schwabe K, LeComte-Hinely J. Evaluating health outcome metrics and their connections to air pollution and vulnerability in Southern California's Coachella Valley. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153255. [PMID: 35066029 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing desiccation of California's Salton Sea has led to increasing concerns about air quality and health for its surrounding communities, including the nearby Coachella Valley - a region already experiencing severe air quality and health disparities. Here we explore spatial air pollution and human health disparities in the Coachella Valley with particular attention to disparities arising across population characteristics including both socioeconomic and demographic vulnerabilities. We use two different measures of respiratory and cardiovascular health outcomes at the individual and census tract levels - one measure based on a randomly sampled telephone survey and the other measure based on emergency room visitation data - to investigate the degree to which these health outcomes are connected to air pollution and socioeconomic metrics. We further investigate biases and differences between the health outcome metrics themselves and suggest opportunities to address them in future analyses and survey efforts. We find that more vulnerable communities are associated with higher levels of fine particulates, but lower levels of ozone. While emergency visit rates show a significant positive correlation with both pollutants, no such association is found when using surveyed health outcome data. The ratio of emergency visits versus survey rates shows a positive relationship with socioeconomic and demographic vulnerability, indicating that vulnerable communities are less likely to self-report diagnoses despite higher rates of respiratory or cardiovascular hospitalization. Additionally, survey respondents tend to show less vulnerability relative to their surrounding census-based demographics. These findings suggest the need for greater attention to health issues specifically within disadvantaged communities in the Coachella Valley, building upon and working within existing community networks and local resources, to better address current and projected health needs. Our findings also highlight disparities in air pollution exposure, health outcomes, and population characteristics in the Coachella Valley, providing context for crucial pollution reduction efforts in the face of increasing environmental threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaning Miao
- Department of Environmental Science, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - William C Porter
- Department of Environmental Science, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Kurt Schwabe
- School of Public Policy, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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18
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Song X, Hu Y, Ma Y, Jiang L, Wang X, Shi A, Zhao J, Liu Y, Liu Y, Tang J, Li X, Zhang X, Guo Y, Wang S. Is short-term and long-term exposure to black carbon associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases? A systematic review and meta-analysis based on evidence reliability. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e049516. [PMID: 35504636 PMCID: PMC9066484 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Adverse health effects of fine particles (particulate matter2.5) have been well documented by a series of studies. However, evidences on the impacts of black carbon (BC) or elemental carbon (EC) on health are limited. The objectives were (1) to explored the effects of BC and EC on cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality, and (2) to verified the reliability of the meta-analysis by drawing p value plots. DESIGN The systematic review and meta-analysis using adapted Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach and p value plots approach. DATA SOURCES PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched from inception to 19 July 2021. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES Time series, case cross-over and cohort studies that evaluated the associations between BC/EC on cardiovascular or respiratory morbidity or mortality were included. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Two reviewers independently selected studies, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Outcomes were analysed via a random effects model and reported as relative risk (RR) with 95% CI. The certainty of evidences was assessed by adapted GRADE. The reliabilities of meta-analyses were analysed by p value plots. RESULTS Seventy studies met our inclusion criteria. (1) Short-term exposure to BC/EC was associated with 1.6% (95% CI 0.4% to 2.8%) increase in cardiovascular diseases per 1 µg/m3 in the elderly; (2) Long-term exposure to BC/EC was associated with 6.8% (95% CI 0.4% to 13.5%) increase in cardiovascular diseases and (3) The p value plot indicated that the association between BC/EC and respiratory diseases was consistent with randomness. CONCLUSIONS Both short-term and long-term exposures to BC/EC were related with cardiovascular diseases. However, the impact of BC/EC on respiratory diseases did not present consistent evidence and further investigations are required. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42020186244.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuping Song
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yue Hu
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yan Ma
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Liangzhen Jiang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xinyi Wang
- Second Clinical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Anchen Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Junxian Zhao
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yunxu Liu
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Yafei Liu
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Jing Tang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xiayang Li
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yong Guo
- Department of Civil Affairs in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Province People's Government, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Shigong Wang
- College of Atmospheric Sciences, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Miller AG, Ebelt S, Levy K. Combined Sewer Overflows and Gastrointestinal Illness in Atlanta, 2002-2013: Evaluating the Impact of Infrastructure Improvements. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:57009. [PMID: 35580035 PMCID: PMC9113542 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) discharge untreated sewage into surface and recreational water, often following heavy precipitation. Given projected increases in frequency and intensity of precipitation due to climate change, it is important to understand the health impacts of CSOs and mediating effects of sewerage systems. OBJECTIVES In this study we estimate associations of CSO events and emergency department (ED) visits for gastrointestinal (GI) illness among City of Atlanta, Georgia, residents and explore how these associations vary with sewerage improvements. METHODS We estimate associations using Poisson generalized linear models, controlling for time trends. We categorized CSOs by overflow volume and assessed effects of CSO events prior to ED visits with 1-, 2- and 3-wk lags. Similarly, we evaluated effects of weekly cumulative precipitation greater than the 90th percentile at the same lags. We also evaluated effect modification by ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA)-level poverty and infrastructure improvement period using interaction terms. RESULTS Occurrence of a large volume CSO in the previous week was associated with a 9% increase in daily ED visits for GI illness. We identified significant interaction by ZCTA-level poverty, with stronger CSO-GI illness associations in low than high poverty areas. Among areas with low poverty, we observed associations at 1-wk and longer lags, following both large and lower volume CSO events. We did not observe significant interaction by infrastructure improvement period for CSO- nor precipitation-GI illness associations; however, the number of CSO events decreased from 2.31 per week before improvements to 0.49 after improvements. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that CSOs contribute to acute GI illness burden in Atlanta and that the magnitude of this risk may be higher among populations living in areas of low poverty. We did not find a protective effect of sewerage system improvements. Nonetheless, observed reductions in CSO frequency may lower the absolute burden of GI illness attributable to these events. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10399.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa G. Miller
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Stefanie Ebelt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Karen Levy
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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20
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De La Cruz N, Hines JH, Shaw C, Appiah D. Geographic Disparity in Asthma Hospitalizations: The Role of Race/Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, and Other Factors. Cureus 2021; 13:e20015. [PMID: 34873552 PMCID: PMC8631481 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.20015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the United States, asthma is the most common chronic disease in children, and is associated with low sociodemographic, economic, and environmental factors. Objective To investigate geographic disparities in asthma hospitalizations and the roles that race/ethnicity, health insurance, and other environmental factors played on these disparities in Lubbock County, Texas. Methods Data were obtained from the Texas Inpatient Public Use Data File for the years 1999-2018. International classification of disease codes were used to identify primary diagnoses of asthma among all severe inpatient admissions. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Of the 248,768 patients admitted for severe conditions, 4,224 had a primary diagnosis of asthma. In multivariable-adjusted models, the odds of asthma hospitalizations varied across geographic regions of Lubbock with the Northeast having the highest age-adjusted prevalence (7.17 per 1,000) and ORs for asthma hospitalizations (OR: 1.25, CI: 1.12-1.40). Data suggested that non-Hispanic Blacks using federal insurance in the Northeast region had the highest odds for asthma hospitalizations (OR: 4.88, CI: 3.06-7.79; p-interaction = 0.001). Across all regions, a 1 μg/m3 increase in particulate matter 2.5 was associated with a 27% higher likelihood of asthma hospitalization (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.23-1.31). Conclusion In this study, geographic disparities in asthma hospitalizations were observed within Lubbock County and were significantly influenced by a disparate distribution of socioeconomic factors related to health insurance and race/ethnicity. The potential contributory role of particulate matter needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah De La Cruz
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sam Houston State University, Conroe, USA
| | - Jonathon H Hines
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sam Houston State University, Conroe, USA
| | - Chip Shaw
- Public Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, USA
| | - Duke Appiah
- Public Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, USA
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21
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Cook Q, Argenio K, Lovinsky-Desir S. The impact of environmental injustice and social determinants of health on the role of air pollution in asthma and allergic disease in the United States. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2021; 148:1089-1101.e5. [PMID: 34743831 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is clear evidence that exposure to environmental air pollution is associated with immune dysregulation, asthma, and other allergic diseases. However, the burden of air pollution exposure is not equally distributed across the United States. Many social and environmental factors place communities of color and people who are in poverty at increased risk of exposure to pollution and morbidity from asthma and allergies. Here, we review the evidence that supports the relationship between air pollution and asthma, while considering the social determinants of health that contribute to disparities in exposures and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quindelyn Cook
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass
| | - Kira Argenio
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY.
