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Cook KM, De Asis-Cruz J, Sitrin C, Barnett SD, Krishnamurthy D, Limperopoulos C. Greater Neighborhood Disadvantage Is Associated with Alterations in Fetal Functional Brain Network Structure. J Pediatr 2024:114201. [PMID: 39032768 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2024.114201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the association between neighborhood disadvantage and functional brain development of in utero fetuses. STUDY DESIGN We conducted an observational study utilizing Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) scores to assess the impact of neighborhood disadvantage on a prospectively recruited sample of healthy pregnant women from Washington, DC. Utilizing 79 functional MRI scans from 68 healthy pregnancies at a mean gestational age of 33.12 weeks, we characterized overall functional brain network structure using a graph metric approach. We utilized linear mixed effects models to assess the relationship between SVI and gestational age on five graph metrics, adjusting for multiple scans. RESULTS Exposure to greater neighborhood disadvantage was associated with less well integrated functional brain networks, as observed by longer characteristic path lengths (L) and diminished global efficiency (GE) as well as diminished small world propensity (SWP). Across gestational ages, however, the association between SVI and network integration diminished to a negligible relationship in the third trimester. Conversely, SWP was significant across pregnancy, but the relationship changed such that there was a negative association with SWP earlier in the second trimester that inverted around the transition to the third trimester to a positive association. CONCLUSIONS These data directly connect neighborhood disadvantage and altered functional brain maturation in fetuses. Our results suggest that even prior to birth, proximity to environmental stressors in the wider neighborhood environment are associated with altered brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Michael Cook
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington DC 20010
| | - Josepheen De Asis-Cruz
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington DC 20010
| | - Chloe Sitrin
- College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan, 500 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Scott D Barnett
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington DC 20010
| | | | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, 111 Michigan Ave NW, Washington DC 20010.
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2
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Grunwell JR, Mutic AD, Ezhuthachan ID, Mason C, Tidwell M, Caldwell C, Norwood J, Zack S, Jordan N, Fitzpatrick AM. Environmental Injustice Is Associated With Poorer Asthma Outcomes in School-Age Children With Asthma in Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. IN PRACTICE 2024; 12:1263-1272.e1. [PMID: 38378096 PMCID: PMC11081836 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.02.015] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental justice mandates that no person suffers disproportionately from environmental exposures. The Environmental Justice Index (EJI) provides an estimate of the environmental burden for each census tract but has not yet been used in asthma populations. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that children from census tracts with high environmental injustice determined by the EJI would have a greater burden of asthma exacerbations, poorer asthma control, and poorer lung function over 12 months. METHODS Children aged 6 to 18 years with asthma (N = 575) from metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, completed a baseline research visit. Participant addresses were geocoded to obtain the EJI Social-Environmental Ranking for each participant's census tract, which was divided into tertiles. Medical records were reviewed for 12 months for asthma exacerbations. A subset of participants completed a second research visit involving spirometry and questionnaires. RESULTS Census tracts with the greatest environmental injustice had more racial and ethnic minorities, lower socioeconomic status, more hazardous exposures (particularly to airborne pollutants), and greater proximity to railroads and heavily trafficked roadways. Children with asthma residing in high injustice census tracts had a longer duration of asthma, greater historical asthma-related health care utilization, poorer asthma symptom control and quality of life, and more impaired lung function. By 12 months, children from high injustice census tracts also had more asthma exacerbations with a shorter time to exacerbation and persistently more symptoms, poorer asthma control, and reduced lung function. CONCLUSIONS Disparities in environmental justice are present in metropolitan Atlanta that may contribute to asthma outcomes in children. These findings require an additional study and action to improve health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn R Grunwell
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga; Division of Critical Care Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga
| | - Abby D Mutic
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga
| | - Idil D Ezhuthachan
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga; Division of Allergy and Immunology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga
| | - Carrie Mason
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga
| | - Mallory Tidwell
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga
| | - Cherish Caldwell
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga
| | - Jalicae Norwood
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga
| | - Sydney Zack
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga
| | - Natalie Jordan
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga
| | - Anne M Fitzpatrick
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga; Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga.
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Bradley A, Croes BE, Harkins C, McDonald BC, de Gouw JA. Air Pollution Inequality in the Denver Metroplex and its Relationship to Historical Redlining. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:4226-4236. [PMID: 38380822 PMCID: PMC10919081 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03230] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Prior studies have shown that people of color (POC) in the United States are exposed to higher levels of pollution than non-Hispanic White people. We show that the city of Denver, Colorado, displays similar race- and ethnicity-based air pollution disparities by using a combination of high-resolution satellite data, air pollution modeling, historical demographic information, and areal apportionment techniques. TROPOMI NO2 columns and modeled PM2.5 concentrations from 2019 are higher in communities subject to redlining. We calculated and compared Spearman coefficients for pollutants and race at the census tract level for every city that underwent redlining to contextualize the disparities in Denver. We find that the location of polluting infrastructure leads to higher populations of POC living near point sources, including 40% higher Hispanic and Latino populations. This influences pollution distribution, with annual average PM2.5 surface concentrations of 6.5 μg m-3 in census tracts with 0-5% Hispanic and Latino populations and 7.5 μg m-3 in census tracts with 60-65% Hispanic and Latino populations. Traffic analysis and emission inventory data show that POC are more likely to live near busy highways. Unequal spatial distribution of pollution sources and POC have allowed for pollution disparities to persist despite attempts by the city to rectify them. Finally, we identify the core causes of the pollution disparities to provide direction for remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander
C. Bradley
- University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Cooperative
Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Bart E. Croes
- Cooperative
Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Colin Harkins
- Cooperative
Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Chemical
Sciences Laboratory, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, Colorado 80305, United States
| | - Brian C. McDonald
- Chemical
Sciences Laboratory, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, Colorado 80305, United States
| | - Joost A. de Gouw
- University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Cooperative
Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
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4
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Stieb DM, Smith‐Doiron M, Quick M, Christidis T, Xi G, Miles RM, van Donkelaar A, Martin RV, Hystad P, Tjepkema M. Inequality in the Distribution of Air Pollution Attributable Mortality Within Canadian Cities. GEOHEALTH 2023; 7:e2023GH000816. [PMID: 37654974 PMCID: PMC10465848 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have identified inequality in the distribution of air pollution attributable health impacts, but to our knowledge this has not been examined in Canadian cities. We evaluated the extent and sources of inequality in air pollution attributable mortality at the census tract (CT) level in seven of Canada's largest cities. We first regressed fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) attributable mortality against the neighborhood (CT) level prevalence of age 65 and older, low income, low educational attainment, and identification as an Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) or Black person, accounting for spatial autocorrelation. We next examined the distribution of baseline mortality rates, PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations, and attributable mortality by neighborhood (CT) level prevalence of these characteristics, calculating the concentration index, Atkinson index, and Gini coefficient. Finally, we conducted a counterfactual analysis of the impact of reducing baseline mortality rates and air pollution concentrations on inequality in air pollution attributable mortality. Regression results indicated that CTs with a higher prevalence of low income and Indigenous identity had significantly higher air pollution attributable mortality. Concentration index, Atkinson index, and Gini coefficient values revealed different degrees of inequality among the cities. Counterfactual analysis indicated that inequality in air pollution attributable mortality tended to be driven more by baseline mortality inequalities than exposure inequalities. Reducing inequality in air pollution attributable mortality requires reducing disparities in both baseline mortality and air pollution exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. Stieb
