Improving spatial exposure data for everyone - lifecourse social context and ascertaining residential history.

Measuring age-specific, contextual exposures is crucial for lifecourse epidemiology research. Longitudinal residential data offers a "golden ticket" to cumulative exposure metrics and can enhance our understanding of health disparities. Residential history can be linked to myriad spatiotemporal databases to characterize environmental, socioeconomic, and policy contexts that a person experienced throughout life. However, obtaining accurate residential history is challenging in the United States due to the limitations of administrative registries and self-reports. Xu et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2024; 193(2):348-359) detail an approach to linking residential history sourced from LexisNexis ® Accurint ® to a Wisconsin-based research cohort, offering insights into challenges with residential history collection. Researchers must analyze the magnitude of selection and misclassification biases inherent to ascertaining residential history from cohort data. A lifecourse framework can provide insights into why the frequency and distance of moves is patterned by age, birth cohort, racial/ethnic identity, socioeconomic status, and urbanicity. Historic and contemporary migration patterns of marginalized people seeking economic and political opportunities must guide interpretations of residential history data. We outline methodologic priorities for use of residential history in health disparities research, including contextualizing residential history data with determinants of residential moves, triangulating spatial exposure assessment methods, and transparently quantifying measurement error.

High Traffic Roads and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Comparing Births Upwind and Downwind of the Same Road.

Traffic related air pollution is a major concern for perinatal health. Determining causal associations, however, is difficult since high-traffic areas tend to correspond with lower socioeconomic neighborhoods and other environmental exposures. To overcome confounding, we compared pregnant individuals living downwind and upwind of the same high-traffic road. We leveraged vital statistics data for Texas from 2007-2016 (n=3,570,272 births) and computed hourly wind estimates for residential addresses within 500 m of high-traffic roads (i.e., annual average daily traffic greater than 25,000) (10.9% of births). We matched pregnant individuals predominantly upwind to pregnant neighbors downwind of the same road segment (n=37,631 pairs). Living downwind was associated with an 11.6 gram (95% CI: -18.01, -5.21) decrease in term birth weight. No associations were observed with low term birth weight, preterm birth, or very preterm birth. In distance-stratified models, living downwind within 50 m was associated with a -36.3 gram (95% CI: -67.74, -4.93) decrease in term birth weight and living 51-100m downwind was associated with an odds ratio of 3.68 (95% CI: 1.71, 7.90) for very preterm birth. These results suggest traffic air pollution is associated with adverse birth outcomes, with steep distance decay gradients around major roads.

EXPOSURE TO AMBIENT HEAT AND RISK OF SPONTANEOUS ABORTION: A CASE-CROSSOVER STUDY.

BACKGROUND: Few epidemiologic studies have examined the association of ambient heat with spontaneous abortion, a common and devastating pregnancy outcome. METHODS: We conducted a case-crossover study nested within Pregnancy Study Online, a preconception cohort study (2013-2022). We included all participants reporting spontaneous abortion (n=1,524). We defined the case window as the 7 days preceding the event and used time-stratified referent selection to select control windows matched on calendar month and day of week. Within each 7-day case and control window, we measured mean, maximum, and minimum of daily maximum outdoor air temperatures. We fit splines to examine non-linear relationships across the entire year and conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI of spontaneous abortion with increases in temperature during the warm season (May-September) and decreases during the cool season (November-March). RESULTS: We found evidence of a U-shaped association between outdoor air temperature and spontaneous abortion risk based on year-round data. When restricting to warm season events (n=657), the OR for a 10-percentile increase in the mean of lag 0-6 daily maximum temperatures was 1.1 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.2) and, for the maximum, 1.1 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.2). The OR associated with any extreme heat days (>95th county-specific percentile) in the preceding week was 1.2 (95% CI: 0.95, 1.5). Among cool season events (n=615), there was no appreciable association between lower temperatures and spontaneous abortion risk. CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence of an association between high outdoor temperatures and incidence of spontaneous abortion.

Residential Proximity to Oil and Gas Development and Mental Health in a North American Preconception Cohort Study: 2013-2023.