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22
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Olsson D, Forsberg B, Bråbäck L, Geels C, Brandt J, Christensen JH, Frohn LM, Oudin A. Early childhood exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with increased risk of paediatric asthma: An administrative cohort study from Stockholm, Sweden. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 155:106667. [PMID: 34077855 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Asthma is a complex, heterogeneous disease and one of the most common chronic diseases among children. Exposure to ambient air pollution in early life and childhood may influence asthma aetiology, but it is uncertain which specific components of air pollution and exposure windows are of importance. The role of socio-economic status (SES) is also unclear. The aims of the present study are, therefore, to investigate how various exposure windows of different pollutants affect risk-induced asthma in early life and to explore the possible effect SES has on that relationship. METHODS The study population was constructed using register data on all singleton births in the greater Stockholm area between 2006 and 2013. Exposure to ambient black carbon (BC), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), primary organic carbon (pOC) secondary organic aerosols (SOA), secondary inorganic aerosols, and oxidative potential at the residential address was modelled as mean values for the entire pregnancy period, the first year of life and the first three years of life. Swedish national registers were used to define the outcome: asthma diagnosis assessed at hospital during the first six years of life. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were modelled with Cox proportional hazards model with age as the underlying time-scale, adjusting for relevant potential confounding variables. RESULTS An increased risk for developing childhood asthma was observed in association with exposure to PM2.5, pOC and SOA during the first three years of life. With an interquartile range increase in exposure, the HRs were 1.06 (95% CI: 1.01-1.10), 1.05 (95% CI: 1.02-1.09) and 1.02 (95% CI: 1.00-1.04), for PM2.5, pOC and SOA, respectively, in the fully adjusted models. Exposure during foetal life or the first year of life was not associated with asthma risk, and the other pollutants were not statistically significantly associated with increased risk. Furthermore, the increase in risk associated with PM2.5 and the components BC, pOC and SOA were stronger in areas with lower SES. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that exposure to air pollution during the first three years of life may increase the risk for asthma in early childhood. The findings further imply a possible increased vulnerability to air pollution-attributed asthma among low SES children.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Olsson
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Bertil Forsberg
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Lennart Bråbäck
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Camilla Geels
- Department of Environmental Science - Atmospheric Modelling, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Brandt
- Department of Environmental Science - Atmospheric Modelling, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Jesper H Christensen
- Department of Environmental Science - Atmospheric Modelling, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Lise M Frohn
- Department of Environmental Science - Atmospheric Modelling, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Anna Oudin
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Sweden.
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23
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Society to cell: How child poverty gets “Under the Skin” to influence child development and lifelong health. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2021.100983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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24
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Short-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution and emergency department visits for kidney diseases in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Environ Epidemiol 2021; 5:e164. [PMID: 34414347 PMCID: PMC8367053 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxicological evidence has shown that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) may affect distant organs, including kidneys, over the short term. However, epidemiological evidence is limited. OBJECTIVES We investigated associations between short-term exposure to PM2.5, major PM2.5 components [elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), sulfate, and nitrate], and gaseous co-pollutants (O3, CO, SO2, NO2, and NOx) and emergency department (ED) visits for kidney diseases during 2002-2008 in Atlanta, Georgia. METHODS Log-linear time-series models were fitted to estimate the acute effects of air pollution, with single-day and unconstrained distributed lags, on rates of ED visits for kidney diseases [all renal diseases and acute renal failure (ARF)], controlling for meteorology (maximum air and dew-point temperatures) and time (season, day of week, holidays, and long-term time trend). RESULTS For all renal diseases, we observed positive associations for most air pollutants, particularly 8-day cumulative exposure to OC [rate ratio (RR) = 1.018, (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.003, 1.034)] and EC [1.016 (1.000, 1.031)] per interquartile range increase exposure. For ARF, we observed positive associations particularly for 8-day exposure to OC [1.034 (1.005, 1.064)], EC [1.032 (1.002, 1.063)], nitrate [1.032 (0.996, 1.069)], and PM2.5 [1.026 (0.997, 1.057)] per interquartile range increase exposure. We also observed positive associations for most criteria gases. The RR estimates were generally higher for ARF than all renal diseases. CONCLUSIONS We observed positive associations between short-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution and kidney disease outcomes. This study adds to the growing epidemiological evidence that fine particles may impact distant organs (e.g., kidneys) over the short term.
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25
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The Impact of an Urban Scrapyard Fire on Respiratory-Related Pediatric Emergency Department Visits. J Occup Environ Med 2021; 62:764-770. [PMID: 32890216 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000001972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In Philadelphia, a scrapyard fire generated PM2.5 concentrations >1000 μg/m. We assessed whether this was associated with pediatric emergency department visits for respiratory diagnoses. DESIGN/METHODS Retrospective observational study using electronic health record data from a local, academic pediatric hospital. RESULTS Compared to the two-week period before the fire, patients living directly north of the fire (downwind) had a significant difference in all asthma diagnoses (OR = 3.02, P = 0.03); asthma and upper respiratory infection (OR = 17.3, P = 0.01); overall admissions (OR = 3.04, P = 01); asthma admissions (OR = 4.45, P = .01); and asthma and upper respiratory infection admissions (OR = 15.0, P = 0.01). We did not observe any significant differences among visits or admissions from patients residing in other adjacent zip codes. CONCLUSION A localized, transient increase in PM2.5 was associated with increased pediatric emergency department visits for asthma among patients living downwind of the fire.