- Environmental Health Science and Research BureauHealth CanadaVancouverBCCanada
- Environmental Health Science and Research BureauHealth CanadaOttawaONCanada
- School of Epidemiology and Public HealthUniversity of OttawaOttawaONCanada
| | - Marc Smith‐Doiron
- Environmental Health Science and Research BureauHealth CanadaOttawaONCanada
| | - Matthew Quick
- Health Analysis DivisionStatistics CanadaOttawaONCanada
| | | | - Guoliang Xi
- Environmental Health Science and Research BureauHealth CanadaOttawaONCanada
| | - Rosalin M. Miles
- Faculty of EducationIndigenous Health & Physical Activity ProgramUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- Physical Activity and Chronic Disease Prevention UnitFaculty of EducationUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- Indigenous Physical Activity and Cultural CircleVancouverBCCanada
| | - Aaron van Donkelaar
- Department of EnergyEnvironmental & Chemical EngineeringWashington UniversitySt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Randall V. Martin
- Department of EnergyEnvironmental & Chemical EngineeringWashington UniversitySt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Perry Hystad
- College of Public Health and Human SciencesOregon State UniversityCorvallisORUSA
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5
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Kelly G, Idubor OI, Binney S, Schramm PJ, Mirabelli MC, Hsu J. The Impact of Climate Change on Asthma and Allergic-Immunologic Disease. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2023; 23:453-461. [PMID: 37284923 PMCID: PMC10613957 DOI: 10.1007/s11882-023-01093-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review discusses climate change-related impacts on asthma and allergic-immunologic disease, relevant US public health efforts, and healthcare professional resources. RECENT FINDINGS Climate change can impact people with asthma and allergic-immunologic disease through various pathways, including increased exposure to asthma triggers (e.g., aeroallergens, ground-level ozone). Climate change-related disasters (e.g., wildfires, floods) disrupting healthcare access can complicate management of any allergic-immunologic disease. Climate change disproportionately affects some communities, which can exacerbate disparities in climate-sensitive diseases like asthma. Public health efforts include implementing a national strategic framework to help communities track, prevent, and respond to climate change-related health threats. Healthcare professionals can use resources or tools to help patients with asthma and allergic-immunologic disease prevent climate change-related health impacts. Climate change can affect people with asthma and allergic-immunologic disease and exacerbate health disparities. Resources and tools are available to help prevent climate change-related health impacts at the community and individual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Kelly
- Epidemiology Elective Program, National Center for STLT Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, and Asthma and Community Health Branch, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Osatohamwen I Idubor
- Asthma and Community Health Branch, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, CDC, 4770 Buford Highway Mailstop S106-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Sophie Binney
- Asthma and Community Health Branch, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, CDC, 4770 Buford Highway Mailstop S106-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Paul J Schramm
- Climate and Health Program, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Maria C Mirabelli
- Asthma and Community Health Branch, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, CDC, 4770 Buford Highway Mailstop S106-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Joy Hsu
- Asthma and Community Health Branch, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, CDC, 4770 Buford Highway Mailstop S106-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.
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Wilkins D, Schulz AJ. Antiracist Research and Practice for Environmental Health: Implications for Community Engagement. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:55002. [PMID: 37224068 PMCID: PMC10208422 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Communities who experience disproportionate environmental exposures and associated adverse health outcomes have long been aware of, and worked to draw attention to, the role of racism in shaping those risks. A growing number of researchers are focusing on racism as a fundamental driver of racial inequities in environmental health. Importantly, several research and funding institutions have publicly committed to addressing structural racism within their organizations. These commitments highlight structural racism as a social determinant of health. They also invite reflection on antiracist approaches to community engagement in environmental health research. OBJECTIVES We discuss strategies for taking more explicitly antiracist approaches to community engagement in environmental health research. DISCUSSION Antiracist (as opposed to nonracist, color-blind, or race-neutral) frameworks entail thinking or acting in ways that explicitly question, analyze, and challenge policies and practices that produce or sustain inequities between racial groups. Community engagement is not inherently antiracist. There are, however, opportunities for extending antiracist approaches when engaging communities who are disproportionately harmed by environmental exposures. Those opportunities include a) promoting leadership and decision-making power by representatives from harmed communities, b) centering community priorities in identifying new research areas, and c) translating research into action by applying knowledge from multiple sources to disrupt policies and practices that create and sustain environmental injustices. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11384.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy J. Schulz
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Social determinants of health play a major role in healthcare utilization and outcomes in patients with asthma. Continuing to understand how these complex and interwoven relationships interact to impact patient care will be crucial to creating innovative programmes that address these disparities. RECENT FINDINGS The current literature continues to support the association of substandard housing, urban and rural neighbourhoods, and race/ethnicity with poor asthma outcomes. Targeted interventions with community health workers (CHWs), telemedicine and local environmental rectifications can help improve outcomes. SUMMARY The link between social determinants and poor asthma outcomes continues to be supported by recent literature. These factors are both nonmodifiable and consequences of institutionalized racist policies that require innovative ideas, technologic equity and funding for groups most at risk for poorer outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre E. Espaillat
- Divisions of Pediatric Pulmonology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Michelle L. Hernandez
- Allergy & Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
- Children’s Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Allison J. Burbank
- Allergy & Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
- Children’s Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
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8
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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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Lu L, Zhao S, Chen Y. Air pollution and timing of childbirth: a retrospective survey analysis based on birth registration data of Chinese newborns. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1032852. [PMID: 37206867 PMCID: PMC10189152 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1032852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Currently, there is a lack of research on whether people will take action to avoid the harm of air pollution and the heterogeneous behavior of different groups. The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of air pollution on the resulting differential effects on newborns and the timing of pregnancy. Methods Based on a survey of newborns in a total of 32 hospitals in 12 cities across China in 2011, and after matching with city-level air pollution data, a multiple regression statistical method is then used to examine how the pollution level in a certain period is related to the number of conceptions in that certain period, after controlling for region and season fixed effects. Results We first demonstrate that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy is associated with a significant increase in adverse birth outcomes. Most importantly, the empirical results show that the number of conceptions decreased significantly during periods of severe air pollution. Conclusion Evidence suggests that air pollution may be causing some families to delay conception to reduce the possible adverse impact on neonatal outcomes. This helps us to understand the social cost of air pollution more, and then make more accurate environmental policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqi Lu
- School of Economics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shaoyang Zhao
- School of Economics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yuxiao Chen
- School of Politics and Public Administration, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
- *Correspondence: Yuxiao Chen,
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10