Objectives. To evaluate associations between oil and gas development (OGD) and mental health using cross-sectional data from a preconception cohort study, Pregnancy Study Online. Methods. We analyzed baseline data from a prospective cohort of US and Canadian women aged 21 to 45 years who were attempting conception without fertility treatment (2013-2023). We developed residential proximity measures for active OGD during preconception, including distance from nearest site. At baseline, participants completed validated scales for perceived stress (10-item Perceived Stress Scale, PSS) and depressive symptoms (Major Depression Inventory, MDI) and reported psychotropic medication use. We used log-binomial regression and restricted cubic splines to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results. Among 5725 participants across 37 states and provinces, residence at 2 km versus 20 to 50 km of active OGD was associated with moderate to high perceived stress (PSS ≥ 20 vs < 20: PR = 1.08; 95% CI = 0.98, 1.18), moderate to severe depressive symptoms (MDI ≥ 20 vs < 20: PR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.45), and psychotropic medication use (PR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.97, 1.28). Conclusions. Among North American pregnancy planners, closer proximity to OGD was associated with adverse preconception mental health symptomatology. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(9):923-934. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307730).

Evaluating participant engagement in a preconception cohort study in relation to the Dobbs decision.

BACKGROUND: On June 24th, 2022, the United States (US) Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson, et al. (hereafter, the Dobbs decision) removed federal-level protections for induced abortion, sparking concerns about reproductive rights and health privacy. Although other pregnancy outcomes (e.g. spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy) are not explicit targets of post-Dobbs abortion bans, study participants may be worried about how their reproductive health data are used by researchers in the post-Dobbs era. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the extent to which the Dobbs decision influenced participant's engagement in a preconception cohort study. METHODS: We leveraged data spanning 20 weeks before and after the Dobbs decision (4 February 2022, to 11 November 2022) from US participants in Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO), an internet-based prospective preconception cohort study of couples attempting conception. We categorised participants' state-level abortion access by residential location: banned or restricted rights; limited access; and protected rights. We evaluated three participant engagement outcomes: follow-up questionnaire completion; report of a pregnancy; and clicking on the invitation link for a fertility-tracking app. We fit separate linear regression models and restricted cubic splines to compare outcome prevalence before and after the Dobbs decision by state-level abortion category. RESULTS: A total of 585 newly enrolled participants and 1247 already-enrolled participants received 2802 invitations to complete a follow-up questionnaire. In states with limited or protected abortion rights, we observed little change in participant engagement. In states with banned or restricted abortion rights, however, we observed a 27.12 percentage point reduction (95% confidence interval -43.68, -10.51) in the prevalence of clicking on the invitation link for the fertility-tracking app comparing the post- versus pre-Dobbs periods. CONCLUSIONS: There was some evidence of reduced participant engagement after the Dobbs decision in states with banned or restricted abortion rights, indicating potentially deleterious effects on the conduct of reproductive health studies.

A comparison of population-level exposure and equity tradeoffs across strategies to reduce fine particulate matter emissions from transportation sources in the northeastern US.

BACKGROUND: Many climate mitigation policies to reduce transportation emissions have public health benefits related to ambient air pollution. However, few health analyses consider the equity implications of alternative policies. Equity can be conceptualized in many different ways that may be relevant to communities, decision-makers, and other stakeholders. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate alternative transportation emissions reduction scenarios across the northeastern United States considering population exposure reductions and multiple equity constructs. METHODS: We developed four quantitative indicators reflecting equity constructs that aligned with stakeholder perspectives, including racial/ethnic exposure inequities, proportion of benefits in environmental justice communities, distribution of benefits among participating states, and rural/urban share of benefits. We analyzed numerous transportation emissions reduction scenarios for directly emitted fine particulate matter (primary PM2.5) covering 12 Northeast states and the District of Columbia. We used the Community Multiscale Air Quality model with the decoupled direct method to estimate the reduction in population-weighted primary PM2.5 exposure and the impact on equity for each scenario. RESULTS: Scenarios that yielded greater reductions in population-weighted primary PM2.5 exposure generally emphasized emissions reductions in urban areas or states with large urban centers, with a more than threefold difference in benefits across scenarios. The higher exposure-benefit scenarios typically also had greater reductions in racial/ethnic exposure inequities but led to higher between-state or rural/urban inequality. Scenarios that targeted uniform percentage emission reductions from light or heavy-duty trucks best addressed rural/urban inequalities but led to the smallest reductions in racial/ethnic inequity. CONCLUSION: There are intrinsic tradeoffs among equity constructs, where focusing resources on distributing benefits across states or between urban and rural populations could come at the expense of less reduction in racial/ethnic exposure inequities or in environmental justice communities. Future health benefits analyses should incorporate multiple equity indicators that reflect different stakeholder perspectives and articulate the underlying constructs and tradeoffs.

Exposure to residential greenness, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms in a North American preconception cohort.