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26
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Lucas JA, Marino M, Fankhauser K, Bazemore A, Giebultowicz S, Cowburn S, Kaufmann J, Ezekiel-Herrera D, Heintzman J. Role of social deprivation on asthma care quality among a cohort of children in US community health centres. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e045131. [PMID: 34162640 PMCID: PMC8230996 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Social deprivation is associated with worse asthma outcomes. The Social Deprivation Index is a composite measure of social determinants of health used to identify neighbourhood-level disadvantage in healthcare. Our objective was to determine if higher neighbourhood-level social deprivation is associated with documented asthma care quality measures among children treated at community health centres (CHCs). METHODS SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, OUTCOME MEASURES We used data from CHCs in 15 states in the Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center Network (ADVANCE). The sample included 34 266 children with asthma from 2008 to 2017, aged 3-17 living in neighbourhoods with differing levels of social deprivation measured using quartiles of the Social Deprivation Index score. We conducted logistic regression to examine the odds of problem list documentation of asthma and asthma severity, and negative binomial regression for rates of albuterol, inhaled steroid and oral steroid prescription adjusted for patient-level covariates. RESULTS Children from the most deprived neighbourhoods had increased rates of albuterol (rate ratio (RR)=1.22, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.32) compared with those in the least deprived neighbourhoods, while the point estimate for inhaled steroids was higher, but fell just short of significance at the alpha=0.05 level (RR=1.16, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.34). We did not observe community-level differences in problem list documentation of asthma or asthma severity. CONCLUSIONS Higher neighbourhood-level social deprivation was associated with more albuterol and inhaled steroid prescriptions among children with asthma, while problem list documentation of asthma and asthma severity varied little across neighbourhoods with differing deprivation scores. While the homogeneity of the CHC safety net setting studied may mitigate variation in diagnosis and documentation of asthma, enhanced clinician awareness of differences in community risk could help target paediatric patients at risk of lower quality asthma care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Lucas
- Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Miguel Marino
- Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Katie Fankhauser
- Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jorge Kaufmann
- Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | | | - John Heintzman
- Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- OCHIN, Portland, Oregon, USA
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27
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Lee DW, Han CW, Hong YC, Oh JM, Bae HJ, Kim S, Lim YH. Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter and incident asthma among elderly adults. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 272:129619. [PMID: 33465612 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Although an association of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with asthma incidence has been assumed, there is insufficient evidence regarding the effect of long-term exposure to PM2.5 on incident asthma among elderly adults. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate an association between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and incident asthma among elderly adults in South Korea. METHODS Adults ≥65 years of age (n = 1,220,645) who did not visit hospitals for asthma during a washout period (between 2008 and 2010) were followed up until 2016 using data from the National Health Insurance System in South Korea. Incident asthma was defined as the number of patients with a primary diagnostic code of asthma who visited hospitals more than twice. We linked the health data with district-level PM2.5 concentrations and estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident asthma after adjusting for potential confounders in time-varying Cox proportional hazard models. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Over 5,942,256 person-years, 54,522 patients developed asthma, with an incidence of 9.2 cases/1000 person-years. A 10 μg/m3 increase in the 36-month mean PM2.5 concentration was significantly associated with a 9% increase in incident asthma (HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.14). This association was found to be robust for different definitions of incident asthma and washout periods. CONCLUSION Long-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with the incidence of asthma in elderly adults. This finding provides evidence of an association between PM2.5 and adult-onset asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Wook Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Woo Han
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Chul Hong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Environmental Health Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Min Oh
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Joo Bae
- Korea Environment Institute, Sejong, Republic of Korea
| | - Soontae Kim
- Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Youn-Hee Lim
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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28
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Madaniyazi L, Xerxes S. Outdoor air pollution and the onset and exacerbation of asthma. Chronic Dis Transl Med 2021; 7:100-106. [PMID: 34136769 PMCID: PMC8180519 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdtm.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to outdoor air pollution has been consistently associated with asthma. In this study, we reviewed the epidemiological studies published within the last 5 years on the association between outdoor air pollution and exacerbation and onset of asthma. A large number of studies have been published within the last 5 years. Short-term exposure to outdoor air pollution is associated with exacerbation of pre-existing asthma, manifested as worsening of symptoms and increasing of asthma-related emergency room visits and hospital admissions. Furthermore, increasing evidence suggests that long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution can result in onset of asthma. Children are more susceptible to outdoor air pollution. Future studies should be conducted to explore the mechanisms underlying the association between air pollutants and onset of asthma, including gene involvement. In addition, disentangling the effect of a mixture of air pollutants and identifying the key components of air pollution will complete the existing evidence. More importantly, a better understanding is required on the future impact of air pollution on asthma under a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Madaniyazi
- Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.,School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Seposo Xerxes
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
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29
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O'Sullivan BP, James L, Majure JM, Bickel S, Phan LT, Serrano Gonzalez M, Staples H, Tam-Williams J, Lang J, Snowden J. Obesity-related asthma in children: A role for vitamin D. Pediatr Pulmonol 2021; 56:354-361. [PMID: 32930511 PMCID: PMC8341445 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.25053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Excess adipose tissue predisposes to an enhanced inflammatory state and can contribute to the pathogenesis and severity of asthma. Vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties and low-serum levels are seen in children with asthma and in children with obesity. Here we review the intersection of asthma, obesity, and hypovitaminosis D in children. Supplementation with vitamin D has been proposed as a simple, safe, and inexpensive adjunctive therapy in a number of disease states. However, little research has examined the pharmacokinetics of vitamin D and its therapeutic potential in children who suffer from obesity-related asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian P O'Sullivan
- Department of Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Laura James
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Joseph M Majure
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, USA
| | - Scott Bickel
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Ly-Thao Phan
- Department of Pediatrics, Nemours Children's Health System, Wilmington, Delaware, USA
| | - Monica Serrano Gonzalez
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Heather Staples
- Department of Pediatrics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Jade Tam-Williams
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas School of Medicine and Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Jason Lang
- Duke Clinical Research Institute and Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jessica Snowden
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
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30
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Pagliaccio D, Herbstman JB, Perera F, Tang D, Goldsmith J, Peterson BS, Rauh V, Margolis AE. Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons modifies the effects of early life stress on attention and Thought Problems in late childhood. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 61:1253-1265. [PMID: 31907931 PMCID: PMC7338249 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Risk for childhood psychopathology is complex and multifactorial, implicating direct and interacting effects of familial and environmental factors. The role of environmental neurotoxicants in psychiatric risk is of growing concern, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), common in air pollution. Prenatal PAH exposure is linked to adverse physical, behavioral, and cognitive outcomes as well as increasing psychiatric risk. It is unclear whether environmental exposures, like PAH, magnify the effects of exposure to early life stress (ELS), a critical risk factor for psychopathology. The current work aimed to test potential interactions between prenatal PAH exposure and psychosocial/socioeconomic stress on psychiatric symptoms in school-age children. METHODS Data were from the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health Mothers and Newborns longitudinal birth cohort study. Prenatal PAH exposure was ascertained though air monitoring during pregnancy and maternal PAH-DNA adducts at delivery. Mothers reported on ELS (child age 5) and on child psychiatric symptoms across childhood (child age 5, 7, 9, and 11) using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). RESULTS Significant prenatal airborne PAH × ELS interactions (FDR-corrected) predicted CBCL Attention (β = 0.22, t(307) = 3.47, p < .001, pfdr = .003) and Thought Problems T-scores (β = 0.21, t(307) = 3.29, p = .001, pfdr = .004) at age 11 (n = 319). Relative to those with lower exposure, children with higher prenatal PAH exposure exhibited stronger positive associations between ELS and CBCL Attention and Thought Problem T-scores. This interaction was also significant examining convergent ADHD measures (Conners, DuPaul) and examining maternal PAH-DNA adducts (β = 0.29, t(261) = 2.48, p = .01; n = 273). A three-way interaction with assessment wave indicated that the PAH × ELS interaction on Attention Problems was stronger later in development (β = 0.03, t(1,601) = 2.19, p = .03; n = 477). CONCLUSIONS Prenatal exposure to PAH, a common neurotoxicant in air pollution, may magnify or sustain the effects of early life psychosocial/socioeconomic stress on psychiatric outcomes later in child development. This work highlights the critical role of air pollution exposure on child mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pagliaccio