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Estrada LV, Levasseur JL, Maxim A, Benavidez GA, Pollack Porter KM. Structural Racism, Place, and COVID-19: A Narrative Review Describing How We Prepare for an Endemic COVID-19 Future. Health Equity 2022; 6:356-366. [PMID: 35651360 PMCID: PMC9148659 DOI: 10.1089/heq.2021.0190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Place is a social determinant of health, as recently evidenced by COVID-19. Previous literature surrounding health disparities in the United States often fails to acknowledge the role of structural racism on place-based health disparities for historically marginalized communities (i.e., Black and African American communities, Hispanic/Latinx communities, Indigenous communities [i.e., First Nations, Native American, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian], and Pacific Islanders). This narrative review summarizes the intersection between structural racism and place as contributors to COVID-19 health disparities. Methods: This narrative review accounts for the unique place-based health care experiences influenced by structural racism, including health systems and services and physical environment. We searched online databases for peer-reviewed and governmental sources, published in English between 2000 and 2021, related to place-based U.S. health inequities in historically marginalized communities. We then narrate the link between the historical trajectory of structural racism and current COVID-19 health outcomes for historically marginalized communities. Results: Structural racism has infrequently been named as a contributor to place as a social determinant of health. This narrative review details how place is intricately intertwined with the results of structural racism, focusing on one's access to health systems and services and physical environment, including the outdoor air and drinking water. The role of place, health disparities, and structural racism has been starkly displayed during the COVID-19 pandemic, where historically marginalized communities have been subject to greater rates of COVID-19 incidence and mortality. Conclusion: As COVID-19 becomes endemic, it is crucial to understand how place-based inequities and structural racism contributed to the COVID-19 racial disparities in incidence and mortality. Addressing structurally racist place-based health inequities through anti-racist policy strategies is one way to move the United States toward achieving health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah V. Estrada
- Center for Health Policy, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jessica L. Levasseur
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexandra Maxim
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Gabriel A. Benavidez
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Keshia M. Pollack Porter
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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11
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Gardner-Frolick R, Boyd D, Giang A. Selecting Data Analytic and Modeling Methods to Support Air Pollution and Environmental Justice Investigations: A Critical Review and Guidance Framework. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:2843-2860. [PMID: 35133145 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c01739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Given the serious adverse health effects associated with many pollutants, and the inequitable distribution of these effects between socioeconomic groups, air pollution is often a focus of environmental justice (EJ) research. However, EJ analyses that aim to illuminate whether and how air pollution hazards are inequitably distributed may present a unique set of requirements for estimating pollutant concentrations compared to other air quality applications. Here, we perform a scoping review of the range of data analytic and modeling methods applied in past studies of air pollution and environmental injustice and develop a guidance framework for selecting between them given the purpose of analysis, users, and resources available. We include proxy, monitor-based, statistical, and process-based methods. Upon critically synthesizing the literature, we identify four main dimensions to inform method selection: accuracy, interpretability, spatiotemporal features of the method, and usability of the method. We illustrate the guidance framework with case studies from the literature. Future research in this area includes an exploration of increasing data availability, advanced statistical methods, and the importance of science-based policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rivkah Gardner-Frolick
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - David Boyd
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Amanda Giang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
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12
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O'Leary BF, Hill AB, Akers KG, Esparra-Escalera HJ, Lucas A, Raoufi G, Huang Y, Mariscal N, Mohanty SK, Tummala CM, Dittrich TM. Air quality monitoring and measurement in an urban airshed: Contextualizing datasets from the Detroit Michigan area from 1952 to 2020. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 809:152120. [PMID: 34871691 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
With urban air quality being a pressing public health concern, community members are becoming increasingly engaged in determining the links between air quality and human health. Although new measurement tools such as low-cost sensors make local data more accessible, a better understanding of gaps in regional datasets is needed to develop effective metropolitan-scale solutions. Using scoping review methodology, we compiled 214 published journal articles and grey literature reports of air quality data from the Detroit, Michigan area from 1952 through 2020. This critical scoping review focuses on air quality datasets, but related topics such as health studies and community-based participatory science studies were examined from the included articles. Most of these publications were peer-reviewed journal articles published after 2001. Particulate matter, nitrous oxides, and sulfur dioxide were the most commonly studied air pollutants, and asthma was the most frequently associated health outcome paired with air pollution datasets. Few publications reported methods for community-based participatory science. This critical scoping review establishes a foundation of historical air quality data for the Detroit metropolitan area and a set of evaluation criteria that can be replicated in other urban centers. This foundation enables future detailed analysis of air quality datasets and showcases strategies for implementing effective community science programs and monitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan F O'Leary
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Alex B Hill
- Center for Urban Studies, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Katherine G Akers
- Shiffman Medical Library, Wayne State University, 320 E. Canfield St., Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | | | - Allison Lucas
- Department of Communication, Wayne State University, 585 Manoogian Hall, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Gelareh Raoufi
- College of Education, Wayne State University, 441 Education Building, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Yaoxian Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Noribeth Mariscal
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Sanjay K Mohanty
- Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Chandra M Tummala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Timothy M Dittrich
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
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13
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Carnegie ER, Inglis G, Taylor A, Bak-Klimek A, Okoye O. Is Population Density Associated with Non-Communicable Disease in Western Developed Countries? A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19052638. [PMID: 35270337 PMCID: PMC8910328 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Over the last three decades, researchers have investigated population density and health outcomes at differing scale. There has not been a systematic review conducted in order to synthesise this evidence. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines, we systematically reviewed quantitative evidence published since 1990 on population density and non-communicable disease (NCD) within Westernised countries. Fifty-four studies met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated utilising a quality assessment tool for ecological studies. High population density appears to be associated with higher mortality rates of a range of cancers, cardiovascular disease and COPD, and a higher incidence of a range of cancers, asthma and club foot. In contrast, diabetes incidence was found to be associated with low population density. High and low population density are therefore risk markers for a range of NCDs, indicating that there are unidentified factors and mechanisms underlying aetiology. On closer examination, our synthesis revealed important and complex relationships between population density, the built environment, the nature of greenspace and man-made exposures. In light of increasing rates of morbidity and mortality, future research is required to investigate these associations in order to establish causative agents for each NCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Ruth Carnegie
- School of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh EH114BN, UK; (A.T.); (A.B.-K.); (O.O.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Greig Inglis
- School of Education and Social Sciences, Paisley Campus, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley PA12BE, UK;
| | - Annie Taylor
- School of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh EH114BN, UK; (A.T.); (A.B.-K.); (O.O.)
| | - Anna Bak-Klimek
- School of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh EH114BN, UK; (A.T.); (A.B.-K.); (O.O.)
| | - Ogochukwu Okoye
- School of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Court, Edinburgh EH114BN, UK; (A.T.); (A.B.-K.); (O.O.)
