Possible Risk Factors and Their Potential Associations with Combined Heavy Metal Exposures in Pregnant Women in the Republic of Suriname.

Background: The exposure of pregnant women to multiple environmental pollutants may be more disadvantageous to birth outcomes when compared to single-compound contaminations. Objective: This study investigated the mixed exposures to mercury, manganese, or lead in 380 pregnant Surinamese women. The factors that might be associated with the heavy metal exposures and the relative risk of the potential factors to cause the mixed exposures were explored. The influencing factors of exposures to mixed contaminants assessed were living in Suriname's rural regions, several parts of which are contaminated with heavy metals emitted from artisanal and small-scale gold mining and agricultural activities; the consumption of potentially contaminated foods; advanced maternal age; as well as a relatively low formal educational level and monthly household income. Methods: Descriptive statistics were used to calculate frequency distributions and χ2-contingency analyses to calculate associations and relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Findings: Blood levels of two or three of the heavy metals above public health limits were observed in 36% of the women. These women were more often residing in the rural regions, primarily consumed potentially contaminated food items, were 35 years or older, were lower educated, and more often had a lower household income. However, only living in the rural regions (RR = 1.48; 95% CI 1.23-1.77) and a low household income (RR = 1.38; 95% CI 1.15-1.66) significantly increased the risk of exposure exceeding levels of concern to two or three of the heavy metals (by 48% and 38%, respectively). Conclusion: More comprehensive pharmacological, ecological, and epidemiological studies about exposures to mixed heavy metal contaminations in pregnant women are warranted.

Development of a Pilot Literacy Scale to Assess Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors towards Climate Change and Infectious Disease Dynamics in Suriname.

Prior research has shown that climate literacy is sparse among low- and middle-income countries. Additionally, no standardized questionnaire exists for researchers to measure climate literacy among general populations, particularly with regards to climate change effects on vector-borne diseases (VBDs). We developed a comprehensive literacy scale to assess current knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards climate change and VBD dynamics among women enrolled in the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health (CCREOH) cohort in Suriname. Items were generated by our research team and reviewed by a group of six external climate and health experts. After the expert review, a total of 31 climate change and 21 infectious disease items were retained. We estimated our sample size at a 10:1 ratio of participants to items for each scale. In total, 301 women were surveyed. We validated our scales through exploratory (n = 180) and confirmatory factor analyses (n = 121). An exploratory factor analysis for our general Climate Change Scale provided a four-construct solution of 11 items. Our chi-squared value (X2 = 74.32; p = 0.136) indicated that four factors were sufficient. A confirmatory factor analysis reinforced our findings, providing a good model fit (X2 = 39.03; p = 0.23; RMSEA = 0.015). Our Infectious Disease Scale gave a four-construct solution of nine items (X2 = 153.86; p = 0.094). A confirmatory factor analysis confirmed these results, with a chi-squared value of 19.16 (p = 0.575) and an RMSEA of 0.00. This research is vitally important for furthering climate and health education, especially with increases in VBDs spread by Aedes mosquitoes in the Caribbean, South America, and parts of the southern United States.

Contrasting mercury contamination scenarios and site susceptibilities confound fish mercury burdens in Suriname, South America.

In Suriname, mercury (Hg) use has recently increased because of gold mining, which has put fish-reliant communities (e.g., Indigenous and Tribal) at risk of enhanced Hg exposure through the riverine fish these communities consume. To quantify how the magnitude of these risks change according to location and time, we measured total mercury (HgT) in fish at sites downstream and upstream of an artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) operation in 2004-2005 and in 2017-2018. We tested whether fish HgT burdens over dynamic ranges were increased. Surprisingly, our findings did not support broadly increased fish Hg burden over time or that proximity to ASGM was diagnostic to fish HgT-burden. Subsequently, we elected to test the HgT stable isotope ratios on a set of freshly collected 2020 fish to determine whether differences in Hg source and delivery pathways might cofound results. We found that remote unmined sites were more susceptible to gaseous elemental Hg deposition pathways, leading to enhanced risk of contamination, whereas ASGM proximate sites were not. These results highlight that elemental mercury releases from ASGM practices may have significant impact on fish-reliant communities that are far removed from ASGM point source contamination.