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA;,Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julie B. Herbstman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA;,Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, and Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Frederica Perera
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA;,Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, and Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Deliang Tang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA;,Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, and Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jeff Goldsmith
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bradley S. Peterson
- Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Virginia Rauh
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA;,Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, and Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amy E. Margolis
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA;,Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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31
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Baek J, Kash BA, Xu X, Benden M, Roberts J, Carrillo G. Pediatric asthma hospitalization: individual and environmental characteristics of high utilizers in South Texas. J Asthma 2020; 59:94-104. [PMID: 32962451 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2020.1827424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Few studies have examined factors affecting the high frequency of hospitalization for pediatric asthma. This study identifies individual and environmental characteristics of children with asthma from a low-income community with a high number of hospitalizations. METHODS The study population included 902 children admitted at least once to a children's hospital in South Texas because of asthma from 2010 to 2016. The population was divided into three groups by utilization frequency (high: ≥4 times, medium: 2-3 times, or low: 1 time). Individual-level factors at index admission and environmental factors were included for the analysis. Unadjusted and adjusted multivariate ordered logistic regression models were applied to identify significant characteristics of high hospital utilizers. RESULTS The high utilization group comprised 2.4% of total patients and accounted for substantial hospital resource utilization: 10.8% of all admissions and 13.5% of days stayed in the hospital. Patients in the high utilization group showed longer length of stay (LOS) and shorter time between admissions on average than the other two groups. The multivariate ordered logistic regression models revealed that age of 5-11 years (OR = 0.57, 95%CI = 0.35-0.93), longer LOS (2 days: OR = 1.80, 95%CI = 1.15-2.84; ≥3 days: OR = 3.38, 95%CI = 2.10-5.46), warm season at index admission (OR = 1.49, 95%CI = 1.01-2.20), and higher average ozone level in children's residential neighborhoods (OR = 1.78, 95%CI = 1.01-3.14) were significantly associated with a higher number of asthma hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest the importance of monitoring high hospital utilizers and establishing strategies for such patients based on their characteristics to reduce repeated hospitalizations and to increase optimal use of hospital resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juha Baek
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.,Center for Outcomes Research, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bita A Kash
- Center for Outcomes Research, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA.,Center for Health & Nature, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Xiaohui Xu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Mark Benden
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Jon Roberts
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Driscoll Children's Hospital, Corpus Christi, TX, USA
| | - Genny Carrillo
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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32
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Cao S, Wen D, Li S, Duan X, Zhang Y, Gong J, Guo Q, Xu X, Qin N, Meng X, Zhang JJ. Changes in children's asthma prevalence over two decades in Lanzhou: effects of socioeconomic, parental and household factors. J Thorac Dis 2020; 12:6365-6378. [PMID: 33209475 PMCID: PMC7656413 DOI: 10.21037/jtd-19-crh-aq-008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Background The prevalence of childhood asthma may have changed with rapid economic development. This study aims to ascertain potential changes in asthma prevalence in relation to changes in socioeconomic, parental and household factors, based on a comparison between two periods spanning over 20 years in Lanzhou, a large northwestern city of China. Methods Cross-sectional studies using the same protocols were performed in Lanzhou, China in 1994–1995 (Period I) and in 2017 (Period II). Children of 6–12 years old from elementary schools were selected by a multistage sampling method. Information on the presence of asthma and asthma-related symptoms of children, socioeconomic status, feeding methods, parental illness and behavior patterns, as well as household characteristics, were collected through a questionnaire survey. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios of asthma prevalence with regard to socioeconomic, parental and household factors, respectively. Results Significant prevalence reductions were observed for paternal smoking, household coal use, and parental asthma, while the prevalence increased significantly for children sleeping in their own rooms or own beds, ventilation use during cooking, and parental occupation and education level after 22 years. In children, the prevalence of ever-diagnosed asthma decreased from 3.2% in period I to 1.5% in Period II (P<0.001); the prevalence of wheeze also decreased from 15.4% to 9.3% (P<0.001). Passive smoking (OR =1.531, 95% CI: 1.032–2.270) and poor household ventilation (OR =1.709, 95% CI: 1.208–2.416) were significantly associated with an increased prevalence of wheeze in Period I, whereas household mold (OR =2.112, 95% CI: 1.203–3.811) was significantly associated with prevalence of wheeze. Parental asthma history was associated with increased prevalence of asthma and asthma-related symptoms. Breastfeeding was significantly associated with reduced risk of asthma in period II children. Conclusions The prevalence of asthma and that of asthma-related symptoms were lower in 2017 than in 1994–1995 in school children living in Lanzhou. In 2017 with increased urbanization and industrialization, breastfeeding became a significant protective factor and household mold was a significant risk factor for asthma diagnosis and asthma-related symptoms. Promoting breastfeeding and household mold control is recommended to reduce the risk of childhood asthma in contemporary Lanzhou.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzhen Cao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Dongsen Wen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Sai Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Duan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Yaqun Zhang
- Gansu Provincial Design and Research Institute of Environmental Science, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jicheng Gong
- Beijing Innovation Center for Engineering Science and Advanced Technology, State Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, And Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Guo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyu Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Qin
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Meng
- Beijing Innovation Center for Engineering Science and Advanced Technology, State Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, And Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Junfeng Jim Zhang
- Beijing Innovation Center for Engineering Science and Advanced Technology, State Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, And Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Nicholas School of the Environment and Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, USA.,Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China.,Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Boscarino JJ, Figley CR, Adams RE, Urosevich TG, Kirchner HL, Boscarino JA. Mental health status in veterans residing in rural versus non-rural areas: results from the veterans' health study. Mil Med Res 2020; 7:44. [PMID: 32951600 PMCID: PMC7504679 DOI: 10.1186/s40779-020-00272-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of Veterans Affair (VA) hospitals are in urban areas. We examined whether veterans residing in rural areas have lower mental health service use and poorer mental health status. METHODS Veterans with at least 1 warzone deployment in central and northeastern Pennsylvania were randomly selected for an interview. Mental health status, including PTSD, major depression, alcohol abuse and mental health global severity, were assessed using structured interviews. Psychiatric service use was based on self-reported utilization in the past 12 months. Results were compared between veterans residing in rural and non-rural areas. Data were also analyzed using multivariate logistic regression to minimize the influence by confounding factors. RESULTS A total of 1730 subjects (55% of the eligible veterans) responded to the survey and 1692 of them had complete geocode information. Those that did not have this information (n = 38), were excluded from some analyses. Veterans residing in rural areas were older, more often of the white race, married, and experienced fewer stressful events. In comparison to those residing in non-rural areas, veterans residing in rural areas had lower global mental health severity scores; they also had fewer mental health visits. In multivariate logistic regression, rural residence was associated with lower service use, but not with PTSD, major depression, alcohol abuse, and global mental health severity score after adjusting confounding factors (e.g., age, gender, marital status and education). CONCLUSIONS Rural residence is associated with lower mental health service use, but not with poor mental health in veterans with former warzone deployment, suggesting rural residence is possibly protective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Boscarino
- Clinical Psychology Department, William James College, Newton, MA, 02459, USA
| | - Charles R Figley
- School of Social Work, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Richard E Adams
- Department of Sociology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | | | - H Lester Kirchner
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Geisinger Clinic, 100 N. Academy Avenue, 44-00, Danville, PA, 17822, USA
| | - Joseph A Boscarino
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Geisinger Clinic, 100 N. Academy Avenue, 44-00, Danville, PA, 17822, USA.