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14
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Wattigney WA, Irvin-Barnwell E, Li Z, Ragin-Wilson A. Biomonitoring of toxic metals, organochlorine pesticides, and polybrominated biphenyl 153 in Michigan urban anglers. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111851. [PMID: 34384752 PMCID: PMC8711253 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The 32-mile Detroit River and surrounding tributaries have been designated as a Great Lakes Area of Concern due to pollution from decades of municipal and industrial discharges, sewer overflows and urban development. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services conducted a biomonitoring study to assess exposures to persistent toxic substances in Detroit urban shoreline anglers who may be at high exposure risk due to consumption of locally caught fish. Using a modified venue-based sampling approach, 287 adult shoreline anglers along the Detroit River were recruited and participated in the program. Study participants provided blood and urine specimens and completed a questionnaire interview. In this report, we examine percentile estimates for blood lead, blood manganese, urine arsenic, urine mercury, urine cadmium, organochlorine pesticides in serum (mirex, hexachlorobenzene, chlordane), and serum polybrominated biphenyl 153 (PBB 153) concentrations among study participants. Multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors of contaminant concentrations. The Detroit urban anglers' blood lead concentrations were 2 times higher than the general adult U.S. population (median (95% CI): 2.9 μg/dL (1.8-2.3) vs. 0.94 μg/dL (0.90-0.98)). PBB 153 levels were 1.8 times higher than the general adult U.S. population at the 95th percentile (95th percentile, 95% CI: 62.7 ng/g of lipid, 53.2-75.2 vs. 34.6 ng/g of lipid, 12.8-66.8). Percentile estimates of the other study pollutants were similar to background levels found in the general U.S. population. Eating more locally caught fish was not associated with increased body burdens for any of the contaminants examined in this report. Higher blood lead was associated with increased age, male sex, current smoking, residing in a home built before 1960, an annual income less than $25,000, and a work history of lead paint removal. Evidence of PBB exposure in our study cohort likely reflects the continued effect of a widespread contamination of livestock feed in 1973 among Michigan's lower peninsula population. These study results help determine if the pollutants examined warrant further consideration in subsequent population-based biomonitoring of frequent consumers of fish from the Detroit River and surrounding waterways. The biomonitoring data from this study also served to inform public health officials regarding the potential need for environmental public health actions to reduce harmful exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A Wattigney
- Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA, 30341, United States.
| | - Elizabeth Irvin-Barnwell
- Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA, 30341, United States
| | - Zheng Li
- Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA, 30341, United States
| | - Angela Ragin-Wilson
- Office of Associate Director, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA, 30341, United States
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15
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Kane N. Revealing the racial and spatial disparity in pediatric asthma: A Kansas City case study. Soc Sci Med 2021; 292:114543. [PMID: 34802780 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Black and other socially disadvantaged children are disproportionately burdened by high rates of pediatric asthma. Intraurban variation in environmental risk factors and limited access to high-resolution health data make it difficult to identify vulnerable patients, communities, or the immediate exposures that may contribute to pediatric asthma exacerbation. This article presents a novel, interdisciplinary health disparities research and intervention strategy applied to the problem of pediatric asthma in Kansas City. First, address-level electronic health records from a major children's hospital in the Kansas City region are used to map the distribution of asthma encounters in 2012 at a high spatial resolution. Census tract Environmental Justice Screening Method (EJSM) indicators are then developed to scan for patterns in both the population health risks and vulnerabilities that may contribute to the burden of asthma in different communities. A Bayesian Profile Regression cluster analysis is used to systematically explore the complex relationships between census tract EJSM indicators and pediatric asthma incidence rates, helping to identify population characteristics and risk factors associated with both high and low rates of pediatric asthma throughout the region. The EJSM scanning exercise and BPR analysis demonstrate that each community faces a distinct set of risks and vulnerabilities that can contribute to the rate of acute pediatric asthma acute care encounters, providing targets for research and intervention. It is clear, however, that different forms of social disadvantage are driving high rates of pediatric asthma, which is closely tied to uneven development patterns and racial residential segregation. The results provide a starting point for designing place-based health disparities research and intervention strategies catered to the unique needs of vulnerable patients and communities; disparities-focused research and intervention strategies that leverage local knowledge and resources through community-based practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Kane
- Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA.
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16
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Abstract
We leverage the unparalleled changes in human activity during COVID-19 and the unmatched capabilities of the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument to understand how lockdowns impact ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution disparities in the United States. The least White communities experienced the largest NO2 reductions during lockdowns; however, disparities between the least and most White communities are so large that the least White communities still faced higher NO2 levels during lockdowns than the most White communities experienced prior to lockdowns, despite a ∼50% reduction in passenger vehicle traffic. Similar findings hold for ethnic, income, and educational attainment population subgroups. Future strategies to reduce NO2 disparities will need to target emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. The unequal spatial distribution of ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2), an air pollutant related to traffic, leads to higher exposure for minority and low socioeconomic status communities. We exploit the unprecedented drop in urban activity during the COVID-19 pandemic and use high-resolution, remotely sensed NO2 observations to investigate disparities in NO2 levels across different demographic subgroups in the United States. We show that, prior to the pandemic, satellite-observed NO2 levels in the least White census tracts of the United States were nearly triple the NO2 levels in the most White tracts. During the pandemic, the largest lockdown-related NO2 reductions occurred in urban neighborhoods that have 2.0 times more non-White residents and 2.1 times more Hispanic residents than neighborhoods with the smallest reductions. NO2 reductions were likely driven by the greater density of highways and interstates in these racially and ethnically diverse areas. Although the largest reductions occurred in marginalized areas, the effect of lockdowns on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic NO2 disparities was mixed and, for many cities, nonsignificant. For example, the least White tracts still experienced ∼1.5 times higher NO2 levels during the lockdowns than the most White tracts experienced prior to the pandemic. Future policies aimed at eliminating pollution disparities will need to look beyond reducing emissions from only passenger traffic and also consider other collocated sources of emissions such as heavy-duty vehicles.