Climate change impacts on respiratory health: exposure, vulnerability, and risk.

Anthropogenic climate change adversely impacts human health. In this perspective, we examine the impact of climate change on respiratory health risk. We describe five respiratory health threats-heat, wildfires, pollen, extreme weather events, and viruses-and discuss their impact on health outcomes in a warming climate. The risk of experiencing an adverse health outcome occurs at the intersection of exposure and vulnerability, consisting of sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Exposed individuals and communities most at risk are those with high sensitivity and low adaptive capacity, as influenced by the social determinants of health. We call for the implementation of a transdisciplinary strategy for accelerating respiratory health research, practice, and policy in the context of climate change.

HABs Karenia brevis and Pseudo-nitzschia pre- and post-Hurricane Michael.

Increased occurrences of harmful algal blooms (HAB) in the Gulf of Mexico, and even worldwide, yield concern for increases in brevetoxin exposure leading to respiratory illness or even death, highlighting the need for extensive scientific research and human health monitoring. It is known that major events such as tropical storms and hurricanes are followed by periods of increased red tides caused by HABs; however, the nature by which phytoplankton blooms proliferate following major events remains a topic of great interest and research. The impact of Hurricane Michael on October 10, 2018 on HABs in the Florida panhandle was examined by analyzing data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in coordination with Normalized Fluorescence Line Height (nFLH) data from the University of South Florida College of Marine Science. Results presented here demonstrate four phases of HABs during storm events: 1. Pre-storm concentrations, 2. Decreased concentration during the storm, 3. Elevated concentrations following the storm and 4. Recovery period. This time frame can serve to be important in understanding the health dynamics of coastal systems following major storm events.

Geographic differences in exposures to metals and essential elements in pregnant women living in Suriname.

BACKGROUND: In Suriname, 20% of pregnancies end in adverse birth outcomes. While prenatal exposure to metals may lead to adverse health outcomes, exposure assessments in Suriname are scant. Environmental contamination from mercury (Hg) used in artisanal goldmining in the Amazonian Interior, and the uncontrolled use of pesticides in suburban regions are of particular concern. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed geographic differences in exposures to metals and essential elements in pregnant Surinamese women. METHODS: This study is a subset (n = 400) of the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health (CCREOH) cohort study. Sector-field inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine concentrations of lead (Pb), Hg, selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn) and tin (Sn) in whole blood of the pregnant women. High vs. low exposures to Pb and Hg were determined and were based respectively on CDC (3.5 ug/dL) and USEPA (3.5 ug/L) action levels. Differences in geographic exposures were tested with the Mann-Whitney U-test, and differences between blood elemental concentrations and action levels for Pb and Hg with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The association between demographics and high exposures of Pb and Hg was examined with multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: The median concentrations of Pb, Hg and Se (5.08 µg/dL, 7.87 µg/L, and 228.26 µg/L respectively) in Interior women, were higher than the Urban and Suburban regions (p < 0.001), and higher than internationally accepted action levels (p < 0.001). The median concentrations of Mn and Sn found in Suburban women (17.55 and 0.97 ug/L respectively) were higher than Urban and Interior regions (p < 0.02). SIGNIFICANCE: Pregnant women living in Suriname's Amazonian Interior are exposed to Hg and Pb at levels of public health concern. Urgently needed is a comprehensive source characterization assessment and the development, implementation and monitoring of environmental health policies, specifically addressing the chemicals of concern. IMPACT: In a subset of participants enrolled in the CCREOH environmental epidemiology cohort study elevated levels of Hg and Pb were identified. This is the first comprehensive exposure assessment in the Surinamese population. Health concerns include adverse birth- and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Geographic differences require a tailored approach to health intervention and comprehensive source characterization. Future research should ascertain the role of Se as a potential protective factor. Environmental policy development, implementation and monitoring is pivotal to mitigate exposures to these neurotoxicants.