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Buka I, Brennan L, Tarrabain J, Aghazadeh S, Brune Drisse MN. Need for global core competencies in Child Health and the Environment: a Canadian perspective. J Epidemiol Community Health 2020; 74:1056-1059. [PMID: 32892157 DOI: 10.1136/jech-2019-213148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Children are the planet's most valuable resource. Mortality rates and longevity in children are improving; however, morbidity related to early-life exposures is increasing and with it health spending. A focus on identifying and addressing environmental components related to not only chronic childhood illnesses but also major adult mortalities would help contain current healthcare budgets. Child Health and the Environment (CHE) is an emerging discipline dedicated to managing early-life exposures (prenatal and childhood) on health outcomes throughout life. In Canada, as well as around the world, recognition of this area is growing, but progress has been slow and training of physicians is lacking. The WHO works closely with the Children's Environmental Health Clinic in Canada as well as collaborating centres around the world to build awareness of environmental health issues and promote improved care of children. Core competencies in CHE for physicians would provide an important step forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Buka
- Pediatrics, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Lesley Brennan
- Pediatrics, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Edmonton, Canada .,Children's Environmental Health Clinic, Misericordia Community Hospital, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Jamal Tarrabain
- Children's Environmental Health Clinic, Misericordia Community Hospital, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Sadra Aghazadeh
- Children's Environmental Health Clinic, Misericordia Community Hospital, Edmonton, Canada
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Holst GJ, Pedersen CB, Thygesen M, Brandt J, Geels C, Bønløkke JH, Sigsgaard T. Air pollution and family related determinants of asthma onset and persistent wheezing in children: nationwide case-control study. BMJ 2020; 370:m2791. [PMID: 32816747 PMCID: PMC7437497 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m2791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify risk factors (air pollution and family related) for the onset of asthma and persistent wheezing in children. DESIGN Nationwide case-control study. SETTING Denmark. PARTICIPANTS All Danish children born from 1997 to 2014 and followed for asthma onset and persistent wheezing from age 1 year to 15 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Onset of asthma and persistent wheezing. RESULTS A higher incidence of asthma was found in children of parents with asthma (adjusted hazard ratio 2.29 (95% confidence interval 2.22 to 2.35) and mothers who smoked during pregnancy (1.20, 1.18 to 1.22), whereas a lower incidence was found in children of parents with high educational attainment (0.72, 0.69 to 0.75) and high incomes (0.85, 0.81 to 0.89). Exposure to particulate matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5) and ≤10 µm (PM10) and nitrate was associated with an increased risk of asthma and persistent wheezing, with hazard ratios per 5 µg/m3 increase in pollutant concentrations 1.05 (1.03 to 1.07) for PM2.5, 1.04 (1.02 to 1.06) for PM10, and 1.04 (1.03 to 1.04) for nitrogen dioxide. Only the positive association of PM2.5 with asthma and persistent wheezing remained robust across the different models and in sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that children exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 are more likely to develop asthma and persistent wheezing than children who are not exposed. Other risk factors associated with these outcomes were parental asthma, parental education, and maternal smoking during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gitte J Holst
- Department of Public Health, Section of Environment, Occupation and Health, Aarhus University, Bartholin Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Carsten B Pedersen
- National Centre for Register-Based Research, School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Malene Thygesen
- National Centre for Register-Based Research, School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Brandt
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Camilla Geels
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jakob H Bønløkke
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Torben Sigsgaard
- Department of Public Health, Section of Environment, Occupation and Health, Aarhus University, Bartholin Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Ha S, Nobles C, Kanner J, Sherman S, Cho SH, Perkins N, Williams A, Grobman W, Biggio J, Subramaniam A, Ouidir M, Chen Z, Mendola P. Air Pollution Exposure Monitoring among Pregnant Women with and without Asthma. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17134888. [PMID: 32645870 PMCID: PMC7369909 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17134888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: We monitored exposure to fine particulates (PM2.5), ozone, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ambient temperature for pregnant women with and without asthma. Methods: Women (n = 40) from the Breathe—Well-Being, Environment, Lifestyle, and Lung Function Study (2015–2018) were enrolled during pregnancy and monitored for 2–4 days. Daily pollutants were measured using personal air monitors, indoor air monitors, and nearest Environmental Protection Agency’s stationary monitors based on GPS tracking and home address. Results: Personal-monitor measurements of PM2.5, ozone, and NO2 did not vary by asthma status but exposure profiles significantly differed by assessment methods. EPA stationary monitor-based methods appeared to underestimate PM2.5 and temperature exposure and overestimate ozone and NO2 exposure. Higher indoor-monitored PM2.5 exposures were associated with smoking and the use of gas appliances. The proportion of waking-time during which personal monitors were worn was ~56%. Lower compliance was associated with exercise, smoking, being around a smoker, and the use of a prescription drug. Conclusions: Exposure did not vary by asthma status but was influenced by daily activities and assessment methods. Personal monitors may better capture exposures but non-compliance merits attention. Meanwhile, larger monitoring studies are warranted to further understand exposure profiles and the health effects of air pollution during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandie Ha
- Department of Public Health, Health Sciences Research Institute, College of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts, University of California, Merced, CA 95343, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-209-228-3615
| | - Carrie Nobles
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (C.N.); (J.K.); (N.P.); (M.O.); (Z.C.); (P.M.)
| | - Jenna Kanner
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (C.N.); (J.K.); (N.P.); (M.O.); (Z.C.); (P.M.)
| | | | - Seung-Hyun Cho
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA;
| | - Neil Perkins
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (C.N.); (J.K.); (N.P.); (M.O.); (Z.C.); (P.M.)
| | - Andrew Williams
- School of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA;
| | - William Grobman
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA;
| | | | - Akila Subramaniam
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA;
| | - Marion Ouidir
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (C.N.); (J.K.); (N.P.); (M.O.); (Z.C.); (P.M.)
| | - Zhen Chen
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (C.N.); (J.K.); (N.P.); (M.O.); (Z.C.); (P.M.)
| | - Pauline Mendola
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (C.N.); (J.K.); (N.P.); (M.O.); (Z.C.); (P.M.)
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Effect of Ambient Air Pollution on Hospital Readmissions among the Pediatric Asthma Patient Population in South Texas: A Case-Crossover Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17134846. [PMID: 32640508 PMCID: PMC7370127 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17134846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have evaluated the association between ambient air pollution and hospital readmissions among children with asthma, especially in low-income communities. This study examined the short-term effects of ambient air pollutants on hospital readmissions for pediatric asthma in South Texas. A time-stratified case-crossover study was conducted using the hospitalization data from a children’s hospital and the air pollution data, including particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and ozone concentrations, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 2010 and 2014. A conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between ambient air pollution and hospital readmissions, controlling for outdoor temperature. We identified 111 pediatric asthma patients readmitted to the hospital between 2010 and 2014. The single-pollutant models showed that PM2.5 concentration had a significant positive effect on risk for hospital readmissions (OR = 1.082, 95% CI = 1.008–1.162, p = 0.030). In the two-pollutant models, the increased risk of pediatric readmissions for asthma was significantly associated with both elevated ozone (OR = 1.023, 95% CI = 1.001–1.045, p = 0.042) and PM2.5 concentrations (OR = 1.080, 95% CI = 1.005–1.161, p = 0.036). The effects of ambient air pollutants on hospital readmissions varied by age and season. Our findings suggest that short-term (4 days) exposure to air pollutants might increase the risk of preventable hospital readmissions for pediatric asthma patients.