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17
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Kerr GH, Goldberg DL, Anenberg SC. COVID-19 pandemic reveals persistent disparities in nitrogen dioxide pollution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2022409118. [PMID: 34285070 DOI: 10.1002/essoar.10504561.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The unequal spatial distribution of ambient nitrogen dioxide ([Formula: see text]), an air pollutant related to traffic, leads to higher exposure for minority and low socioeconomic status communities. We exploit the unprecedented drop in urban activity during the COVID-19 pandemic and use high-resolution, remotely sensed [Formula: see text] observations to investigate disparities in [Formula: see text] levels across different demographic subgroups in the United States. We show that, prior to the pandemic, satellite-observed [Formula: see text] levels in the least White census tracts of the United States were nearly triple the [Formula: see text] levels in the most White tracts. During the pandemic, the largest lockdown-related [Formula: see text] reductions occurred in urban neighborhoods that have 2.0 times more non-White residents and 2.1 times more Hispanic residents than neighborhoods with the smallest reductions. [Formula: see text] reductions were likely driven by the greater density of highways and interstates in these racially and ethnically diverse areas. Although the largest reductions occurred in marginalized areas, the effect of lockdowns on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic [Formula: see text] disparities was mixed and, for many cities, nonsignificant. For example, the least White tracts still experienced ∼1.5 times higher [Formula: see text] levels during the lockdowns than the most White tracts experienced prior to the pandemic. Future policies aimed at eliminating pollution disparities will need to look beyond reducing emissions from only passenger traffic and also consider other collocated sources of emissions such as heavy-duty vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaige Hunter Kerr
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052;
| | - Daniel L Goldberg
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052
- Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439
| | - Susan C Anenberg
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052
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18
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Morphew TL, Venkat A, Graham J, Mehalik M, Anderson N, Gentile D. Impact of a Large Fire and Subsequent Pollution Control Failure at a Coke Works on Acute Asthma Exacerbations in Nearby Adult Residents. TOXICS 2021; 9:toxics9070147. [PMID: 34202026 PMCID: PMC8309726 DOI: 10.3390/toxics9070147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Clairton, Pennsylvania, is home to the largest coke works facility in the United States (US). On 24 December 2018, a large fire occurred at this facility and damaged pollution control equipment. Although repairs were not completed for several months, production continued at pre-fire capacity and daily emissions increased by 24 to 35 times, with multiple exceedances of monitored levels of outdoor air pollution (OAP). The aim of this study was to objectively evaluate the impact of this industrial incident and resultant OAP exceedances on asthma morbidity. We assessed pre-fire and post-fire rate ratios (RR) of outpatient and emergency department (ED) visits for asthma exacerbations among nearby adult residents. Pre-fire versus post-fire RRs increased for both visit types: RR = 1.82 (95% CI: 1.30, 2.53; p < 0.001) and 1.84 (95% CI: 1.05, 3.22; p = 0.032) for outpatient and ED visits, respectively. Additionally, total visit rates increased on days with OAP exceedances: RR = 2.47 (95% CI: 1.52, 4.01; p < 0.0001), 1.58 (95% CI: 1.00, 2.48; p = 0.048) and 1.79 (95% CI: 1.27, 2.54; p = 0.001) for PM2.5, SO2, and H2S exceedance days, respectively. These results show a near doubling of acute visits for asthma exacerbations in nearby adult residents during this industrial incident and underscore the need for prompt remediation and public notification of OAP exceedances to prevent adverse health impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arvind Venkat
- Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, USA;
| | - John Graham
- Clean Air Task Force, San Rafael, CA 94901, USA;
| | | | | | - Deborah Gentile
- Community Partners in Asthma Care, McMurray, PA 15317, USA
- Correspondence:
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19
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Batterman S, Warner SC, Xia T, Sagovac S, Roberts B, Vial B, Godwin C. A community noise survey in Southwest Detroit and the value of supplemental metrics for truck noise. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 197:111064. [PMID: 33857459 PMCID: PMC8194211 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111064] [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: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Noise exposure can affect sleep, health and cognitive performance, and it disproportionately affects communities of color. This study has the objective of evaluating both conventional and supplemental noise metrics in a community noise survey examining Southwest Detroit, Michigan, a densely populated and industrialized area with extensive truck traffic on residential streets. Sound pressure level (SPL) monitors were deployed at 21 residential sites within 900 m of a major interstate highway. With assistance from youth volunteers, continuous SPL measurements were obtained for 1.5-7 days at each site, and short-term vehicle counts on local roads were recorded. We calculated conventional noise metrics, including the day-evening-night average sound level LDEN and the 90th percentile 1-hr maximum L10(h), and evaluated the effect of distance from highways, traffic volume, time-of-day, and other factors. Supplemental metrics potentially appropriate for intermittent traffic noise were calculated, including fraction of time over specific SPL thresholds using a new metric called FDEN, which is the fraction of time over 60, 65 and 70 dB during night, evening and daytime periods, respectively, and a peak noise metric called L2P(h), which utilizes the 98th percentile SPL within time blocks to increase robustness. The conventional metrics indicated five sites that exceeded 70 dB, and the highest noise levels were found within ~50 m of truck routes, arterials and freeway ramps. The estimated impact of truck traffic ranged up to 17 dB for hourly averages and to 33 dB for 1-s peaks. The conventional metrics did not always capture short-term noise exposures, which may be especially important to annoyance and sleep issues. In addition to showing widespread exposure to traffic noise in the study community that warrants consideration of noise abatement strategies, the study demonstrates the benefits of supplemental noise metrics and community engagement in noise assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart Batterman
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2029, USA.
| | - Sydni C Warner
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2029, USA
| | - Tian Xia
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2029, USA
| | - Simone Sagovac
- Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition, 420 S Leigh St Detroit, Michigan, 48209, USA
| | | | - Bridget Vial
- Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Chris Godwin
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2029, USA
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20
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Levy JI. Accounting for Health Risk Inequality in Regulatory Impact Analysis: Barriers and Opportunities. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2021; 41:610-618. [PMID: 33580582 PMCID: PMC8759631 DOI: 10.1111/risa.13714] [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: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
There has been increasing interest in accounting for inequality in health risks and benefits within regulatory impact analyses, both given more general interest in the distributions of benefits and growing concerns about inequity (defined as those inequalities deemed unjust or unfair) and environmental injustice (in this context, those health risk inequalities that are correlated with race/ethnicity and certain other sociodemographic factors). Although there has been growing literature on this topic, there has been limited progress in practice, and the lack of quantification limits consideration of inequality in the policy process. Controversy remains regarding the best approaches to formally incorporate inequality, when these approaches should be used, and even whether it makes sense to quantify inequality in this context. The objective of this article is to review the literature on approaches for incorporating estimates of, and concerns for, inequality into regulatory impact analyses, especially those where environmental justice considerations are relevant, and consider the interpretation of these approaches and the implications for decision making. Using the case example of the Transportation and Climate Initiative, a collaboration among Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector, multiple strategies are described that could be used to shed light on health risk inequality and inequity, consider them in pending policy decisions, and evaluate their implications for the policy or instrument choice. Given appropriate contextualization and acknowledgment of the multidimensionality of equity, quantitative inequality indicators can provide meaningful insight about both inequality and inequity in health risks.