BACKGROUND: Studies suggest that greater exposure to natural vegetation (i.e., greenness) is associated with better mental health. However, there is limited research on greenness and mental health in the preconception period, a critical window of exposure in the life course. We investigated the associations of residential greenness with perceived stress and depressive symptoms using cross-sectional data from a cohort of pregnancy planners. METHODS: From 2013 to 2019, we enrolled female-identified participants aged 21-45 years who were trying to conceive without the use of fertility treatment into a North American preconception cohort study (Pregnancy Study Online [PRESTO]). On the baseline questionnaire, participants completed the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Major Depression Inventory (MDI). Using geocoded addresses, we estimated residential greenness exposure via satellite imagery (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index [NDVI]) in a 100m buffer. We estimated mean differences and 95% confidence intervals for the association of greenness with perceived stress and depression scores using linear regression models, adjusting for individual and neighborhood sociodemographic characteristics. We also evaluated the extent to which associations were modified by urbanicity and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES). RESULTS: Among 9718 participants, mean age was 29.9 years, 81.5% identified as non-Hispanic White, 25% had household incomes <$50,000, and mean neighborhood income was $61,932. In adjusted models, higher greenness was associated with lower stress and depression scores (mean difference per interquartile range in greenness: -0.20, 95% CI: -0.39, -0.01; and -0.19, 95% CI: -0.48, 0.10, respectively). The association was stronger among residents of lower SES neighborhoods in urban areas (PSS: -0.57, 95% CI: -1.00, -0.15; MDI: -0.72, 95% CI: -1.40, -0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Higher greenness exposure was associated with lower stress and depressive symptoms among pregnancy planners, particularly in lower-SES neighborhoods.

Ambient air pollution and rate of spontaneous abortion.

Spontaneous abortion (SAB), defined as a pregnancy loss before 20 weeks of gestation, affects up to 30% of conceptions, yet few modifiable risk factors have been identified. We estimated the effect of ambient air pollution exposure on SAB incidence in Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO), a preconception cohort study of North American couples who were trying to conceive. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline, every 8 weeks during preconception follow-up, and in early and late pregnancy. We analyzed data on 4643 United States (U.S.) participants and 851 Canadian participants who enrolled during 2013-2019 and conceived during 12 months of follow-up. We used country-specific national spatiotemporal models to estimate concentrations of particulate matter <2.5 µm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) during the preconception and prenatal periods at each participant's residential address. On follow-up and pregnancy questionnaires, participants reported information on pregnancy status, including SAB incidence and timing. We fit Cox proportional hazards regression models with gestational weeks as the time scale to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of time-varying prenatal concentrations of PM2.5, NO2, and O3 with rate of SAB, adjusting for individual- and neighborhood-level factors. Nineteen percent of pregnancies ended in SAB. Greater PM2.5 concentrations were associated with a higher incidence of SAB in Canada, but not in the U.S. (HRs for a 5 µg/m3 increase = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.68 and 0.94, 95% CI: 0.83, 1.08, respectively). NO2 and O3 concentrations were not appreciably associated with SAB incidence. Results did not vary substantially by gestational weeks or season at risk. In summary, we found little evidence for an effect of residential ambient PM2.5, NO2, and O3 concentrations on SAB incidence in the U.S., but a moderate positive association of PM2.5 with SAB incidence in Canada.

A Prospective Cohort Study of COVID-19 Vaccination, SARS-CoV-2 Infection, and Fertility.

Some reproductive-aged individuals remain unvaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) because of concerns about potential adverse effects on fertility. Using data from an internet-based preconception cohort study, we examined the associations of COVID-19 vaccination and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with fertility among couples trying to conceive spontaneously. We enrolled 2,126 self-identified female participants aged 21-45 year residing in the United States or Canada during December 2020-September 2021 and followed them through November 2021. Participants completed questionnaires every 8 weeks on sociodemographics, lifestyle, medical factors, and partner information. We fit proportional probabilities regression models to estimate associations between self-reported COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection in both partners with fecundability (i.e., the per-cycle probability of conception), adjusting for potential confounders. COVID-19 vaccination was not appreciably associated with fecundability in either partner (female fecundability ratio (FR) = 1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.95, 1.23; male FR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.83, 1.10). Female SARS-CoV-2 infection was not strongly associated with fecundability (FR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.31). Male infection was associated with a transient reduction in fecundability (for infection within 60 days, FR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.47, 1.45; for infection after 60 days, FR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.92, 1.47). These findings indicate that male SARS-CoV-2 infection may be associated with a short-term decline in fertility and that COVID-19 vaccination does not impair fertility in either partner.