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Pierangeli I, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Cirach M, Rojas-Rueda D. Health equity and burden of childhood asthma - related to air pollution in Barcelona. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 186:109067. [PMID: 32037015 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.109067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Air pollution is one of the major health risk factors in urban populations. Air pollution has been associated with asthma in children. Air pollution has also been suggested to be distributed unequally within the cities, something that can lead to urban health inequalities. AIM We aimed to estimate the number of childhood asthma cases attributable to three main air pollutants; Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Particulate Matter (PM 2.5), and Black Carbon (BC) in the city of Barcelona, Spain. We also aimed to describe the distribution of those impacts depending on the social deprivation index in Barcelona. METHODS We estimated the number of childhood asthma cases in Barcelona by applying a quantitative Health Impact Assessment (HIA) approach. Air pollution (NO2, PM2.5, and BC) exposure assessment was estimated using a land-use regression model. Two scenarios were assessed and compared the current levels of air pollution with 1) achieving the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline on exposure levels for NO2 and PM2.5 (scenario 1); and 2) achieving the minimum reported levels in a previously published meta-analysis (scenario 2), from where we also obtained the exposure-response functions. The relative risk and population attributable fraction (PAF) for each scenario and pollutant were estimated. Using the asthma incidence rate in Spain the expected number of asthma cases in Barcelona attributable to NO2, PM2.5, and BC for each scenario was estimated. RESULTS The annual average levels of NO2, PM2.5, and BC at census levels were 56 μg/m3, 17.11 μg/m3, and 2.88 μg/m3, respectively. The number of asthma cases attributable to NO2 and PM2.5 (percentage of total cases) estimated in scenario 1 was 454 (18%) and 478 (19%) respectively. For scenario 2, the estimated number of cases attributable to NO2, PM2.5, and BC were 1230 (48%), 992 (39%) and 789 (31%) respectively. Although NO2 and BC showed differences between asthma cases and areas with different deprivation index, only BC differences were statistically significant between less and more deprived areas. CONCLUSIONS This study estimated that up to 1230 (48%) of asthma cases in Barcelona could be attributable to air pollution each year. This study also found that in Barcelona, less socially deprived groups could be more affected by asthma-related to air pollution than those more socially deprived.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Pierangeli
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - M J Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands; Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - M Cirach
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands; Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - D Rojas-Rueda
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands; Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
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Tapia V, Steenland K, Sarnat SE, Vu B, Liu Y, Sánchez-Ccoyllo O, Vasquez V, Gonzales GF. Time-series analysis of ambient PM 2.5 and cardiorespiratory emergency room visits in Lima, Peru during 2010-2016. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2020; 30:680-688. [PMID: 31745179 PMCID: PMC7234897 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-019-0189-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There have been no time-series studies of air pollution in Peru. Here we evaluate the effect of ambient PM2.5 on emergency room (ER) visits in Lima. METHODS We estimated daily PM2.5 levels at a 1 km2 resolution during 2010-2016 using ground measurements, satellite data, and chemical transport model simulations. Population-weighted average daily PM2.5 levels were calculated for each district in Lima (n = 40), and assigned to patients based on residence. ER visits for respiratory and circulatory diseases were gathered from nine large public hospitals. Poisson regression was used to estimate the rate ratio for daily ER visits with change in daily PM2.5, controlling for meteorology, time trends, and district. RESULTS For each interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5, respiratory disease ER visits increased 4% (95% CI: 0-5%), stroke visits 10% (3-18%), and ischemic heart disease visits (adults, 18-64 years) 11% (-1, 24%). Districts with higher poverty showed significantly stronger associations of PM2.5 and respiratory disease ER visits than districts with lower poverty. Effects were diminished 24-42% using Lima-wide instead of district-specific PM2.5 levels. CONCLUSIONS Short-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 is associated with increases in ER visits in Lima for respiratory diseases and stroke, and among middle-aged adults, ischemic heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Tapia
- Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, and Laboratory of Investigation and Development, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - K Steenland
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory U., Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - S E Sarnat
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory U., Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - B Vu
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory U., Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Y Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory U., Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - O Sánchez-Ccoyllo
- Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, and Laboratory of Investigation and Development, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Professional Career of Environmental Engineering, Universidad Nacional Tecnológica de Lima Sur (UNTELS), Lima, Peru
| | - V Vasquez
- Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, and Laboratory of Investigation and Development, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - G F Gonzales
- Faculty of Sciences and Philosophy, and Laboratory of Investigation and Development, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
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Molina AL, Molina Y, Walley SC, Wu CL, Zhu A, Oates GR. Residential instability, neighborhood deprivation, and pediatric asthma outcomes. Pediatr Pulmonol 2020; 55:1340-1348. [PMID: 32275809 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.24771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Limited work has directly compared the role of different neighborhood factors or examined their interactive effects on pediatric asthma outcomes. Our objective was to quantify the main and interactive effects of neighborhood deprivation and residential instability (RI) on pediatric asthma outcomes. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients with a primary diagnosis of asthma hospitalized at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Residential addresses at the index hospitalization were linked to the state area deprivation index (ADI). RI was coded as the number of residences in the past 4 years. Logistic and ordinal regression and Cox regression survival analyses were used to estimate the effect on the primary outcomes of chronic asthma severity (intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, severe persistent/other) as defined by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, severe hospitalization (requiring continuous albuterol or intensive care unit care), and time to emergency department (ED) readmission and rehospitalization within 365 days of the index visit, respectively. RESULTS In the sample (N = 664), 21% had severe persistent/other asthma, 22% had severe hospitalization, 37% were readmitted to the ED, and 19% were rehospitalized. Increasing RI was independently associated with more severe chronic asthma (odds ratio = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05, 1.32, P = .004), greater risk of 365-day ED readmission (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.15, P < .0001), and greater risk of 365-day rehospitalization (HR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.14, P = .002). There were no significant associations between ADI and these outcomes. Further, we did not find significant evidence of interactive effects. CONCLUSIONS RI appears to be modestly associated with pediatric asthma outcomes, independent of current neighborhood deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adolfo L Molina
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Yamilé Molina
- School of Public Health, Division of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Susan C Walley
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Chang L Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Aowen Zhu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.,Department of Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Gabriela R Oates
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
