Postpartum Depressive Symptoms: An Analysis of Social Determinants Using the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.

Background: Approximately one in every eight mothers experience symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) in the United States.1 Existing literature lacks an in-depth exploration of the social context from which symptoms of PPD arise. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS) among new mothers and to explore relationships between selected social determinants of health (SDOH) and the likelihood of experiencing PDS. Materials and Methods: Data were from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) 2016 and 2017 Questionnaires. Measured SDOH included socioeconomic status, social network support, psychosocial stress, and availability of resources to meet basic daily needs. Outcome measurement included a combination of two symptom indicator questions. Univariate analyses yielded weighted frequencies of descriptive statistics according to PDS status, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses yielded odds of reporting PDS. Results: The prevalence of self-reported PDS was 3.5%. Among mothers with PDS, most (54%) lived at or below the federal poverty guideline. Mothers who experienced psychosocial stress (e.g., intimate partner violence) during pregnancy had the highest likelihood of reporting PDS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.60; confidence interval [95% CI], 2.12-6.12). Mothers who considered their most recent pregnancy unintended or mistimed were more likely to report PDS (aOR = 1.36; 95% CI, 1.01-1.82), (aOR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.19-2.27), respectively. Conclusion: Results demonstrate that several social and psychosocial risk factors significantly impact the likelihood of experiencing PDS. The risk of PDS was particularly significant among lower socioeconomic status mothers, especially those with inadequate social network support. Public health efforts to mitigate potentially harmful social factors should focus on transforming public policies and social programs and increasing screening opportunities.

Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Brown rice has been advocated for as a healthier alternative to white rice. However, the concentration of arsenic and other pesticide contaminants is greater in brown rice than in white. The potential health risks and benefits of consuming more brown rice than white rice remain unclear; thus, mainstream nutritional messaging should not advocate for brown rice over white rice. This mini-review aims to summarize the most salient concepts related to dietary arsenic exposure with emphasis on more recent findings and provide consumers with evidence of both risks and benefits of consuming more brown rice than white rice. Despite risk-benefit assessments being a challenging new frontier in nutrition, researchers should pursue an assessment to validate findings and solidify evidence. In the interim, consumers should be cognizant that the dose of arsenic exposure determines its toxicity, and brown rice contains a greater concentration of arsenic than white rice.

Impacts of Agricultural Pesticide Contamination: An Integrated Risk Assessment of Rural Communities of Eswatini.

Marked reductions in mean annual rainfall associated with climate change in Eswatini in Southern Africa have encouraged the recycling of irrigation water and the increased use of pesticides in agricultural production, raising concerns about potential ecological and health risks due to long-term exposure to pesticide residues in soil and irrigation water. This probabilistic integrated risk assessment used liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to analyze the concentrations of four commonly used agricultural pesticides (ametryn, atrazine, pendimethalin, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)) in irrigation water and topsoil samples from farmlands in Eswatini to assess potential ecological and health risks due to exposure. The concentrations of these pesticides ranged from undetectable to 0.104 µg/L in irrigation water and from undetectable to 2.70 µg/g in soil. The probabilistic multi-pathway and multi-route risk assessments conducted revealed hazard indices exceeding 1.0 for all age groups for ametryn and atrazine, suggesting that the daily consumption of recycled irrigation water and produce from the fields in this area may pose considerable health risks. The indices pertaining to ecological risks had values less than 0.1. Adaptation measures are recommended to efficiently manage pesticide use in agriculture, and further research will ensure that agriculture can adapt to climate change and that the general public and ecosystem are protected.

Geospatial Assessment of Pesticide Concentration in Ambient Air and Colorectal Cancer Incidence in Arkansas, 2013-2017.

Exposure to various agricultural pesticides has been linked to colorectal cancer (CRC), mostly among farmworkers and applicators. Given the potential pesticide drift in ambient air, residents near farmland may be exposed to carcinogenic pesticides even if they are not actively engaged in pesticide application. Pesticide air pollution at the county level was estimated using the 2014 National Air Toxics Assessment. CRC incidence data were acquired from the Arkansas Central Cancer Registry for 2013-2017. We ran ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models, finding significant spatial autocorrelation of residuals for most models. Using geographically weighted regression (GWR) we found age-adjusted CRC incidence rates vary in an increasing west-to-east gradient, with the highest rates in the Arkansas Delta region. A similar gradient was observed in the distribution of the population living below the poverty line and the population percentage of Black people. Significant associations between Trifluralin (crude model only), Carbon Tetrachloride, and Ethylene Dibromide with CRC incidence rates in OLS models only explained 5-7% of the variation and exhibited spatial autocorrelation of residuals. GWR models explained 24-32% (adjusted r2 9-16%) of CRC incidence rate variation, suggesting additional factors may contribute to the association between pesticides and CRC.

Alcohol consumption and risk of colon cancer: evidence from the national health and nutrition examination survey I epidemiologic follow-up study.

The epidemiologic findings on the relationship between alcohol consumption and colon cancer are inconsistent. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) I Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study (NHEFS) included a prospective cohort population representative of the general U.S. population, which had not been fully utilized for examining the risk between colon cancer and alcohol drinking. The NHEFS consisted of 10,220 participants prospectively followed over a decade. Alcohol consumption, amount and type of beverage, and drinking patterns at baseline were considered in examination of the effect of alcohol consumption on the risk of colon cancer. The consumption of one or more alcoholic beverages a day at baseline was associated with approximately a 70% greater risk of colon cancer [relative risk (RR)=1.69; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.03, 2.79], with a strong positive dose-response relationship (P=0.04). This association appeared to be exclusively related to daily drinking of one or more drinks of liquor (RR=2.48; 95% CI=1.66, 4.53). Additionally, more than a 70% increased risk of colon cancer was observed for more than 34 yr of alcohol drinking history compared with nondrinkers (RR=1.73; 95% CI=1.08, 2.78). Overall, alcohol consumption was significantly associated with increased risk of colon cancer. The most important factor for colon cancer seems to be liquor consumption.