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Balaj M, Henson CA, Aronsson A, Aravkin A, Beck K, Degail C, Donadello L, Eikemo K, Friedman J, Giouleka A, Gradeci I, Hay SI, Jensen MR, Mclaughlin SA, Mullany EC, O'connell EM, Sripada K, Stonkute D, Sorensen RJ, Solhaug S, Vonen HD, Westby C, Zheng P, Mohammad T, Eikemo TA, Gakidou E. Effects of education on adult mortality: a global systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health 2024; 9:e155-e165. [PMID: 38278172 PMCID: PMC10901745 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-2667(23)00306-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The positive effect of education on reducing all-cause adult mortality is known; however, the relative magnitude of this effect has not been systematically quantified. The aim of our study was to estimate the reduction in all-cause adult mortality associated with each year of schooling at a global level. METHODS In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we assessed the effect of education on all-cause adult mortality. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Global Health (CAB), EconLit, and Sociology Source Ultimate databases from Jan 1, 1980, to May 31, 2023. Reviewers (LD, TM, HDV, CW, IG, AG, CD, DS, KB, KE, and AA) assessed each record for individual-level data on educational attainment and mortality. Data were extracted by a single reviewer into a standard template from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study. We excluded studies that relied on case-crossover or ecological study designs to reduce the risk of bias from unlinked data and studies that did not report key measures of interest (all-cause adult mortality). Mixed-effects meta-regression models were implemented to address heterogeneity in referent and exposure measures among studies and to adjust for study-level covariates. This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020183923). FINDINGS 17 094 unique records were identified, 603 of which were eligible for analysis and included data from 70 locations in 59 countries, producing a final dataset of 10 355 observations. Education showed a dose-response relationship with all-cause adult mortality, with an average reduction in mortality risk of 1·9% (95% uncertainty interval 1·8-2·0) per additional year of education. The effect was greater in younger age groups than in older age groups, with an average reduction in mortality risk of 2·9% (2·8-3·0) associated with each additional year of education for adults aged 18-49 years, compared with a 0·8% (0·6-1·0) reduction for adults older than 70 years. We found no differential effect of education on all-cause mortality by sex or Socio-demographic Index level. We identified publication bias (p<0·0001) and identified and reported estimates of between-study heterogeneity. INTERPRETATION To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the importance of years of schooling in reducing adult mortality, the benefits of which extend into older age and are substantial across sexes and economic contexts. This work provides compelling evidence of the importance of education in improving life expectancy and supports calls for increased investment in education as a crucial pathway for reducing global inequities in mortality. FUNDING Research Council of Norway and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Sly P, Nabhani KA, Sripada K, Kayama F. Microplastics in the Asia-Pacific Region in the Plasticene Era: Exposures and Health Risks. Ann Glob Health 2024; 90:8. [PMID: 38312716 PMCID: PMC10836168 DOI: 10.5334/aogh.4326] [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: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Within the broader Anthropocene Epoch resides the Plasticene Era, where humans are subjected pervasively to nano- and microplastics (NMPs). Human's widespread exposure with NMPs occurs through the air we breathe, water we drink, and food we eat. NMP sources are wide and varied; atmospheric NMPs are largely attributed to fibres from car tyres and synthetic clothing, while particles from food packaging, personal care products, and plastic manufacturing contribute significantly to food and water contamination. NMPs have become inherent within the human body and have been found in every organ. As such, the evidence base around adverse health effects is fragmented but growing. This article presents a mini-review and report of sessions presented about NMPs at the 19th International Conference of the Pacific Basin Consortium for Environment and Health, held on Jeju Island, in 2022. Abundant evidence of substantial exposure to NMPs in the Asia-Pacific region has been exhibited. Addressing this issue necessitates the collaboration of policymakers, manufacturers, and researchers to develop safer alternatives and implement mitigation and remediation strategies. The ongoing development of a new United Nations-led global plastic treaty presents a crucial opportunity that must be acted on and not be compromised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Sly
- Children’s Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, AU
| | | | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Digital Life Norway, Institute of Biotechnology & Food Science, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, NO
| | - Fujio Kayama
- Division of Environmental Medicine, Center for Community Medicine, Jichi Medical University, JP
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Sripada K, Lager AM. Interventions to reduce cadmium exposure in low- and middle-income countries during pregnancy and childhood: A systematic review. J Glob Health 2022; 12:04089. [DOI: 10.7189/jogh.12.04089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kam Sripada
- Centre for Digital Life Norway, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research (CHAIN), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Adrian Madsen Lager
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
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Glatz Brubakk K, Gjengedal ELF, Enger Ø, Sripada K. Ammunition Waste Pollution and Preliminary Assessment of Risks to Child Health from Toxic Metals at the Greek Refugee Camp Mavrovouni. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:10086. [PMID: 36011717 PMCID: PMC9408271 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191610086] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Mavrovouni refugee camp near the former Moria camp on the island of Lesvos, Greece, housed approximately 3000 asylum-seekers including children as of October 2021. The camp was built on the site of a military shooting range. This study aimed to characterize the soil contaminants and assess the risk of toxic environmental exposures for children living in Mavrovouni. Methods: Samples of surface soil (0−2 cm depth; particle size < 2 mm) from eight locations inside the camp were compared with two reference samples. Soil samples were microwave digested using a mixture of nitric and hydrofluoric acids and analyzed for lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), bismuth (Bi), and other metals using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. These values were compared with action limits established by the Norwegian Environment Agency for kindergartens, playgrounds, and schools. Findings: Five of eight soil samples from inside the camp exceeded Pb levels of 100 mg/kg, which is currently the maximum acceptable value of Pb in soil for playgrounds in Norway. Two sites had extreme soil Pb levels of approximately 8000 mg/kg and 6000 mg/kg. The concen-tration of Sb and Bi in the surface soil of the firing range area strongly indicated environmental contamination, most likely from previous military activity and ammunition residue that has re-mained on the surface soil. Concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in surface soil were lower than action limits. Discussion: Extremely high levels of Pb, together with high levels of Sb and Bi, were identified in soil where children live and play in the Mavrovouni refugee camp. This is the first independent study of environmental contamination at this camp and adds to the limited evidence base documenting Pb exposures prior to migrant and refugee reset-tlement. On top of the multiple existing public health crises and traumas that these asylum-seeking families face, exposure to toxic ammunition residues may have profound impacts on children’s development and health for years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Glatz Brubakk
- Department of Psychology, Out-Patient Clinic for Children and Adolescents, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Elin Lovise Folven Gjengedal
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), NO-1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Øyvind Enger
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), NO-1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research (CHAIN), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
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Beck KC, Balaj M, Donadello L, Mohammad T, Vonen HD, Degail C, Eikemo K, Giouleka A, Gradeci I, Westby C, Sripada K, Jensen MR, Solhaug S, Gakidou E, Eikemo TA. Educational inequalities in adult mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the Asia Pacific region. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e059042. [PMID: 35940840 PMCID: PMC9364406 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059042] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In this study, we aim to analyse the relationship between educational attainment and all-cause mortality of adults in the high-income Asia Pacific region. DESIGN This study is a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis with no language restrictions on searches. Included articles were assessed for study quality and risk of bias using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the overall effect of individual level educational attainment on all-cause mortality. SETTING The high-income Asia Pacific Region consisting of Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. PARTICIPANTS Articles reporting adult all-cause mortality by individual-level education were obtained through searches conducted from 25 November 2019 to 6 December 2019 of the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, Global Health (CAB), EconLit and Sociology Source Ultimate. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES Adult all-cause mortality was the primary outcome of interest. RESULTS Literature searches resulted in 15 345 sources screened for inclusion. A total of 30 articles meeting inclusion criteria with data from the region were included for this review. Individual-level data from 7 studies covering 222 241 individuals were included in the meta-analyses. Results from the meta-analyses showed an overall risk ratio of 2.40 (95% CI 1.74 to 3.31) for primary education and an estimate of 1.29 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.54) for secondary education compared with tertiary education. CONCLUSION The results indicate that lower educational attainment is associated with an increase in the risk of all-cause mortality for adults in the high-income Asia Pacific region. This study offers empirical support for the development of policies to reduce health disparities across the educational gradient and universal access to all levels of education. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42020183923.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Christine Beck
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Mirza Balaj
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lorena Donadello
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Talal Mohammad
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Hanne Dahl Vonen
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Claire Degail
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kristoffer Eikemo
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anna Giouleka
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Indrit Gradeci
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Celine Westby
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Centre for Digital Life Norway, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Magnus Rom Jensen
- Library Section for Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University Library, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Solvor Solhaug
- Library Section for Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University Library, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Emmanuela Gakidou
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington Seattle Campus, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Terje Andreas Eikemo
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Clarsen B, Nylenna M, Klitkou ST, Vollset SE, Baravelli CM, Bølling AK, Aasvang GM, Sulo G, Naghavi M, Pasovic M, Asaduzzaman M, Bjørge T, Eggen AE, Eikemo TA, Ellingsen CL, Haaland ØA, Hailu A, Hassan S, Hay SI, Juliusson PB, Kisa A, Kisa S, Månsson J, Mekonnen T, Murray CJL, Norheim OF, Ottersen T, Sagoe D, Sripada K, Winkler AS, Knudsen AKS. Changes in life expectancy and disease burden in Norway, 1990–2019: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The Lancet Public Health 2022; 7:e593-e605. [PMID: 35779543 PMCID: PMC9253891 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-2667(22)00092-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Methods Findings Interpretation Funding
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York HW, Balaj M, Sripada K, Gakidou E, Eikemo TA. Understanding the social determinants of health - Authors' reply. Lancet 2022; 399:1467-1468. [PMID: 35430016 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(21)02661-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hunter Wade York
- Department of Sociology and Office of Population Research, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Mirza Balaj
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, 7491, Norway
| | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, 7491, Norway
| | - Emmanuela Gakidou
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Terje Andreas Eikemo
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, 7491, Norway.