The Single and Combined Effects of Prenatal Nonchemical Stressors and Lead Exposure on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Toddlers: Results from the CCREOH Environmental Epidemiologic Study in Suriname.

The primary aim of this prospective study was to examine the single and combined effect of prenatal exposure to perceived stress, probable depression, and lead on toddlers' neurodevelopment using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition. Data from 363 mother-toddler pairs enrolled in the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health prospective cohort study were analyzed. A prenatal lead exposure of ≥3.5 µg/dL was associated with significantly lower receptive (p = 0.008) and expressive (p = 0.006) communication scaled scores. Moderate and severe maternal prenatal probable depression scores were associated with significantly lower fine (p = 0.009) and gross (p = 0.009) motor scaled scores. However, a maternal report of prenatal stress was not associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes. After adjusting for maternal demographics, prenatal stress and lead exposure, prenatal probable depression remained predictive of the toddlers' gross motor scaled scores (ß -0.13, 95% CI [-0.24--0.02]). Similarly, when adjusting for demographics, prenatal stress and probable depression, prenatal lead exposure remained a significant predictor of their receptive communication scaled scores (ß -0.26, 95% CI [-0.49--0.02]). An analysis testing combined exposure to perceived stress, probable depression, and lead exposure, measured using a cumulative risk index, significantly predicted the child fine motor scaled scores after adjusting for other covariates (ß -0.74, 95% CI: [-1.41--0.01]).

Linking complex disease and exposure data-insights from an environmental and occupational health study.

The disparate measurement protocols used to collect study data are an intrinsic barrier to combining information from environmental health studies. Using standardized measurement protocols and data standards for environmental exposures addresses this gap by improving data collection quality and consistency. To assess the prevalence of environmental exposures in National Institutes of Health (NIH) public data repositories and resources and to assess the commonality of the data elements, we analyzed clinical measures and exposure assays by comparing the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health study with selected NIH environmental health resources and studies. Our assessment revealed that (1) environmental assessments are widely collected in these resources, (2) biological assessments are less prevalent, and (3) NIH resources can help identify common data for meta-analysis. We highlight resources to help link environmental exposure data across studies to support data sharing. Including NIH data standards in environmental health research facilitates comparing and combining study data, and the use of NIH resources and adoption of standard measures will allow integration of multiple studies and increase the scientific impact of individual studies.

Classifying Building Roof Damage Using High Resolution Imagery for Disaster Recovery.

Post-hurricane damage assessments are often costly and time-consuming. Remotely sensed data provides a complementary method of data collection that can be completed comparatively quickly and at relatively low cost. This study focuses on 15 Florida counties impacted by Hurricane Michael (2018), which had category 5 strength winds at landfall. The present study evaluates the ability of aerial imagery collected to cost-effectively measure blue tarps on buildings for disaster impact and recovery. A support vector machine model classified blue tarp, and parcels received a damage indicator based on the model's prediction. The model had an overall accuracy of 85.3% with a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 96.7%. The model results indicated approximately 7% of all parcels (27 926 residential and 4431 commercial parcels) in the study area as having blue tarp present. The study results may benefit jurisdictions that lacked financial resources to conduct on-the-ground damage assessments.

Remotely sensed measures of Hurricane Michael damage and adverse perinatal outcomes and access to prenatal care services in the Florida panhandle.