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21
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Ryan PH, Brokamp C, Blossom J, Lothrop N, Miller RL, Beamer PI, Visness CM, Zanobetti A, Andrews H, Bacharier LB, Hartert T, Johnson CC, Ownby D, Lemanske RF, Gibson H, Requia W, Coull B, Zoratti EM, Wright AL, Martinez FD, Seroogy CM, Gern JE, Gold DR. A distributed geospatial approach to describe community characteristics for multisite studies. J Clin Transl Sci 2021; 5:e86. [PMID: 34007469 PMCID: PMC8111696 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2021.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding place-based contributors to health requires geographically and culturally diverse study populations, but sharing location data is a significant challenge to multisite studies. Here, we describe a standardized and reproducible method to perform geospatial analyses for multisite studies. Using census tract-level information, we created software for geocoding and geospatial data linkage that was distributed to a consortium of birth cohorts located throughout the USA. Individual sites performed geospatial linkages and returned tract-level information for 8810 children to a central site for analyses. Our generalizable approach demonstrates the feasibility of geospatial analyses across study sites to promote collaborative translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick H. Ryan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Cole Brokamp
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jeff Blossom
- Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nathan Lothrop
- Asthma and Airways Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Community, Environment, and Policy, Mel and Enic Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Rachel L. Miller
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paloma I. Beamer
- Asthma and Airways Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Community, Environment, and Policy, Mel and Enic Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Antonella Zanobetti
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Howard Andrews
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Leonard B. Bacharier
- Washington University School of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonary Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Tina Hartert
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Dennis Ownby
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Robert F. Lemanske
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Heike Gibson
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Weeberb Requia
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brent Coull
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Anne L. Wright
- Asthma and Airways Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Fernando D. Martinez
- Asthma and Airways Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Christine M. Seroogy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - James E. Gern
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Diane R. Gold
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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22
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Schulz AJ, Omari A, Ward M, Mentz GB, Demajo R, Sampson N, Israel BA, Reyes AG, Wilkins D. Independent and joint contributions of economic, social and physical environmental characteristics to mortality in the Detroit Metropolitan Area: A study of cumulative effects and pathways. Health Place 2020; 65:102391. [PMID: 32738606 PMCID: PMC7511424 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous studies have demonstrated associations between race-based residential segregation, neighborhood socioeconomic and physical environmental characteristics, and mortality. Relatively few studies have examined independent and joint effects of these multiple neighborhood characteristics and mortality, including potential mediating pathways. In this study we examine the extent to which associations between race-based residential segregation and all-cause mortality may be explained by multiple socioeconomic indicators and exposure to air pollutants. METHODS Drawing on data from multiple sources, we assessed bivariate associations between race-based residential segregation (operationalized as percent non-Hispanic Black), education (percent with graduate equivalency degree), poverty (percent below poverty), income inequality (GINI coefficient) and air pollution (ambient PM2.5) and age adjusted all-cause, all race mortality (henceforth all cause mortality) at the census tract level in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. We used inequality curves to assess the (in)equitable distribution of economic and environmental characteristics by census tract racial composition. Finally, we used generalized estimating equations (GEE) to examine independent and joint associations among percent NHB, education, income inequality, and air pollution to all-cause mortality, and test for mediating effects. RESULTS Bivariate associations between racial composition, education, poverty, income inequality, PM2.5 and all-cause mortality were statistically significant. Census tracts with higher concentrations of NHB residents had significantly lower educational attainment, higher poverty, and greater exposure to PM2.5. In multivariate models, education, income inequality and PM2.5 fully attenuated associations between racial composition and all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS Results are consistent with the hypothesis that race-based residential segregation is associated with heightened all-cause mortality, and that those effects are mediated by education, income inequality, and exposure to air pollution at the census tract level. Public health and cross-sector interventions to eliminate race-based residential segregation or to eliminate the maldistribution of educational and economic resources, and environmental exposures, across census tracts could substantially reduce regional inequities in all-cause mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy J Schulz
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Amel Omari
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Melanie Ward
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Graciela B Mentz
- Department of Anesthesiology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ricardo Demajo
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Natalie Sampson
- College of Education, Health and Human Services, University of Michigan Dearborn, Dearborn, MI, USA
| | - Barbara A Israel
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Angela G Reyes
- Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Detroit, MI, USA
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23
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Somayajulu M, Ekanayaka S, McClellan SA, Bessert D, Pitchaikannu A, Zhang K, Hazlett LD. Airborne Particulates Affect Corneal Homeostasis and Immunity. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:23. [PMID: 32301974 PMCID: PMC7401652 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.4.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To determine the effects of airborne particulate matter (PM) <2.5 µm in vitro and on the normal and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA)-infected cornea. Methods An MTT viability assay tested the effects of PM2.5 on mouse corneal epithelial cells (MCEC) and human corneal epithelial cells (HCET). MCEC were tested for reactive oxygen species using a 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein assay; RT-PCR determined mRNA levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in MCEC (HMGB1, toll-like receptor 2, IL-1β, CXCL2, GPX1, GPX2, GR1, superoxide dismutase 2, and heme oxygenase 1) and HCET (high mobility group box 1, CXCL2, and IL-1β). C57BL/6 mice also were infected and after 6 hours, the PM2.5 was topically applied. Disease was graded by clinical score and evaluated by histology, plate count, myeloperoxidase assay, RT-PCR, ELISA, and Western blot. Results After PM2.5 (25–200 µg/mL), 80% to 90% of MCEC and HCET were viable and PM exposure increased reactive oxygen species in MCEC and mRNA expression levels for inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in mouse and human cells. In vivo, the cornea of PA+PM2.5 exposed mice exhibited earlier perforation over PA alone (confirmed histologically). In cornea, plate counts were increased after PA+PM2.5, whereas myeloperoxidase activity was significantly increased after PA+PM2.5 over other groups. The mRNA levels for several proinflammatory and oxidative stress markers were increased in the cornea in the PA+PM2.5 over other groups; protein levels were elevated for high mobility group box 1, but not toll-like receptor 4 or glutathione reductase 1. Uninfected corneas treated with PM2.5 did not differ from normal. Conclusions PM2.5 triggers reactive oxygen species, upregulates mRNA levels of oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, and high mobility group box 1 protein, contributing to perforation in PA-infected corneas.