Air pollution and fecundability: Results from a Danish preconception cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Animal and epidemiologic studies indicate that air pollution may adversely affect fertility. Epidemiologic studies have been restricted largely to couples undergoing fertility treatment or have retrospectively ascertained time-to-pregnancy among pregnant women. OBJECTIVES: We examined the association between residential ambient air pollution and fecundability, the per-cycle probability of conception, in a large preconception cohort of Danish pregnancy planners. METHODS: During 2007-2018, we used the Internet to recruit and follow women who were trying to conceive without the use of fertility treatment. Participants completed an online baseline questionnaire eliciting socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and medical and reproductive histories and follow-up questionnaires every 8 weeks to ascertain pregnancy status. We determined concentrations of ambient nitrogen oxides (NOx ), nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3 ), particulate matter <2.5 µm (PM2.5 ) and <10 µm (PM10 ), and sulphur dioxide (SO2 ) at each participant's residential address. We calculated average exposure during the year before baseline, during each menstrual cycle over follow-up and during the entire pregnancy attempt time. We used proportional probabilities regression models to estimate fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for potential confounders and co-pollutants. The analysis was restricted to the 10,183 participants who were trying to conceive for <12 cycles at study entry whose addresses could be geocoded. RESULTS: During 12 months of follow-up, 73% of participants conceived. Higher concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were associated with small reductions in fecundability. For example, the FRs for a one interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5 (IQR = 3.2 µg/m3 ) and PM10 (IQR = 5.3 µg/m3 ) during each menstrual cycle were 0.93 (95% CI: 0.87, 0.99) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.99), respectively. Other air pollutants were not appreciably associated with fecundability. CONCLUSIONS: In this preconception cohort study of Danish women, residential exposures to PM2.5 and PM10 were associated with reduced fecundability.

Acute myocardial infarction associated with unconventional natural gas development: A natural experiment.

BACKGROUND: Whereas it is plausible that unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) may adversely affect cardiovascular health, little is currently known. We investigate whether UNGD is associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: In this observational study leveraging the natural experiment generated by New York's ban on hydraulic fracturing, we analyzed the relationship between age- and sex-specific county-level AMI hospitalization and mortality rates and three UNGD drilling measures. This longitudinal panel analysis compares Pennsylvania and New York counties on the Marcellus Shale observed over 2005-2014 (N = 2840 county-year-quarters). RESULTS: A hundred cumulative wells is associated with 0.26 more hospitalizations per 10,000 males 45-54y.o. (95% CI 0.07,0.46), 0.40 more hospitalizations per 10,000 males 65-74y.o. (95% CI 0.09,0.71), 0.47 more hospitalizations per 10,000 females 65-74y.o. (95% CI 0.18,0.77) and 1.11 more hospitalizations per 10,000 females 75y.o.+ (95% CI 0.39,1.82), translating into 1.4-2.8% increases. One additional well per square mile is associated with 2.63 more hospitalizations per 10,000 males 45-54y.o. (95% CI 0.67,4.59) and 9.7 hospitalizations per 10,000 females 75y.o.+ (95% CI 1.92,17.42), 25.8% and 24.2% increases, respectively. As for mortality rates, a hundred cumulative wells is associated with an increase of 0.09 deaths per 10,000 males 45-54y.o. (95% CI 0.02,0.16), a 5.3% increase. CONCLUSIONS: Cumulative UNGD is associated with increased AMI hospitalization rates among middle-aged men, older men and older women as well as with increased AMI mortality among middle-aged men. Our findings lend support for increased awareness about cardiovascular risks of UNGD and scaled-up AMI prevention as well as suggest that bans on hydraulic fracturing can be protective for public health.

Unconventional natural gas development and pediatric asthma hospitalizations in Pennsylvania.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric asthma is a common chronic condition that can be exacerbated by environmental exposures, and unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) has been associated with decreased community air quality. This study aims to quantify the association between UNGD and pediatric asthma hospitalizations. METHODS: We compare pediatric asthma hospitalizations among zip codes with and without exposure to UNGD between 2003 and 2014 using a difference-in-differences panel analysis. Our UNGD exposure metrics include cumulative and contemporaneous drilling as well as reported air emissions by site. RESULTS: We observed consistently elevated odds of hospitalizations in the top tertile of pediatric patients exposed to unconventional drilling compared with their unexposed peers. During the same quarter a well was drilled, we find a 25% increase (95% CI: 1.07, 1.47) in the odds of being hospitalized for asthma. Ever-establishment of an UNGD well within a zip code was associated with a 1.19 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.36) increased odds of a pediatric asthma hospitalization. Our results further demonstrate that increasing specific air emissions from UNGD sites are associated with increased risks of pediatric asthma hospitalizations (e.g. 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, formaldehyde, x-hexane). These results hold across multiple age groups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Community-level UNGD exposure metrics were associated with increased odds of pediatric asthma-related hospitalization among young children and adolescents. This study provides evidence that additional regulations may be necessary to protect children's respiratory health from UNGD activities.