BACKGROUND: Studies of effects of hurricanes on perinatal outcomes often rely on approximate measures of exposure. This study aims to use observed damage from aerial imagery to refine residential building damage estimates, evaluate the population changes post landfall, and assess the associations between the extent of residential building damage and adverse perinatal outcomes and access to prenatal care (PNC) services.  METHODS: Vital statistics data from the Florida Department of Health's Office of Vital Statistics were used to align maternal geocoded address data to high-resolution imagery (0.5-foot resolution, true color with red, blue, and green bands) aerial photographs. Machine learning (support vector machines) classified residential roof damage across the study area. Perinatal outcomes were compared with the presence or absence of damage to the mother's home. Log-binomial regression models were used to compare the populations living in and outside of high-risk/damage areas, to assess the population changes after Hurricane Michael, and to estimate the associations between damage after Hurricane Michael and adverse perinatal outcomes/access to PNC services. A semi-parametric linear model was used to model time of first PNC visit and increase in damage. RESULTS: We included 8,965 women in analysis. Women with lower education and/or of Black or other non-White race/ethnicity were more likely to live in areas that would see high damage than other groups. Moreover, there was a greater proportion of births delivered by women living in the high-risk/damage area (> 25% damaged parcels after Michael) in the year before Michael than the year after Michael. Lastly, living in the area with relatively high damage increased the risk of having intermediate or inadequate PNC (adjusted Risk Ratio = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.43), but not other adverse perinatal outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Aerially observed damage data enable us to evaluate the impact of natural disasters on perinatal outcomes and access to PNC services based on residential building damage immediately surrounding a household. The association between the extent of damage and adverse perinatal outcomes should be further investigated in future studies.

Characterization of Urinary Pesticide Metabolite Concentrations of Pregnant Women in Suriname.

Prenatal exposure to pesticides and the association with adverse health outcomes have been examined in several studies. However, the characterization of pesticide exposure among Surinamese women during pregnancy has not been assessed. As part of the Caribbean Consortium of Research in Environmental and Occupational Health research program, 214 urine samples were collected from pregnant women living in three regions in Suriname with different agricultural practices: capital Paramaribo, the rice producing district Nickerie, and the tropical rainforest, the Interior. We used isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry to quantify urinary concentrations of biomarkers of three pesticide classes, including phenoxy acid herbicides and organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides, all of which are commonly used in agricultural and residential settings in Suriname. We observed that participants residing in Nickerie had the highest urinary metabolite concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and pyrethroids compared to those from Paramaribo or the Interior. Paramaribo had the highest concentrations of organophosphate metabolites, specifically dialkyl phosphate metabolites. Para-nitrophenol was detected in samples from Paramaribo and the Interior. Samples from Nickerie had higher median urinary pesticide concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (1.06 µg/L), and the following metabolites, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (1.26 µg/L), 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine (0.60 µg/L), and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (1.34 µg/L), possibly due to residential use and heavy rice production.

Advancing climate change health adaptation through implementation science.

To date, there are few examples of implementation science studies that help guide climate-related health adaptation. Implementation science is the study of methods to promote the adoption and integration of evidence-based tools, interventions, and policies into practice to improve population health. These studies can provide the needed empirical evidence to prioritise and inform implementation of health adaptation efforts. This Personal View discusses five case studies that deployed disease early warning systems around the world. These cases studies illustrate challenges to deploying early warning systems and guide recommendations for implementation science approaches to enhance future research. We propose theory-informed approaches to understand multilevel barriers, design strategies to overcome those barriers, and analyse the ability of those strategies to advance the uptake and scale-up of climate-related health interventions. These findings build upon previous theoretical work by grounding implementation science recommendations and guidance in the context of real-world practice, as detailed in the case studies.

The Association between Mercury and Lead Exposure and Liver and Kidney Function in Pregnant Surinamese Women Enrolled in the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health (CCREOH) Environmental Epidemiologic Cohort Study.