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Xu S, Hansen S, Sripada K, Aarsland T, Horvat M, Mazej D, Alvarez MV, Odland JØ. Maternal Blood Levels of Toxic and Essential Elements and Birth Outcomes in Argentina: The EMASAR Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:ijerph19063643. [PMID: 35329330 PMCID: PMC8954125 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Pregnant women’s levels of toxic and essential minerals have been linked to birth outcomes yet have not been adequately investigated in South America. In Argentina, n = 696 maternal whole blood samples from Ushuaia (n = 198) and Salta (n = 498) were collected in 2011–2012 among singleton women at 36 ± 12 h postpartum and analyzed for blood concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn). This study examined the associations between maternal elements levels and birth outcomes, and sociodemographic factors contributing to elements levels. Maternal age, parity, body mass index, smoking, and education were linked to concentrations of some but not all elements. In adjusted models, one ln-unit increase in Pb levels was associated with increased gestational age (0.2 weeks, 95% CI = 0.01–0.48) and decreased birth weight (−88.90 g, 95% CI = −173.69 to −4.11) and birth length (−0.46 cm, 95% CI = −0.85 to −0.08) in the Salta sample. Toxic elements concentrations were not associated with birth outcomes in Ushuaia participants. Birth outcomes are multifactorial problems, and these findings provide a foundation for understanding how the body burden of toxic and essential elements, within the socioeconomic context, may influence birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Xu
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway;
- Center for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5009 Bergen, Norway
| | - Solrunn Hansen
- Department of Health and Care Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromso, Norway;
| | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research (CHAIN), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway;
- Centre for Digital Life Norway, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Torbjørn Aarsland
- Research Department, Stavanger University Hospital, 4068 Stavanger, Norway;
| | - Milena Horvat
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.H.); (D.M.)
| | - Darja Mazej
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.H.); (D.M.)
| | - Marisa Viviana Alvarez
- Pediatric Department, Hospital Público Materno Infantil de Salta, Sarmiento 1301, Salta 4400, Argentina;
| | - Jon Øyvind Odland
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway;
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
- Correspondence:
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Sripada K, Wierzbicka A, Abass K, Grimalt JO, Erbe A, Röllin HB, Weihe P, Díaz GJ, Singh RR, Visnes T, Rautio A, Odland JØ, Wagner M. A Children's Health Perspective on Nano- and Microplastics. Environ Health Perspect 2022; 130:15001. [PMID: 35080434 PMCID: PMC8791070 DOI: 10.1289/ehp9086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy, infancy, and childhood are sensitive windows for environmental exposures. Yet the health effects of exposure to nano- and microplastics (NMPs) remain largely uninvestigated or unknown. Although plastic chemicals are a well-established research topic, the impacts of plastic particles are unexplored, especially with regard to early life exposures. OBJECTIVES This commentary aims to summarize the knowns and unknowns around child- and pregnancy-relevant exposures to NMPs via inhalation, placental transfer, ingestion and breastmilk, and dermal absorption. METHODS A comprehensive literature search to map the state of the science on NMPs found 37 primary research articles on the health relevance of NMPs during early life and revealed major knowledge gaps in the field. We discuss opportunities and challenges for quantifying child-specific exposures (e.g., NMPs in breastmilk or infant formula) and health effects, in light of global inequalities in baby bottle use, consumption of packaged foods, air pollution, hazardous plastic disposal, and regulatory safeguards. We also summarize research needs for linking child health and NMP exposures and address the unknowns in the context of public health action. DISCUSSION Few studies have addressed child-specific sources of exposure, and exposure estimates currently rely on generic assumptions rather than empirical measurements. Furthermore, toxicological research on NMPs has not specifically focused on child health, yet children's immature defense mechanisms make them particularly vulnerable. Apart from few studies investigating the placental transfer of NMPs, the physicochemical properties (e.g., polymer, size, shape, charge) driving the absorption, biodistribution, and elimination in early life have yet to be benchmarked. Accordingly, the evidence base regarding the potential health impacts of NMPs in early life remains sparse. Based on the evidence to date, we provide recommendations to fill research gaps, stimulate policymakers and industry to address the safety of NMPs, and point to opportunities for families to reduce early life exposures to plastic. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9086.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kam Sripada
- Centre for Digital Life Norway, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research (CHAIN), NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Aneta Wierzbicka
- Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Centre for Healthy Indoor Environments, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Khaled Abass
- Arctic Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Pesticides, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Joan O. Grimalt
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Andreas Erbe
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Halina B. Röllin
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Environment and Health Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, Faroese Hospital System, Faroe Islands
| | - Gabriela Jiménez Díaz
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Randolph Reyes Singh
- Laboratoire Biogéochimie des Contaminants Organiques, Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de la mer, Nantes, France
| | - Torkild Visnes