Association between job control and time to pregnancy in a preconception cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate associations between low job control (operationalized as job independence and freedom to make decisions) and time to pregnancy. Low job control, a form of workplace stress, is associated with adverse health outcomes ranging from cardiovascular disease to premature mortality; few studies have specifically examined its association with reproductive outcomes. DESIGN: We used data from Pregnancy Study Online, an internet-based preconception cohort study of couples trying to conceive in the United States and Canada. We estimated fecundability ratios (FRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) via proportional probability regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. SETTING: Not applicable (Web-based study). PATIENTS: Participants self-identified as female, were aged 21-45 years, and reported ≤6 cycles of pregnancy attempt time at enrollment (2018-2022). EXPOSURE: We assessed job control by matching participants' baseline self-reported occupation and industry with standardized occupation codes from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System, then linking codes to O∗NET job exposure scores for job independence and freedom to make decisions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Our main outcome measure was fecundability. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires at baseline and every 8 weeks for up to 12 months or until reported pregnancy, whichever occurred first. RESULTS: Among 3,110 participants, lower job independence was associated with reduced fecundability. Compared with the fourth (highest) quartile, corresponding to the most job independence, FRs (95% CI) for first (lowest), second, and third quartiles were 0.92 (0.82-1.04), 0.84 (0.74-0.95), and 0.99 (0.88, 1.11), respectively. Lower freedom to make decisions was associated with slightly reduced fecundability (first vs. fourth quartile: FR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.80-1.05). CONCLUSION: Lower job control, a work-related stressor, may adversely influence time to pregnancy. Because job control is a condition of work (i.e., not modifiable by individuals), these findings may strengthen arguments for improving working conditions as a means of improving worker health, including fertility.

A population-based cohort study of electronic tolling, traffic congestion, and adverse birth outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Although traffic-related air pollution is largely regulated at the federal level, congestion reduction projects may reduce local traffic and air pollution to levels that create positive co-benefits for population health. In recent years, many urban areas have implemented electronic tolling systems to improve traffic conditions. OBJECTIVE: Quantify associations between implementing electronic tolling and local changes in traffic and infant health. METHODS: Using a population-based birth cohort (Texas, 1999-2016), we calculated residential proximity to the nearest tolled road segment within 5 km (n = 625,279) and examined changes in local traffic before and after toll implementation. Using a difference-in-differences design, we compared four markers of adverse birth outcomes (term birth weight, term low birth weight, preterm birth, very preterm birth) among infants from pregnant people residing < 0.5 km from a road segment before and after the tolls were implemented and compared them to a contemporaneous population of pregnant people residing at 2-5 km. RESULTS: We observed minimal changes in local traffic after the implementation of tolling. Among births within 500 m of a tolled road, we found little evidence of an association between the implementation of tolling and adverse birth outcomes (term birth weight [ß: -4.5, 95 % CI: -11.7, 2.6], term low birth weight [OR: 1.00, 95 % CI: 0.89, 1.13], preterm birth [OR: 0.99, 95 % CI: 0.92, 1.05], very preterm birth [OR: 1.00, 95 % CI: 0.84, 1.18]), compared to the contemporaneous control group of births at 2-5 km. In sub-analyses, we found some evidence of a reduced association between toll booth removal and preterm birth (OR: 0.84, 95 % CI: 0.70, 1.01) but not for other outcomes or tolling types. DISCUSSION: In this large population-based retrospective cohort study of births in Texas, we found little evidence that the implementation of tolling was consistently associated with improvements in local infant health outcomes.

Wildfires increasingly threaten oil and gas wells in the western United States with disproportionate impacts on marginalized populations.

