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Lavigne É, Abdulaziz KE, Murphy MS, Stanescu C, Dingwall-Harvey AL, Stieb DM, Walker MC, Wen SW, Shin HH. Associations of neighborhood greenspace, and active living environments with autism spectrum disorders: A matched case-control study in Ontario, Canada. Environ Res 2024; 252:118828. [PMID: 38583657 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence links early life residential exposure to natural urban environmental attributes and positive health outcomes in children. However, few studies have focused on their protective effects on the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of neighborhood greenspace, and active living environments during pregnancy with ASD in young children (≤6 years). METHODS We conducted a population-based matched case-control study of singleton term births in Ontario, Canada for 2012-2016. The ASD and environmental data was generated using the Ontario Autism Spectrum Profile, the Better Outcomes Registry & Network Ontario, and Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium. We employed conditional logistic regressions to estimate the odds ratio (OR) between ASD and environmental factors characterizing selected greenspace metrics and neighborhoods conducive to active living (i.e., green view index (GVI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), tree canopy, park proximity and active living environments index (ALE)). RESULTS We linked 8643 mother-child pairs, including 1554 cases (18%). NDVI (OR 1.034, 0.944-1.024, per Inter Quartile Range [IQR] = 0.08), GVI (OR 1.025, 95% CI 0.953-1.087, per IQR = 9.45%), tree canopy (OR 0.992, 95% CI 0.903-1.089, per IQR = 6.24%) and the different categories of ALE were not associated with ASD in adjusted models for air pollution. In contrast, living closer to a park was protective (OR 0.888, 0.833-0.948, per 0.06 increase in park proximity index), when adjusted for air pollution. CONCLUSIONS This study reported mixed findings showing both null and beneficial effects of green spaces and active living environments on ASD. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the role of exposure to greenspaces and active living environments on the development of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éric Lavigne
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kasim E Abdulaziz
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Malia Sq Murphy
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cristina Stanescu
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alysha Lj Dingwall-Harvey
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - David M Stieb
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark C Walker
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Newborn Care, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; International and Global Health Office, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Shi Wu Wen
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Newborn Care, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hwashin Hyun Shin
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
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Boisvert C, Talarico R, Gandhi J, Kaluzienski M, Dingwall-Harvey AL, White RR, Sampsel K, Wen SW, Walker M, Muldoon KA, El-Chaâr D. Screening for postpartum depression and risk of suicidality with obstetrical patients: a cross-sectional survey. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2023; 23:635. [PMID: 37667173 PMCID: PMC10478309 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-05903-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy is a vulnerable time where the physical and social stress of the COVID-19 pandemic affects psychological health, including postpartum depression (PPD). This study is designed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of PPD and risk of suicidality among individuals who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We surveyed individuals who gave birth at The Ottawa Hospital and were ≥ 20 days postpartum, between March 17 and June 16, 2020. A PPD screen consisted of a score ≥ 13 using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. A score of 1, 2, or 3 on item 10 ("The thought of harming myself has occurred to me") indicates risk of suicidality. If a participant scores greater than ≥ 13 or ≥ 1 on item 10 they were flagged for PPD, the Principal Investigator (DEC) was notified within 24 h of survey completion for a chart review and to assure follow-up. Modified Poisson multivariable regression models were used to identify factors associated with PPD and risk of suicidality using adjusted risk ratios (aRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS Of the 216 respondents, 64 (30%) screened positive for PPD and 17 (8%) screened positive for risk of suicidality. The maternal median age of the total sample was 33 years (IQR: 30-36) and the infant median age at the time of the survey was 76 days (IQR: 66-90). Most participants reported some form of positive coping strategies during the pandemic (97%) (e.g. connecting with friends and family, exercising, getting professional help) and 139 (64%) reported negative coping patterns (e.g. over/under eating, sleep problems). In total, 47 (22%) had pre-pregnancy anxiety and/or depression. Negative coping (aRR:2.90, 95% CI: 1.56-5.37) and pre-existing anxiety/depression (aRR:2.03, 95% CI:1.32-3.11) were associated with PPD. Pre-existing anxiety/depression (aRR:3.16, 95% CI:1.28-7.81) was associated with risk of suicidality. CONCLUSIONS Almost a third of participants in this study screened positive for PPD and 8% for risk of suicidality. Mental health screening and techniques to foster positive coping skills/strategies are important areas to optimize postpartum mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlie Boisvert
- Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Talarico
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jasmine Gandhi
- Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Mark Kaluzienski
- Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Ruth Rennicks White
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Kari Sampsel
- Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Shi Wu Wen
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Mark Walker
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- International and Global Health Office, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Newborn Care, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Katherine A Muldoon
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Darine El-Chaâr
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Newborn Care, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada.
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