- Department of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, SINTEF Industry, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Arja Rautio
- Arctic Health, Thule Institute, University of Oulu and University of the Arctic, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jon Øyvind Odland
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of General Hygiene, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
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Sripada K. Child health and wellbeing in a changing climate. Eur J Public Health 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab164.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Children are one of the most sensitive groups to climate change, along with the elderly and those in small island developing states, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. UNICEF estimates that more than half a billion children are estimated to live in extremely high flood risk areas. Children are vulnerable to both the sudden events linked to climate change (e.g., flooding, heatwaves, and wildfires) as well as slower-onset impacts (e.g., water scarcity, shifting agricultural zones, rising sea levels, and increasing disease-vector ranges). Climate change has enormous potential to undermine development gains and livelihood options for today's children. This presentation will provide an overview of impacts on child health and development of both the sudden climate change effects, including extreme weather events, extreme heat, and effects on natural systems; and consequences of the changing climate, such as displacement, migration, and social instability. The trauma of living through a climate-related disaster can have substantial mental health impacts on children and youth. Some key challenges towards to studying and modelling these impacts will be shared. Finally, action and commitments to protect children from climate change will be highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Sripada
- Center for Global Health Inequalities Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Jensen M, Combariza Bayona DA, Sripada K. Mercury Exposure among E-Waste Recycling Workers in Colombia: Perceptions of Safety, Risk, and Access to Health Information. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:9295. [PMID: 34501885 PMCID: PMC8430711 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Exposures to the toxic element mercury (Hg) are exceptionally high among recycling workers globally. Recycling is a growing sector in Colombia, yet workers who directly handle e-waste are often unaware of the risks of exposure to mercury from post-consumer lighting products (e.g., fluorescent lamps). This qualitative study aimed to understand how recycling workers perceive their own risks from mercury exposure and how they find information about these risks, through interviews (n = 35) at the three largest formal recycling facilities in Colombia. Workers' risk perception was generally disconnected from their likely actual exposure to mercury, instead often seen juxtaposed to co-workers who worked more directly with hazardous waste. Recycling workers, who were predominantly men from lower-income socioeconomic backgrounds, had limited knowledge of health risks due to mercury exposure and were more likely to receive health-related information from informal sources. Over a third of interviewees had searched online for information about occupational health risks of mercury, but these searches were perceived as unsatisfactory due to information being difficult to find, not available in Spanish, or related to mercury exposure via seafood or mining rather than recycling. Workers expressed (over)confidence in personal protective equipment and concern about frequent employee turnover. This study points to weaknesses in environmental health literacy and public health communication around toxic exposures to mercury in the workplace. Stronger regulation and enforcement are needed to prevent toxic exposures and promote worker health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jensen
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU—Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway;
| | | | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research (CHAIN), NTNU—Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
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Balaj M, York HW, Sripada K, Besnier E, Vonen HD, Aravkin A, Friedman J, Griswold M, Jensen MR, Mohammad T, Mullany EC, Solhaug S, Sorensen R, Stonkute D, Tallaksen A, Whisnant J, Zheng P, Gakidou E, Eikemo TA. Parental education and inequalities in child mortality: a global systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet 2021; 398:608-620. [PMID: 34119000 PMCID: PMC8363948 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(21)00534-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The educational attainment of parents, particularly mothers, has been associated with lower levels of child mortality, yet there is no consensus on the magnitude of this relationship globally. We aimed to estimate the total reductions in under-5 mortality that are associated with increased maternal and paternal education, during distinct age intervals. METHODS This study is a comprehensive global systematic review and meta-analysis of all existing studies of the effects of parental education on neonatal, infant, and under-5 child mortality, combined with primary analyses of Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data. The literature search of seven databases (CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) was done between Jan 23 and Feb 8, 2019, and updated on Jan 7, 2021, with no language or publication date restrictions. Teams of independent reviewers assessed each record for its inclusion of individual-level data on parental education and child mortality and excluded articles on the basis of study design and availability of relevant statistics. Full-text screening was done in 15 languages. Data extracted from these studies were combined with primary microdata from the DHS for meta-analyses relating maternal or paternal education with mortality at six age intervals: 0-27 days, 1-11 months, 1-4 years, 0-4 years, 0-11 months, and 1 month to 4 years. Novel mixed-effects meta-regression models were implemented to address