Exposure to mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) may have an effect on pregnant women. We assessed the effect of exposure to mercury and lead on liver and kidney functions in a subcohort of pregnant women who participated in the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health (CCREOH)­Meki Tamara, study. From 400 women aged 16−46 living in rural, urban, and interior regions of Suriname, we measured blood mercury and blood lead levels. Creatinine, urea, and cystatin C were measured to assess kidney function, and aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) were measured to assess liver function. Education, region, and ethnicity showed significant differences for both blood mercury and lead levels, which all had p-values < 0.001. Creatinine and urea were elevated with higher mercury blood levels. Our findings also suggest a relationship between high mercury blood levels and potential harmful effects on liver and kidney function.

Sociodemographic Influences on Perceived Stress during Pregnancy: Results from the CCREOH Environmental Epidemiologic Study, Suriname.

Screening for prenatal stress is not routine in Suriname, despite its significant impact on maternal and newborn health. This study assessed the prevalence of high perceived prenatal stress and its sociodemographic predictors in three geographic areas in Suriname. In this cross-sectional study, data from 1190 participants of the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health cohort study were analyzed. Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale was completed during pregnancy to ascertain high perceived stress (cut-off score 20). The association between maternal sociodemographic factors and high perceived stress was examined using the chi-square test and logistic regression models; 27.5% of all participants had high perceived stress with statistically significant lower rates in Nickerie (18.8%) compared with Paramaribo (29.8%; p = 0.001) and the Interior (28.6%; p = 0.019). Maternal sociodemographic factors moderated the difference between the Interior and Nickerie. Participants from Paramaribo had statistically significant higher odds of high perceived stress compared to those from Nickerie, independent of their age and educational level (adjusted OR = 1.94; 95% confidence interval 1.32-2.86). Perceived stress during pregnancy is predicted by sociodemographic factors. These findings identified target groups for interventions in Suriname. Policy makers should consider integrating perceived stress assessment as a routine part of prenatal care.

Prenatal Exposure to Mercury, Manganese, and Lead and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Suriname: A Population-Based Birth Cohort Study.

Globally, adverse birth outcomes are increasingly linked to prenatal exposure to environmental contaminants, such as mercury, manganese, and lead. This study aims to assess an association between prenatal exposure to mercury, manganese, and lead and the occurrence of adverse birth outcomes in 380 pregnant women in Suriname. The numbers of stillbirths, preterm births, low birth weights, and low Apgar scores were determined, as well as blood levels of mercury, manganese, lead, and relevant covariates. Descriptive statistics were calculated using frequency distributions. The associations between mercury, manganese, and lead blood levels, on the one hand, and adverse birth outcomes, on the other hand, were explored using contingency tables, tested with the χ2-test (Fisher's exact test), and expressed with a p value. Multivariate logistic regression models were computed to explore independent associations and expressed as (adjusted) odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The findings of this study indicate no statistically significant relationship between blood mercury, manganese, or lead levels and stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, and low Apgar score. However, the covariate diabetes mellitus (aOR 5.58, 95% CI (1.38-22.53)) was independently associated with preterm birth and the covariate hypertension (aOR 2.72, 95% CI (1.081-6.86)) with low birth weight. Nevertheless, the observed high proportions of pregnant women with blood levels of mercury, manganese, and lead above the reference levels values of public health concern warrants environmental health research on risk factors for adverse birth outcomes to develop public health policy interventions to protect pregnant Surinamese women and their newborns from potential long-term effects.

Priorities for Bolstering Public Health Resilience in the Context of Climate Change in Dominica and Puerto Rico.

Caribbean small island developing states are highly exposed to climate change impacts. Incorporating weather and climate information into public health decisions can promote resilience to climate change's adverse health effects, but regionally it is not common practice. We implemented a project to enhance dialogue between climate and public health specialists in Puerto Rico and Dominica. First, we conducted environmental scans of public health vulnerability in the context of weather and climate for both islands. Then, we convened stakeholders to discuss the scan results and identify priorities for climate and health. A shared priority was increasing climate and health knowledge; thus, we developed several educational initiatives. In this viewpoint, we discuss our process for conducting environmental scans, building capacity and partnerships, and translating knowledge-to-action around climate and health.