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Yitshak-Sade M, Lane KJ, Fabian MP, Kloog I, Hart JE, Davis B, Fong KC, Schwartz JD, Laden F, Zanobetti A. Race or racial segregation? Modification of the PM2.5 and cardiovascular mortality association. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236479. [PMID: 32716950 PMCID: PMC7384646 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many studies have identified an inequitable distribution of exposure to PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns) by race. We investigated the association of PM2.5 and cardiovascular mortality considering both the decedents' race and neighborhood racial composition as potential modifiers. METHODS We obtained geocoded cardiovascular mortality records of all black and white decedents from urban block-groups in Massachusetts between 2001 and 2011 (n = 130,863). We examined the association between PM2.5 and cardiovascular mortality, and assessed effect modification by three types of racial modifiers: decedents' race, census block-group percent black and white, and two novel measures of racial segregation. The Racial Residential Segregation (RRS) quantifies the concentration of non-Hispanic blacks and whites in each block-group. The Index of Racial Dissimilarity measures dissimilarity in non-Hispanic black and white racial distribution between the smaller census block-group and larger tract. RESULTS We found a 2.35%(95%CI: 0.92%;3.79%) increase in mortality for each 10μg/m3 increase in two-day average exposure to PM2.5. The effect was modified by the block-group racial composition, with higher risks in block-groups with the highest percentage of black residents (interaction p-value = 0.04), and in block-groups with the lowest RRS (i.e. higher black to white resident ratio, interaction p-value = 0.072). Racial dissimilarity did not modify the associations. CONCLUSION Current levels of PM2.5 are associated with increased cardiovascular deaths in Massachusetts, with different risks between areas with different racial composition and segregation. This suggests that pollution reductions in neighborhoods with the highest percentage of non-Hispanic blacks would be most beneficial in reducing cardiovascular mortality and disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maayan Yitshak-Sade
- Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Kevin J. Lane
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - M. Patricia Fabian
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Itai Kloog
- Department of Geography and Environmental Development, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jaime E. Hart
- Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Brigette Davis
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Kelvin C. Fong
- Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
- School of Forestry & Environmental Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States of America
| | - Joel D. Schwartz
- Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Francine Laden
- Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Antonella Zanobetti
- Exposure, Epidemiology, and Risk Program, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
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Muñoz-Pizza DM, Villada-Canela M, Reyna MA, Texcalac-Sangrador JL, Serrano-Lomelin J, Osornio-Vargas Á. Assessing the Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Air Pollution Levels on the Public Perception of Local Air Quality in a Mexico-US Border City. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17134616. [PMID: 32604985 PMCID: PMC7369924 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17134616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution in developing countries is a growing concern. It is associated with urbanization and social and economic structures. The understanding of how social factors can influence the perception and the potential impact of air pollution have not been addressed sufficiently. This paper addresses the social vulnerability and exposure to PM10 association and its influence on the air quality perception of residents in Mexicali, a Mexico–US border city. This study used individual variables and population census data, as well as statistical and spatial analyses. A cluster of socially vulnerable populations with high exposure to coarse particulate matter (PM10) was found in the city’s peripheral areas. The spatial distribution of the local perception of air quality varied by the exposure zones of the estimated PM10 concentrations. Respondents living in very high exposure areas perceive air quality as “poor,” contrarily to a worse perception in areas of intermediate and lower exposure to PM10. Proximity to stationary sources of pollution was associated with a poor perception of air quality. Results also indicate that low household income and poor air quality perceived at the place of residence negatively influences the perceived changes in the air quality over time. The knowledge of chronic health effects related to air pollution was scarce in the sampled population, especially in the areas with very high exposure and high social vulnerability. These findings can serve as a support in local air quality management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia M. Muñoz-Pizza
- Doctorado en Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo, Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada 22860, Mexico
- Correspondence: (D.M.M.-P.); (M.V.-C.)
| | - Mariana Villada-Canela
- Doctorado en Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo, Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada 22860, Mexico
- Correspondence: (D.M.M.-P.); (M.V.-C.)
| | - M. A. Reyna
- Cuerpo académico de Bioingeniería y Salud Ambiental, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21100, Mexico;
| | - José Luis Texcalac-Sangrador
- Environmental Health Department, Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Ciudad de Mexico 14080, Mexico;
| | - Jesús Serrano-Lomelin
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Heritage Medical Research Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R7, Canada;
| | - Álvaro Osornio-Vargas
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada;
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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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Health disparities attributable to air pollutant exposure in North Carolina: Influence of residential environmental and social factors. Health Place 2020; 62:102287. [PMID: 32479364 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2020.102287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the environmental justice implications of the mortality impacts of air pollution exposure is a public health priority, as some subpopulations may face a disproportionate health burden. We examined which residential environmental and social factors may affect disparities in the air pollution-mortality relationship in North Carolina, US, using a time-stratified case-crossover design. Results indicate that air pollution poses a higher mortality risk for some persons (e.g., elderly) than others. Our findings have implications for environmental justice regarding protection of those who suffer the most from exposure to air pollution and policies to protect their health.
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Connecting Air Pollution Exposure to Socioeconomic Status: A Cross-Sectional Study on Environmental Injustice among Pregnant Women in Scania, Sweden. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16245116. [PMID: 31847380 PMCID: PMC6949975 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16245116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Environmental injustice, characterized by lower socioeconomic status (SES) persons being subjected to higher air pollution concentrations, was explored among pregnant women in Scania, Sweden. Understanding if the general reduction of air pollution recorded is enjoyed by all SES groups could illuminate existing inequalities and inform policy development. "Maternal Air Pollution in Southern Sweden", an epidemiological database, contains data for 48,777 pregnancies in Scanian hospital catchment areas and includes births from 1999-2009. SES predictors considered included education level, household disposable income, and birth country. A Gaussian dispersion model was used to model women's average NOX and PM2.5 exposure at home residence over the pregnancy period. Total concentrations were dichotomized into emission levels below/above respective Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air objectives. The data were analyzed using binary logistic regression. A sensitivity analysis facilitated the investigation of associations' variation over time. Lower-SES women born outside Sweden were disproportionately exposed to higher pollutant concentrations. Odds of exposure to NOX above Swedish EPA objectives reduced over time, especially for low-SES persons. Environmental injustice exists in Scania, but it lessened with declining overall air pollution levels, implying that continued air quality improvement could help protect vulnerable populations and further reduce environmental inequalities.
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Thind MPS, Tessum CW, Azevedo IL, Marshall JD. Fine Particulate Air Pollution from Electricity Generation in the US: Health Impacts by Race, Income, and Geography. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:14010-14019. [PMID: 31746196 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b02527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Electricity generation is a large contributor to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution. However, the demographic distribution of the resulting exposure is largely unknown. We estimate exposures to and health impacts of PM2.5 from electricity generation in the US, for each of the seven Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs), for each US state, by income and by race. We find that average exposures are the highest for blacks, followed by non-Latino whites. Exposures for remaining groups (e.g., Asians, Native Americans, Latinos) are somewhat lower. Disparities by race/ethnicity are observed for each income category, indicating that the racial/ethnic differences hold even after accounting for differences in income. Levels of disparity differ by state and RTO. Exposures are higher for lower-income than for higher-income, but disparities are larger by race than by income. Geographically, we observe large differences between where electricity is generated and where people experience the resulting PM2.5 health consequences; some states are net exporters of health impacts, other are net importers. For 36 US states, most of the health impacts are attributable to emissions in other states. Most of the total impacts are attributable to coal rather than other fuels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maninder P S Thind
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
| | - Christopher W Tessum
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
| | - Inês L Azevedo
- Department of Energy Resources Engineering, School of Earth, Energy and the Environment , Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 , United States
| | - Julian D Marshall
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington 98195 , United States