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Munoz-Pizza DM, Villada-Canela M, Reyna MA, Texcalac-Sangrador JL, Osornio-Vargas ÁR. Air pollution and children’s respiratory health: a scoping review of socioeconomic status as an effect modifier. Int J Public Health 2020; 65:649-660. [DOI: 10.1007/s00038-020-01378-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Gubb S, Holmes J, Smith G, Geen J, Williams J, Donovan K, Phillips AO. Acute Kidney Injury in Children Based on Electronic Alerts. J Pediatr 2020; 220:14-20.e4. [PMID: 31955879 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To define the incidence and outcome of acute kidney injury (AKI) in pediatrics using data collected from a national electronic alert system. STUDY DESIGN A prospective national cohort study was undertaken to collect data on all cases of pediatric AKI, excluding neonates, identified by an e-alert, from April 2015 to March 2019. RESULTS There were 2472 alerts in a total of 1719 patients, giving an incidence of 77.3 per 100 000 person-years. Of the patients, 84.2% of all AKI were stage 1 and 58.3% occurred with a triggering creatinine within the reference range. The incidence of AKI was associated with measures of social deprivation. Thirty-day mortality was 1.7% but was significantly higher in hospital-acquired AKI (2.1%), compared with community-acquired AKI (0.8%, P < .001) and was associated with the severity of AKI at presentation. A significant proportion of patients had no repeat measure of creatinine (39.8%). This was higher in community-acquired AKI (69.7%) compared with hospital-acquired AKI (43.0%, P < .001), and higher in patients alerting with patients triggering with a creatinine within the reference range (48.4% vs 24.5%, P < .001). The majority of patients (84.7%) experienced only 1 AKI episode. Repeated episodes of AKI were associated with increased 30-mortaltiy (11.6% vs 4.6%, P < .001) and higher residual renal impairment (13.3% vs 5.4%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that the significance of the alert is missed in many cases reflecting that a large proportion of cases represent modest elevations in serum creatinine (SCr), triggered by a SCr level that may be interpreted as being normal despite a significant increase from the baseline for the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Gubb
- Institute of Nephrology, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Holmes
- Welsh Renal Clinical Network, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, Pontypridd, United Kingdom
| | - Graham Smith
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, University of Cardiff School of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - John Geen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Merthyr Tydfil, United Kingdom
| | - John Williams
- Institute of Nephrology, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Kieron Donovan
- Welsh Renal Clinical Network, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, Pontypridd, United Kingdom
| | - Aled O Phillips
- Institute of Nephrology, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
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Conrad L, Perzanowski MS. The Role of Environmental Controls in Managing Asthma in Lower-Income Urban Communities. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2020; 57:391-402. [PMID: 30903438 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-019-08727-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Children living in lower-income urban communities are at much greater risk of developing asthma, going to the emergency department for an asthma attack and being hospitalized for asthma than children living in upper- and middle-income communities. For many asthmatic children living in urban communities, especially those with greater morbidity, the allergic pathway is important in the etiology of the disease. The stages of developing allergic disease can be divided into the onset of allergic sensitization, development of allergic disease and subsequent exacerbations, and it is useful to consider the relevance of interventions at each of these stages. Indoor allergens and environmental exposures are a major contributor to allergic disease, particularly among lower socioeconomic status, urban, minority communities. These exposures include allergens, environmental tobacco smoke, combustion by-products, and mold, all of which can play an important role in asthma progression as well as morbidity. These exposures are often not found in isolation and thus these concomitant exposures need to be considered when conducting environmental interventions. There have been numerous studies looking at both primary and tertiary prevention strategies and the impact on allergic sensitization and asthma with varied results. While the outcomes of these studies have been mixed, what has emerged is the need for tertiary interventions to be targeted to the individual and to reduce all relevant exposures to which an asthmatic child is exposed and sensitized. In addition, effective intervention strategies must also consider other social determinants of asthma morbidity impacting low socioeconomic, urban communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Conrad
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew S Perzanowski
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, 11th floor, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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Bozigar M, Lawson A, Pearce J, King K, Svendsen E. A geographic identifier assignment algorithm with Bayesian variable selection to identify neighborhood factors associated with emergency department visit disparities for asthma. Int J Health Geogr 2020; 19:9. [PMID: 32188481 PMCID: PMC7081565 DOI: 10.1186/s12942-020-00203-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ecologic health studies often rely on outcomes from health service utilization data that are limited by relatively coarse spatial resolutions and missing geographic information, particularly neighborhood level identifiers. When fine-scale geographic data are missing, the ramifications and strategies for addressing them are not well researched or developed. This study illustrates a novel spatio-temporal framework that combines a geographic identifier assignment (i.e., geographic imputation) algorithm with predictive Bayesian variable selection to identify neighborhood factors associated with disparities in emergency department (ED) visits for asthma. METHODS ED visit records with missing fine-scale spatial identifiers (~ 20%) were geocoded using information from known, coarser, misaligned spatial units using an innovative geographic identifier assignment algorithm. We then employed systematic variable selection in a spatio-temporal Bayesian hierarchical model (BHM) predictive framework within the NIMBLE package in R. Our novel methodology is illustrated in an ecologic case study aimed at identifying neighborhood-level predictors of asthma ED visits in South Carolina, United States, from 1999 to 2015. The health outcome was annual ED visit counts in small areas (i.e., census tracts) with primary diagnoses of asthma (ICD9 codes 493.XX) among children ages 5 to 19 years. RESULTS We maintained 96% of ED visit records for this analysis. When the algorithm used areal proportions as probabilities for assignment, which addressed differential missingness of census tract identifiers in rural areas, variable selection consistently identified significant neighborhood-level predictors of asthma ED visit risk including pharmacy proximity, average household size, and carbon monoxide interactions. Contrasted with common solutions of removing geographically incomplete records or scaling up analyses, our methodology identified critical differences in parameters estimated, predictors selected, and inferences. We posit that the differences were attributable to improved data resolution, resulting in greater power and less bias. Importantly, without this methodology, we would have inaccurately identified predictors of risk for asthma ED visits, particularly in rural areas. CONCLUSIONS Our approach innovatively addressed several issues in ecologic health studies, including missing small-area geographic information, multiple correlated neighborhood covariates, and multiscale unmeasured confounding factors. Our methodology could be widely applied to other small-area studies, useful to a range of researchers throughout the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Bozigar
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Andrew Lawson
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - John Pearce
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Kathryn King
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,School-Based Health, Center for Telehealth, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Erik Svendsen
- Division of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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Bi J, Wildani A, Chang HH, Liu Y. Incorporating Low-Cost Sensor Measurements into High-Resolution PM 2.5 Modeling at a Large Spatial Scale. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:2152-2162. [PMID: 31927908 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b06046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost air quality sensors are promising supplements to regulatory monitors for PM2.5 exposure assessment. However, little has been done to incorporate the low-cost sensor measurements in large-scale PM2.5 exposure modeling. We conducted spatially varying calibration and developed a downweighting strategy to optimize the use of low-cost sensor data in PM2.5 estimation. In California, PurpleAir low-cost sensors were paired with air quality system (AQS) regulatory stations, and calibration of the sensors was performed by geographically weighted regression. The calibrated PurpleAir measurements were then given lower weights according to their residual errors and fused with AQS measurements into a random forest model to generate 1 km daily PM2.5 estimates. The calibration reduced PurpleAir's systematic bias to ∼0 μg/m3 and residual errors by 36%. Increased sensor bias was found to be associated with higher temperature and humidity, as well as longer operating time. The weighted prediction model outperformed the AQS-based prediction model with an improved random cross-validation (CV) R2 of 0.86, an improved spatial CV R2 of 0.81, and a lower prediction error. The temporal CV R2 did not improve due to the temporal discontinuity of PurpleAir. The inclusion of PurpleAir data allowed the predictions to better reflect PM2.5 spatial details and hotspots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhao Bi
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health , Emory University , Atlanta , Georgia 30322 , United States
| | - Avani Wildani
- Department of Computer Science , Emory University , Atlanta , Georgia 30307 , United States
| | - Howard H Chang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health , Emory University , Atlanta , Georgia 30322 , United States
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health , Emory University , Atlanta , Georgia 30322 , United States