heterogeneity in referent and exposure measures among the studies and to adjust for study-level covariates (wealth or income, partner's years of schooling, and sex of the child). This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020141731). FINDINGS The systematic review returned 5339 unique records, yielding 186 included studies after exclusions. DHS data were compiled from 114 unique surveys, capturing 3 112 474 livebirths. Data extracted from the systematic review were synthesized together with primary DHS data, for meta-analysis on a total of 300 studies from 92 countries. Both increased maternal and paternal education showed a dose-response relationship linked to reduced under-5 mortality, with maternal education emerging as a stronger predictor. We observed a reduction in under-5 mortality of 31·0% (95% CI 29·0-32·6) for children born to mothers with 12 years of education (ie, completed secondary education) and 17·3% (15·0-18·8) for children born to fathers with 12 years of education, compared with those born to a parent with no education. We also showed that a single additional year of schooling was, on average, associated with a reduction in under-5 mortality of 3·04% (2·82-3·23) for maternal education and 1·57% (1·35-1·72) for paternal education. The association between higher parental education and lower child mortality was significant for both parents at all ages studied and was largest after the first month of life. The meta-analysis framework incorporated uncertainty associated with each individual effect size into the model fitting process, in an effort to decrease the risk of bias introduced by study design and quality. INTERPRETATION To our knowledge, this study is the first effort to systematically quantify the transgenerational importance of education for child survival at the global level. The results showed that lower maternal and paternal education are both risk factors for child mortality, even after controlling for other markers of family socioeconomic status. This study provides robust evidence for universal quality education as a mechanism to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target 3.2 of reducing neonatal and child mortality. FUNDING Research Council of Norway, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation-Boston University Commission on Social Determinants, Data, and Decision Making (3-D Commission).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirza Balaj
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Hunter Wade York
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Sociology and Office of Population Research, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Elodie Besnier
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Hanne Dahl Vonen
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Aleksandr Aravkin
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joseph Friedman
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Center for Social Medicine and Humanities, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Magnus Rom Jensen
- Library Section for Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University Library, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Talal Mohammad
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Erin C Mullany
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Solvor Solhaug
- Library Section for Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University Library, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Reed Sorensen
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Donata Stonkute
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Andreas Tallaksen
- Department of Health Promotion, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway
| | - Joanna Whisnant
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peng Zheng
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Emmanuela Gakidou
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Terje Andreas Eikemo
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
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13
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Suarez-Lopez JR, Cairns MR, Sripada K, Quiros-Alcala L, Mielke HW, Eskenazi B, Etzel RA, Kordas K. COVID-19 and children's health in the United States: Consideration of physical and social environments during the pandemic. Environ Res 2021; 197:111160. [PMID: 33852915 PMCID: PMC8542993 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Public health measures necessary to counteract the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have resulted in dramatic changes in the physical and social environments within which children grow and develop. As our understanding of the pathways for viral exposure and associated health outcomes in children evolves, it is critical to consider how changes in the social, cultural, economic, and physical environments resulting from the pandemic could affect the development of children. This review article considers the environments and settings that create the backdrop for children's health in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, including current threats to child development that stem from: A) change in exposures to environmental contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, disinfectants, air pollution and the built environment; B) changes in food environments resulting from adverse economic repercussion of the pandemic and limited reach of existing safety nets; C) limited access to children's educational and developmental resources; D) changes in the social environments at the individual and household levels, and their interplay with family stressors and mental health; E) social injustice and racism. The environmental changes due to COVID-19 are overlaid onto existing environmental and social disparities. This results in disproportionate effects among children in low-income settings and among populations experiencing the effects of structural racism. This article draws attention to many environments that should be considered in current and future policy responses to protect children's health amid pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose R Suarez-Lopez
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, and Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Maryann R Cairns