The western United States is home to most of the nation's oil and gas production and, increasingly, wildfires. We examined historical threats of wildfires for oil and gas wells, the extent to which wildfires are projected to threaten wells as climate change progresses, and exposure of human populations to these wells. From 1984-2019, we found that cumulatively 102,882 wells were located in wildfire burn areas, and 348,853 people were exposed (resided ≤ 1 km). During this period, we observed a five-fold increase in the number of wells in wildfire burn areas and a doubling of the population within 1 km of these wells. These trends are projected to increase by late century, likely threatening human health. Approximately 2.9 million people reside within 1 km of wells in areas with high wildfire risk, and Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Native American people have disproportionately high exposure to wildfire-threatened wells.

Congenital anomalies associated with oil and gas development and resource extraction: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Texas.

BACKGROUND: Oil and gas extraction-related activities produce air and water pollution that contains known and suspected teratogens. To date, health impacts of in utero exposure to these activities is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: We investigated associations between in utero exposure to oil and gas extraction activity in Texas, one of the highest producers of oil and gas, and congenital anomalies. METHODS: We created a population-based birth cohort between 1999 and 2009 with full maternal address at delivery and linked to the statewide congenital anomaly surveillance system (n = 2,234,138 births, 86,315 cases). We examined extraction-related exposures using tertiles of inverse distance-squared weighting within 5 km for drilling site count, gas production, oil production, and produced water. In adjusted logistic regression models, we calculated odds of any congenital anomaly and 10 specific organ sites using two comparison groups: 1) 5 km of future drilling sites that are not yet operating (a priori main models), and 2) 5-10 km of an active well. RESULTS: Using the temporal comparison group, we find increased odds of any congenital anomaly in the highest tertile exposure group for site count (OR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.30), oil production (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.12), gas production (1.20; 95% CI: 1.17, 1.23), and produced water (OR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.20). However, associations did not follow a consistent exposure-response pattern across tertiles. Associations are highly attenuated, but still increased, with the spatial comparison group in the highest tertile exposure group. Cardiac and circulatory defects are strongly and consistently associated with all exposure metrics. SIGNIFICANCE: Increased odds of congenital anomalies, particularly cardiac and circulatory defects, were associated with exposures related to oil and gas extraction in this large population-based study. Future research is needed to confirm findings, examine specific exposure pathways, and identify potential avenues to reduce exposures among local populations. IMPACT: About 5% of the U.S. population (~17.6 million people) resides within 1.6 km of an active oil or gas extraction site, yet the influence of this industry on population health is not fully understood. In this analysis, we examined associations between oil and gas extraction-related exposures and congenital anomalies by organ site using birth certificate and congenital anomaly surveillance data in Texas (1999-2009). Increased odds of congenital anomalies, particularly cardiac and circulatory defects, were associated with exposures related to oil and gas extraction in this large population-based study. Future research is needed to confirm these findings.

Optimizing preconception care and interventions for improved population health.

There is growing literature indicating that optimal preconception health is associated with improved reproductive, perinatal, and pediatric outcomes. Given that preconception care is recommended for all individuals planning a pregnancy, medical providers and public health practitioners have a unique opportunity to optimize care and improve health outcomes for reproductive-aged individuals. Knowledge of the determinants of preconception health is important for all types of health professionals, including policy makers. Although some evidence-based recommendations have already been implemented, additional research is needed to identify factors associated with favorable health outcomes and to ensure that effective interventions are made in a timely fashion. Given the largely clinical readership of this journal, this piece is primarily focused on clinical care. However, we acknowledge that optimizing preconception health for the entire population at risk of pregnancy requires broadening our strategies to include population-health interventions that consider the larger social systems, structures, and policies that shape individual health outcomes.

Changes in traffic congestion and air pollution due to major roadway infrastructure improvements in Texas.

Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is an established health hazard, and roadway construction has the potential to affect TRAP by relieving congestion. The relationship between roadway construction and congestion is of policy importance, but few studies examine it using large samples of construction projects and detailed traffic and air pollution data. We create a dataset of construction projects in Texas and link them to data on air pollution and three variables operationalizing congestion: average annual daily traffic (AADT), AADT per lane, and delay in hours. We use difference-in-difference methods to estimate the effect of widening and intersection improvements on congestion and air pollution. On average over the period during construction, we find that widening increases delay by 42% (95% CI: 30, 56%), but intersection projects do not affect delay. On average and over the first three years post-construction, we find that widening reduces delay by 33% (95% CI: -41, -24%) and reduces NO2 levels within 500 m by 13% (95% CI: -22, -2%), and intersection projects reduce delay by 52% (95% CI: -65, -35%) and reduce NO2 levels within 500 m by 12% (95% CI: -18, -5%). These short-term impacts are relevant for understanding the impact of roadway construction on human health.