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Humphrey JL, Reid CE, Kinnee EJ, Kubzansky LD, Robinson LF, Clougherty JE. Putting Co-Exposures on Equal Footing: An Ecological Analysis of Same-Scale Measures of Air Pollution and Social Factors on Cardiovascular Disease in New York City. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16234621. [PMID: 31766340 PMCID: PMC6926874 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16234621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiologic evidence consistently links urban air pollution exposures to health, even after adjustment for potential spatial confounding by socioeconomic position (SEP), given concerns that air pollution sources may be clustered in and around lower-SEP communities. SEP, however, is often measured with less spatial and temporal resolution than are air pollution exposures (i.e., census-tract socio-demographics vs. fine-scale spatio-temporal air pollution models). Although many questions remain regarding the most appropriate, meaningful scales for the measurement and evaluation of each type of exposure, we aimed to compare associations for multiple air pollutants and social factors against cardiovascular disease (CVD) event rates, with each exposure measured at equal spatial and temporal resolution. We found that, in multivariable census-tract-level models including both types of exposures, most pollutant-CVD associations were non-significant, while most social factors retained significance. Similarly, the magnitude of association was higher for an IQR-range difference in the social factors than in pollutant concentrations. We found that when offered equal spatial and temporal resolution, CVD was more strongly associated with social factors than with air pollutant exposures in census-tract-level analyses in New York City.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L. Humphrey
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - Colleen E. Reid
- Geography Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA;
| | - Ellen J. Kinnee
- University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA;
| | - Laura D. Kubzansky
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Lucy F. Robinson
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - Jane E. Clougherty
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-267-359-6072
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Strickland MJ. Taking Another Look at Ambient Coarse Particles. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2019; 197:697-698. [PMID: 29262265 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201712-2434ed] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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Samoli E, Stergiopoulou A, Santana P, Rodopoulou S, Mitsakou C, Dimitroulopoulou C, Bauwelinck M, de Hoogh K, Costa C, Marí-Dell'Olmo M, Corman D, Vardoulakis S, Katsouyanni K. Spatial variability in air pollution exposure in relation to socioeconomic indicators in nine European metropolitan areas: A study on environmental inequality. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 249:345-353. [PMID: 30909127 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
A limited number of studies have addressed environmental inequality, using various study designs and methodologies and often reaching contradictory results. Following a standardized multi-city data collection process within the European project EURO-HEALTHY, we conducted an ecological study to investigate the spatial association between nitrogen dioxide (NO2), as a surrogate for traffic related air pollution, and ten socioeconomic indicators at local administrative unit level in nine European Metropolitan Areas. We applied mixed models for the associations under investigation with random intercepts per Metropolitan Area, also accounting for the spatial correlation. The stronger associations were observed between NO2 levels and population density, population born outside the European Union (EU28), total crimes per 100,000 inhabitants and unemployment rate that displayed a highly statistically significant trend of increasing concentrations with increasing levels of the indicators. Specifically, the highest vs the lowest quartile of each indicator above was associated with 48.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 42.9%, 54.8%), 30.9% (95%CI: 22.1%, 40.2%), 19.8% (95%CI: 13.4%, 26.6%) and 15.8% (95%CI: 9.9%, 22.1%) increase in NO2 respectively. The association with population density most probably reflects the higher volume in vehicular traffic, which is the main source of NO2 in urban areas. Higher pollution levels in areas with higher percentages of people born outside EU28, crime or unemployment rates indicate that worse air quality is typically encountered in deprived European urban areas. Policy makers should consider spatial environmental inequalities to better inform actions aiming to lower urban air pollution levels that will subsequently lead to improved quality of life, public health and health equity across the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Samoli
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
| | - A Stergiopoulou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - P Santana
- Centre of Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning, Department of Geography and Tourism, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - S Rodopoulou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - C Mitsakou
- Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, UK
| | - C Dimitroulopoulou
- Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, UK
| | - M Bauwelinck
- Interface Demography - Department of Sociology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
| | - K de Hoogh
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - C Costa
- Centre of Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning, Department of Geography and Tourism, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - M Marí-Dell'Olmo
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
| | - D Corman
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinksa Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - S Vardoulakis
- Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, UK; Institute of Occupational Medicine, UK
| | - K Katsouyanni
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; Department Population Health Sciences and Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences, King's College London, UK
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Neighborhood Material Deprivation Is Associated with Childhood Asthma Development: Analysis of Prospective Administrative Data. Can Respir J 2019; 2019:6808206. [PMID: 31236148 PMCID: PMC6545816 DOI: 10.1155/2019/6808206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale Material deprivation has been proposed as a more comprehensive measure of socioeconomic status than parental income. Stronger associations between childhood emergency department visits for asthma and air pollution have been demonstrated among children living in neighborhoods with high levels of deprivation, but the associations with asthma development and ongoing asthma are not known. Objectives We determined the associations between neighborhood material deprivation and the development of new and ongoing childhood asthma. Methods Prospectively collected administrative data housed at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences were examined for Toronto children born from 1997 to 2003. Neighborhood material deprivation, comprising no high school graduation, lone parent families, government transfers, unemployment, low income, and homes needing major repairs, was reported in the Ontario Marginalization Index. Incident asthma was defined by the time of entry into the Ontario Asthma Surveillance Information System (OASIS) database. We measured the risk of incident asthma using Cox proportional hazards models and the associations between ongoing asthma visits and deprivation by year of life with generalized linear mixed models. Results OASIS asthma criteria were met for 21% of the 326,383 children. After adjustment for characteristics strongly associated with asthma, including male sex, prematurity, obesity, and atopic conditions other than asthma, children with high birth neighborhood deprivation were at increased risk of incident asthma (HR 1.11; 95% CI, 1.09–1.13). High deprivation in a given year of life was associated with increased odds of ongoing asthma during that year of life (OR 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02–1.05). Conclusions Children living in high-deprivation neighborhoods are at increased risk of incident and ongoing asthma. This study suggests that neighborhood material deprivation may represent a helpful tool for evaluating the effects of disparities in health and social advantages on the likelihood of developing and continuing to need healthcare visits for ongoing childhood asthma.
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Assessing the impact of air pollution on childhood asthma morbidity: how, when, and what to do. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2019; 18:124-131. [PMID: 29493555 DOI: 10.1097/aci.0000000000000422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Exposure to air pollutants is linked with poor asthma control in children and represents a potentially modifiable risk factor for impaired lung function, rescue medication use, and increased asthma-related healthcare utilization. Identification of the most relevant pollutants to asthma as well as susceptibility factors and strategies to reduce exposure are needed to improve child health. RECENT FINDINGS The current available literature supports the association between pollutants and negative asthma outcomes. Ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and presence of certain gene polymorphisms may impact susceptibility to the negative health effects of air pollution. Improved air quality standards were associated with better asthma outcomes. SUMMARY The link between air pollution and pediatric asthma morbidity is supported by the recent relevant literature. Continued efforts are needed to identify the most vulnerable populations and develop strategies to reduce exposures and improve air quality.
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