- Department of Anthropology, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lesliam Quiros-Alcala
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Howard W Mielke
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ruth A Etzel
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Katarzyna Kordas
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
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14
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Bølling AK, Sripada K, Becher R, Bekö G. Phthalate exposure and allergic diseases: Review of epidemiological and experimental evidence. Environ Int 2020; 139:105706. [PMID: 32371302 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Phthalates are among the most ubiquitous environmental contaminants and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Exposure to phthalates and related health effects have been extensively studied over the past four decades. An association between phthalate exposure and allergic diseases has been suggested, although the literature is far from conclusive. This article reviews and evaluates epidemiological (n = 43), animal (n = 49), and cell culture studies (n = 42), published until the end of 2019, on phthalates and allergic diseases, such as asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema. In contrast to earlier reviews, emphasis is placed on experimental studies that use concentrations with relevance for human exposure. Epidemiological studies provide support for associations between phthalate exposures and airway, nasal, ocular, and dermal allergic disease outcomes, although the reported significant associations tend to be weak and demonstrate inconsistencies for any given phthalate. Rodent studies support that phthalates may act as adjuvants at levels likely to be relevant for environmental exposures, inducing respiratory and inflammatory effects in the presence of an allergen. Cell culture studies demonstrate that phthalates may alter the functionality of innate and adaptive immune cells. However, due to limitations of the applied exposure methods and models in experimental studies, including the diversity of phthalates, exposure routes, and allergic diseases considered, the support provided to the epidemiological findings is fragmented. Nevertheless, the current evidence points in the direction of concern. Further research is warranted to identify the most critical windows of exposure, the importance of exposure pathways, interactions with social factors, and the effects of co-exposure to phthalates and other environmental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Rune Becher
- Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gabriel Bekö
- International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark; Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania
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Eskenazi B, Etzel RA, Sripada K, Cairns MR, Hertz-Picciotto I, Kordas K, Machado Torres JP, Mielke HW, Oulhote Y, Quirós-Alcalá L, Suárez-López JR, Zlatnik MG. The International Society for Children's Health and the Environment Commits to Reduce Its Carbon Footprint to Safeguard Children's Health. Environ Health Perspect 2020; 128:14501. [PMID: 31909653 PMCID: PMC7015537 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The Lancet Countdown and the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change declared that the worst impacts of climate change are and will continue to be felt disproportionately by children. Children are uniquely vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, including heat stress, food scarcity, increases in pollution and vector-borne diseases, lost family income, displacement, and the trauma of living through a climate-related disaster. These stressors can result in long-lasting physical and mental health sequelae. Based upon these concerns associated with climate change, the International Society for Children's Health and the Environment developed a statement about ways in which the Society could take action to reduce its contribution of greenhouse gas emissions. The objective of this article is to report our Society's plans in hopes that we may stimulate other scientific societies to take action. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6578.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research & Children’s Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Ruth A. Etzel
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Maryann R. Cairns
- Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Katarzyna Kordas
- School of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - João Paulo Machado Torres
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Howard W. Mielke
- School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Youssef Oulhote
- School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - José R. Suárez-López
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Marya G. Zlatnik
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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16
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Aanes S, Bjuland KJ, Sripada K, Sølsnes AE, Grunewaldt KH, Håberg A, Løhaugen GC, Skranes J. Reduced hippocampal subfield volumes and memory function in school-aged children born preterm with very low birthweight (VLBW). Neuroimage Clin 2019; 23:101857. [PMID: 31136968 PMCID: PMC6536855 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hippocampus, an essential structure for learning and memory, has a reduced volume in preterm born (gestational age < 37 weeks) individuals with very low birth weight (VLBW: birth weight < 1500 g), which may affect memory function. However, the hippocampus is a complex structure with distinct subfields related to specific memory functions. These subfields are differentially affected by a variety of neuropathological conditions, but it remains unclear how these subfields may be affected by medical complications following preterm birth which may cause aberrant brain development, and the consequences of this on learning and memory function in children with VLBW. METHODS Children born preterm with VLBW (n = 34) and term-born controls from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) (n = 104) underwent structural MRI and a neuropsychological assessment of memory function at primary school age. FreeSurfer 6.0 was used to