Big Data to Knowledge Analytics Reveals the Zika Virus Epidemic as Only One of Multiple Factors Contributing to a Year-Over-Year 28-Fold Increase in Microcephaly Incidence.

During the 2015-2016 Zika Virus (ZIKV) epidemic in Brazil, the geographical distributions of ZIKV infection and microcephaly outbreaks did not align. This raised doubts about the virus as the single cause of the microcephaly outbreak and led to research hypotheses of alternative explanatory factors, such as environmental variables and factors, agrochemical use, or immunizations. We investigated context and the intermediate and structural determinants of health inequalities, as well as social environment factors, to determine their interaction with ZIKV-positive- and ZIKV-negative-related microcephaly. The results revealed the identification of 382 associations among 382 nonredundant variables of Zika surveillance, including multiple determinants of environmental public health factors and variables obtained from 5565 municipalities in Brazil. This study compared those factors and variables directly associated with microcephaly incidence positive to ZIKV and those associated with microcephaly incidence negative to ZIKV, respectively, and mapped them in case and control subnetworks. The subnetworks of factors and variables associated with low birth weight and birthweight where birth incidence served as an additional control were also mapped. Non-significant differences in factors and variables were observed, as were weights of associations between microcephaly incidence, both positive and negative to ZIKV, which revealed diagnostic inaccuracies that translated to the underestimation of the scope of the ZIKV outbreak. A detailed analysis of the patterns of association does not support a finding that vaccinations contributed to microcephaly, but it does raise concerns about the use of agrochemicals as a potential factor in the observed neurotoxicity arising from the presence of heavy metals in the environment and microcephaly not associated with ZIKV. Summary: A comparative network inferential analysis of the patterns of variables and factors associated with Zika virus infections in Brazil during 2015-2016 coinciding with a microcephaly epidemic identified multiple contributing determinants. This study advances our understanding of the cumulative interactive effects of exposures to chemical and non-chemical stressors in the built, natural, physical, and social environments on adverse pregnancy and health outcomes in vulnerable populations.

Pollution and health: a progress update.

The Lancet Commission on pollution and health reported that pollution was responsible for 9 million premature deaths in 2015, making it the world's largest environmental risk factor for disease and premature death. We have now updated this estimate using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuriaes, and Risk Factors Study 2019. We find that pollution remains responsible for approximately 9 million deaths per year, corresponding to one in six deaths worldwide. Reductions have occurred in the number of deaths attributable to the types of pollution associated with extreme poverty. However, these reductions in deaths from household air pollution and water pollution are offset by increased deaths attributable to ambient air pollution and toxic chemical pollution (ie, lead). Deaths from these modern pollution risk factors, which are the unintended consequence of industrialisation and urbanisation, have risen by 7% since 2015 and by over 66% since 2000. Despite ongoing efforts by UN agencies, committed groups, committed individuals, and some national governments (mostly in high-income countries), little real progress against pollution can be identified overall, particularly in the low-income and middle-income countries, where pollution is most severe. Urgent attention is needed to control pollution and prevent pollution-related disease, with an emphasis on air pollution and lead poisoning, and a stronger focus on hazardous chemical pollution. Pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss are closely linked. Successful control of these conjoined threats requires a globally supported, formal science-policy interface to inform intervention, influence research, and guide funding. Pollution has typically been viewed as a local issue to be addressed through subnational and national regulation or, occasionally, using regional policy in higher-income countries. Now, however, it is increasingly clear that pollution is a planetary threat, and that its drivers, its dispersion, and its effects on health transcend local boundaries and demand a global response. Global action on all major modern pollutants is needed. Global efforts can synergise with other global environmental policy programmes, especially as a large-scale, rapid transition away from all fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy is an effective strategy for preventing pollution while also slowing down climate change, and thus achieves a double benefit for planetary health.