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Martenies SE, Akherati A, Jathar S, Magzamen S. Health and Environmental Justice Implications of Retiring Two Coal-Fired Power Plants in the Southern Front Range Region of Colorado. GEOHEALTH 2019; 3:266-283. [PMID: 32159046 PMCID: PMC7007175 DOI: 10.1029/2019gh000206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite improvements in air quality over the past 50 years, ambient air pollution remains an important public health issue in the United States. In particular, emissions from coal-fired power plants still have a substantial impact on both nearby and regional populations. Of particular concern is the potential for this impact to fall disproportionately on low-income communities and communities of color. We conducted a quantitative health impact assessment to estimate the health benefits of the proposed decommissioning of two coal-fired electricity generating stations in the Southern Front Range region of Colorado. We estimated changes in exposures to fine particulate matter and ozone using the Community Multiscale Air Quality model and predicted avoided health impacts and related economic values. We also quantitatively assessed the distribution of these benefits by population-level socioeconomic status. Across the study area, decommissioning the power plants would result in 2 (95% CI: 1-3) avoided premature deaths each year due to reduced PM2.5 exposures and greater reductions in hospitalizations and other morbidities. Health benefits resulting from the modeled shutdowns were greatest in areas with lower educational attainment and other economic indicators. Our results suggest that decommissioning these power plants and replacing them with zero-emissions sources could have broad public health benefits for residents of Colorado, with larger benefits for those that are socially disadvantaged. Our results also suggested that researchers and decision makers need to consider the unique demographics of their study areas to ensure that important opportunities to reduce health disparities associated with point-source pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena E. Martenies
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health SciencesColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Ali Akherati
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Shantanu Jathar
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Sheryl Magzamen
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health SciencesColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyColorado School of Public HealthFort CollinsCOUSA
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Thorson J, Collier-Oxandale A, Hannigan M. Using A Low-Cost Sensor Array and Machine Learning Techniques to Detect Complex Pollutant Mixtures and Identify Likely Sources. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2019; 19:E3723. [PMID: 31466288 PMCID: PMC6749282 DOI: 10.3390/s19173723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 08/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
An array of low-cost sensors was assembled and tested in a chamber environment wherein several pollutant mixtures were generated. The four classes of sources that were simulated were mobile emissions, biomass burning, natural gas emissions, and gasoline vapors. A two-step regression and classification method was developed and applied to the sensor data from this array. We first applied regression models to estimate the concentrations of several compounds and then classification models trained to use those estimates to identify the presence of each of those sources. The regression models that were used included forms of multiple linear regression, random forests, Gaussian process regression, and neural networks. The regression models with human-interpretable outputs were investigated to understand the utility of each sensor signal. The classification models that were trained included logistic regression, random forests, support vector machines, and neural networks. The best combination of models was determined by maximizing the F1 score on ten-fold cross-validation data. The highest F1 score, as calculated on testing data, was 0.72 and was produced by the combination of a multiple linear regression model utilizing the full array of sensors and a random forest classification model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Thorson
- Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | | | - Michael Hannigan
- Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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Estimating the causal effect of annual PM 2.5 exposure on mortality rates in the Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states. Environ Epidemiol 2019; 3:e052. [PMID: 31538134 PMCID: PMC6693936 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Dozens of cohort studies have associated particulate matter smaller than 2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) exposure with early deaths, and the Global Burden of Disease identified PM2.5 as the fifth-ranking mortality risk factor in 2015. However, few studies have used causal modeling techniques. We assessed the effect of annual PM2.5 exposure on all-cause mortality rates among the Medicare population in the Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states, using the difference-in-differences approach for causal modeling. Methods We obtained records of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years of age or more who reside in the Northeastern or mid-Atlantic states from 2000 to 2013 and followed each participant from the year of enrollment to the last year of follow-up. We estimated the causal effect of annual PM2.5 exposure on mortality rates using the difference-in-differences approach in the Poisson survival analysis. We controlled for individual confounders, for spatial differences using dummy variables for each ZIP code and for time trends using a penalized spline of year. Results We included 112,376,805 person-years from 15,401,064 people, of whom 37.4% died during the study period. The interquartile range (IQR) of the annual PM2.5 concentration was 3 µg/m3, and the mean annual PM2.5 concentration ranged between 6.5 and 14.5 µg/m3 during the study period. An IQR incremental increase in PM2.5 was associated with a 4.04% increase (95% CI = 3.49%, 4.59%) in mortality rates. Conclusions Assuming no omitted predictors changing differently across ZIP codes over time in correlation with PM2.5, we found a causal effect of PM2.5 on mortality incidence rate.
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Nafiu OO, Owusu-Bediako K, Chimbira WT. Unequal Rates of Serious Perioperative Respiratory Adverse Events Between Black and White Children. J Natl Med Assoc 2019; 111:481-489. [PMID: 31003832 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnma.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2018] [Revised: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent data among pediatric otolaryngology patients showed unexplained higher rates of serious perioperative respiratory adverse events (PRAE) in black children compared to their white peers. We evaluated whether preoperative respiratory comorbidity (PRC) burden contributes to racial disparity in serious PRAE in children undergoing non-otolaryngologic procedures. METHODS Rates of serious PRAE (laryngospasm and/or bronchospasm) were compared across racial groups in a retrospective cohort of black and white children (N = 18538; black 10%) who underwent various elective, non-otolaryngologic procedures between 2007 and 2014 at a US tertiary Children's hospital. Self-reported race was the primary exposure while age, gender, recent upper respiratory tract infection, use of endotracheal intubation, PRC burden and an interaction term between PRC and race were covariates. RESULTS Serious PRAE occurred in 9.6% of black children and 6.6% of white children. Although there was no significant difference in age between the groups, being black (odds ratio (OR) 1.70; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11-2.62) was independently associated with serious PRAE. Similarly, baseline PRC was independently linked (p < 0.001) with serious PRAE. Notably, there was no significant (p = 0.454) interactions between race and PRC and serious PRAE in our subjects. CONCLUSION Race and PRC are important considerations in the risk of serious PRAE and black children are especially at risk compared to their white peers. Children, with PRC (particularly those with SDB and asthma) are also at risk suggesting that due consideration should be given to these factors in the perioperative care of children undergoing elective surgical procedures. Mechanisms underlying these associations deserve further evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olubukola O Nafiu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Section of Pediatric Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Kwaku Owusu-Bediako
- Department of Anesthesiology, Section of Pediatric Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Wilson T Chimbira
- Department of Anesthesiology, Section of Pediatric Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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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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Martenies SE, Batterman SA. Effectiveness of Using Enhanced Filters in Schools and Homes to Reduce Indoor Exposures to PM 2.5 from Outdoor Sources and Subsequent Health Benefits for Children with Asthma. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:10767-10776. [PMID: 30141330 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Filters can reduce indoor concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5), but their benefits have not been well-characterized. This study investigates exposure, health, and cost impacts of high efficiency filters in homes and schools, focusing on the asthma-related outcomes. Reductions in indoor exposures to PM2.5 from outdoor sources with enhanced filters (e.g., MERV 12) are estimated using probabilistic indoor air quality models, and avoided health impacts are quantified using health impact assessment. These methods are applied using data from Detroit, Michigan, an urban region with elevated asthma rates. Replacing inefficient filters with enhanced filters in schools would reduce the PM2.5-attributable asthma burden by 13% annually, with higher benefits for more efficient filters. Marginal costs average $63 per classroom or $32 per child with asthma per year. In homes, using efficient furnace filters or air cleaners yields 11 to 16% reductions in the asthma burden with an annualized marginal costs of $151-494 per household. Additional benefits include reductions in health risk for adults and lower exposures to other contaminants such as PM from indoor sources. On the basis of the included health outcomes, efficient filters in schools in particular is a potentially cost-efficient way to reduce the asthma-related health burden for children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena E Martenies
- Environmental and Radiological Sciences , Colorado State University , 1681 Campus Delivery , Fort Collins , Colorado 80523 , United States
| | - Stuart A Batterman
- Environmental Health Sciences , University of Michigan School of Public Health , 1415 Washington Heights , Ann Arbor , Michigan 48109 , United States
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