analyze the volumes of hippocampal subfields which were compared between groups, as was memory performance. Correlations between abnormal hippocampal subfields and memory performance were explored in the VLBW group. RESULTS All absolute hippocampal subfield volumes were lower in the children with VLBW compared to MoBa term-born controls, and the volumes of the left and right dentate gyrus and the right subiculum remained significantly lower after correcting for total intracranial volume. The VLBW group had inferior working memory performance and the score on the subtest Spatial Span backwards was positively correlated to the volume of the right dentate gyrus. CONCLUSIONS Hippocampal subfield volumes seem to be differently affected by early brain development related to preterm birth. The dentate gyrus appears particularly susceptible to adverse effects of preterm birth. Reduced working memory function among children with VLBW was associated with smaller volume of right dentate gyrus. This finding demonstrates alterations in hippocampal structure-function relationships associated with early brain development related to preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Synne Aanes
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | | | - Kam Sripada
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anne Elisabeth Sølsnes
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kristine H Grunewaldt
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, St Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Asta Håberg
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Gro C Løhaugen
- Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
| | - Jon Skranes
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
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17
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Sripada K, Bjuland KJ, Sølsnes AE, Håberg AK, Grunewaldt KH, Løhaugen GC, Rimol LM, Skranes J. Trajectories of brain development in school-age children born preterm with very low birth weight. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15553. [PMID: 30349084 PMCID: PMC6197262 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33530-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth (gestational age < 37 weeks) with very low birth weight (VLBW, birth weight ≤ 1500 g) is associated with lifelong cognitive deficits, including in executive function, and persistent alterations in cortical and subcortical structures. However, it remains unclear whether “catch-up” growth is possible in the preterm/VLBW brain. Longitudinal structural MRI was conducted with children born preterm with VLBW (n = 41) and term-born peers participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) (n = 128) at two timepoints in early school age (mean ages 8.0 and 9.3 years). Images were analyzed with the FreeSurfer 5.3.0 longitudinal stream to assess differences in development of cortical thickness, surface area, and brain structure volumes, as well as associations with executive function development (NEPSY Statue and WMS-III Spatial Span scores) and perinatal health markers. No longitudinal group × time effects in cortical thickness, surface area, or subcortical volumes were seen, indicating similar brain growth trajectories in the groups over an approximately 16-month period in middle childhood. Higher IQ scores within the VLBW group were associated with greater surface area in left parieto-occipital and inferior temporal regions. Among VLBW preterm-born children, cortical surface area was smaller across the cortical mantle, and cortical thickness was thicker occipitally and frontally and thinner in lateral parietal and posterior temporal areas. Smaller volumes of corpus callosum, right globus pallidus, and right thalamus persisted in the VLBW group from timepoint 1 to 2. VLBW children had on average IQ 1 SD below term-born MoBa peers and significantly worse scores on WMS-III Spatial Span. Executive function scores did not show differential associations with morphometry between groups cross-sectionally or longitudinally. This study investigated divergent or “catch-up” growth in terms of cortical thickness, surface area, and volumes of subcortical gray matter structures and corpus callosum in children born preterm/VLBW and did not find group × time interactions. Greater surface area at mean age 9.3 in left parieto-occipital and inferior temporal cortex was associated with higher IQ in the VLBW group. These results suggest that preterm VLBW children may have altered cognitive networks, yet have structural growth trajectories that appear generally similar to their term-born peers in this early school age window.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Sripada
- Department of Clinical & Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - K J Bjuland
- Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
| | - A E Sølsnes
- Department of Clinical & Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - A K Håberg
- Department of Neuromedicine & Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - K H Grunewaldt
- Department of Clinical & Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Pediatrics, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - G C Løhaugen
- Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
| | - L M Rimol
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Circulation & Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - J Skranes
- Department of Clinical & Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
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18
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Sripada K. "Beginning with the Smallest Intake": Children's Brain Development and the Role of Neuroscience in Global Environmental Health. Neuron 2017; 95:1242-1245. [PMID: 28910615 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Early exposure to environmental toxins like lead, air pollution, and arsenic can have long-lasting and irreversible consequences for children's neurodevelopment, especially in the developing world. Though the number of pollutants increases each year, some neuroscientists are forging partnerships to improve measurement, raise awareness, and promote global health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kam Sripada
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, 7006 Norway.
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19
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Sølsnes AE, Sripada K, Yendiki A, Bjuland KJ, Østgård HF, Aanes S, Grunewaldt KH, Løhaugen GC, Eikenes L, Håberg AK, Rimol LM, Skranes J. Limited microstructural and connectivity deficits despite subcortical volume reductions in school-aged children born preterm with very low birth weight. Neuroimage 2015; 130:24-34. [PMID: 26712340 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth and very low birth weight (VLBW, ≤1500 g) are worldwide problems that burden survivors with lifelong cognitive, psychological, and physical challenges. In this multimodal structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion MRI (dMRI) study, we investigated differences in subcortical brain volumes and white matter tract properties in children born preterm with VLBW compared to term-born controls (mean age=8 years). Subcortical brain structure volumes and cortical thickness estimates were obtained, and fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD) were generated for 18 white matter tracts. We also assessed structural relationships between white matter tracts and cortical thickness of the tract endpoints. Compared to controls, the VLBW group had reduced volumes of thalamus, globus pallidus, corpus callosum, cerebral white matter, ventral diencephalon, and brain stem, while the ventricular system was larger in VLBW subjects, after controlling for age, sex, IQ, and estimated total intracranial volume. For the dMRI parameters, group differences were not significant at the whole-tract level, though pointwise analysis found shorter segments affected in forceps minor and left superior longitudinal fasciculus - temporal bundle. IQ did not correlate with subcortical volumes or dMRI measures in the VLBW group. While the deviations in subcortical volumes were substantial, there were few differences in dMRI measures between the two groups, which may reflect the influence of advances in perinatal care on white matter development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Elisabeth Sølsnes
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kam Sripada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Anastasia Yendiki
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Knut Jørgen Bjuland
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Heidi Furre Østgård
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Synne Aanes
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kristine Hermansen Grunewaldt
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Gro C Løhaugen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
| | - Live Eikenes
- Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Asta K Håberg
- Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Medical Imaging, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lars M Rimol
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jon Skranes
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
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Sripada K, Løhaugen GC, Eikenes L, Bjørlykke KM, Håberg AK, Skranes J, Rimol LM. Visual-motor deficits relate to altered gray and white matter in young adults born preterm with very low birth weight. Neuroimage 2015; 109:493-504. [PMID: 25592994 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2014] [Revised: 12/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals born preterm and at very low birth weight (birth weight ≤ 1500 g) are at an increased risk of perinatal brain injury and neurodevelopmental deficits over the long term. This study examined whether this clinical group has more problems with visual-motor integration, motor coordination, and visual perception compared to term-born controls, and related these findings to cortical surface area and thickness and white matter fractional anisotropy. Forty-seven preterm-born very low birth weight individuals and 56 term-born controls were examined at 18-22 years of age with a combined cognitive, morphometric MRI, and diffusion tensor imaging evaluation in Trondheim, Norway. Visual-motor skills were evaluated with the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration-V (VMI) copying test and its supplemental tests of motor coordination and visual perception. 3D T1-weighted MPRAGE images and diffusion tensor imaging were done at 1.5 T. Cortical reconstruction generated in FreeSurfer and voxelwise maps of fractional anisotropy calculated with Tract-Based Spatial Statistics were used to explore the relationship between MRI findings and cognitive results. Very low birth weight individuals had significantly lower scores on the copying and motor coordination tests compared with controls. In the very low birth weight group, VMI scores showed significant positive relationships with cortical surface area in widespread regions, with reductions of the superior temporal gyrus, insula, and medial occipital lobe in conjunction with the posterior ventral temporal lobe. Visual perception scores also showed positive relationships with cortical thickness in the very low birth weight group, primarily in the lateral occipito-temporo-parietal junction, the superior temporal gyrus, insula, and superior parietal regions. In the very low birth weight group, visual-motor performance correlated positively with fractional anisotropy especially in the corpus callosum, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus bilaterally, and anterior thalamic radiation bilaterally, driven primarily by an increase in radial diffusivity. VMI scores did not demonstrate a significant relationship to cortical surface area, cortical thickness, or diffusion measures in the control group. Our results indicate that visual-motor integration problems persist into adulthood for very low birth weight individuals, which may be due to structural alterations in several specific gray-white matter networks. Visual-motor deficits appear related to reduced surface area of motor and visual cortices and disturbed connectivity in long association tracts containing visual and motor information. We conjecture that these outcomes may be due to perinatal brain injury or aberrant cortical development secondary to injury or due to very preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kam Sripada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Gro C Løhaugen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
| | - Live Eikenes
- Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Asta K Håberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jon Skranes
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
| | - Lars M Rimol
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Heller LM, Gilman S, Sripada K, Helman E. Auditory-visual interactions in the judgment of a ball's speed. J Vis 2010. [DOI: 10.1167/6.6.174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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