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Research for Healthy Homes
Current Research
- Disparities in Urban Neighborhood Conditions: Evidence from GIS Measures and Field Observation in New York City
- Neighborhood built environment and income: Examining multiple health outcomes
- America's Children and the Enviornment (ACE)
- Dampness and Mold in the Home and Depression: AnExamination of Mold-Related Illness and Perceived Control of One’s Homeas Possible Depression Pathways
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Social Disparities in Housing and Related Pediatric Injury: A Multilevel Study
- Indoor Residential Chemical Emissions as Risk Factors for Respiratory and Allergic Effects in Children: A Review
- Long-term pesticide use may up diabetes
- The American Journal of Public Health
- Premier issue of Environmental Justice
- Alzheimer's Disease and Lead Exposure
- Association of Environmental Toxicants and Conduct Disorder in U.S.
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Asthma In Children Linked To Cleaning Products And Air Freshener Use During Pregnancy
Disparities in Urban Neighborhood Conditions: Evidence from GIS Measures and Field Observation in New York City
Neckerman K., et al. A. Journal of Public Health Policy (2009) 30, S264–S285.
Click here for the complete article
Although many low-income urban areas are highly walkable by conventional measures such as population density or land use mix, chronic diseases related to lack of physical activity are more common among residents of these areas. Disparities in neighborhood conditions may make poor areas less attractive environments for walking, offsetting the advantages of density and land use mix. This study compared poor and nonpoor neighborhoods in New York City, using geographic information systems measures constructed from public data for US census tracts within New York City (N=2,172) as well as field observation of a matched-pair sample of 76 block faces on commercial streets in poor and nonpoor neighborhoods. Poor census tracts had significantly fewer street trees, landmarked buildings, clean streets, and sidewalk cafes, and higher rates of felony complaints, narcotics arrests, and vehicular crashes. The field observation showed similar results. Improving aesthetic and safety conditions in poor neighborhoods may help reduce disparities in physical activity among urban residents.
March 19, 2009
Neighborhood built environment and income: Examining multiple health outcomes
Sallis, J.F. et al. Soc Sci Med. (2009).
Click here for the complete article
There is growing interest in the relation of built environments to physical activity, obesity, and other health outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to test associations of neighborhood built environment and median income to multiple health outcomes and examine whether associations are similar for low- and high-income groups. This was a cross-sectional study of 32 neighborhoods in Seattle , WA and Baltimore , MD regions, stratified by income and walkability, and conducted between 2001 and 2005. Participants were adults aged 20-65years (n=2199; 26% ethnic minority). The main outcomes were daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) from accelerometer monitoring, body mass index (BMI) based on self-report, and mental and physical quality of life (QoL) assessed with the SF-12. We found that MVPA was higher in high- vs. low-walkability neighborhoods but did not differ by neighborhood income. Overweight/obesity (BMI >/=25) was lower in high-walkability neighborhoods. Physical QoL was higher in high-income neighborhoods but unrelated to walkability. Adjustment for neighborhood self-selection produced minor changes. We concluded that living in walkable neighborhoods was associated with more physical activity and lower overweight/obesity but not with other benefits. Lower- and higher-income groups benefited similarly from living in high-walkability neighborhoods. Adults in higher-income neighborhoods had lower BMI and higher physical QoL.
March 19, 2009
America's Children and the Environment (ACE)
The America's Children and the Environment website has recently been updated with the most current data available for measures of contaminants, body burdens and illnesses important for children's environmental health. You can visit the website now to see 2006 data for:
- Percentage of children living in counties in which air quality standards were exceeded (1993-2006)
- Concentrations of cotinine (marker for environmental tobacco smoke exposure) in blood of children (1988-2006), and
- Percentage of children with asthma (1980-2006).
Overall, updated data are presented for 18 different measures of children's environmental health, including measures for drinking water contaminants, blood lead levels, and childhood cancer. For each of these measures, we now have data up through at least 2004, and the majority of measures now have data up through 2006.
Click here for the ACE homepage
July 25, 2008
EPA Evaluates Formaldehyde Use in Pressed Wood Products
EPA is launching a study of the potential health risks of formaldehyde's use in pressed wood products. Through this process, EPA will develop risk assessments on the potential adverse health effects, evaluate the costs and benefits of possible control technologies and approaches, and determine whether EPA action is needed to address any identified risks.
For more information: click here
July 25, 2008
Domestic Radon and Childhood Cancer in Denmark.
Original Article
Epidemiology. 19(4):536-543, July 2008.
Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole a; Andersen, Claus E. b; Andersen, Helle P. c; Gravesen, Peter d; Lind, Morten c; Schuz, Joachim a; Ulbak, Kaare e
Abstract:
Background: Higher incidence rates of childhood cancer and particularly leukemia have been observed in regions with higher radon levels, but case-control studies have given inconsistent results. We tested the hypothesis that domestic radon exposure increases the risk for childhood cancer.
Methods: We identified 2400 incident cases of leukemia, central nervous system tumor, and malignant lymphoma diagnosed in children between 1968 and 1994 in the Danish Cancer Registry. Control children (n = 6697) were selected from the Danish Central Population Registry. Radon levels in residences of children and the cumulated exposure of each child were calculated as the product of exposure level and time, for each address occupied during childhood.
Results: Cumulative radon exposure was associated with risk for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), with rate ratios of 1.21 (95% confidence interval = 0.98-1.49) for levels of 0.26 to 0.89 x 103 Bq/m3-years and 1.63 (1.05-2.53) for exposure to >0.89 x 103 Bq/m3-years, when compared with <0.26 x 103 Bq/m3-years. A linear dose-response analysis showed a 56% increase in the rate of ALL per 103 Bq/m3-years increase in exposure. The association with ALL persisted in sensitivity analyses and after adjustment for potential confounders. No association was found with the other types of childhood cancer.
Conclusions: This study suggests that domestic radon exposure increases the risk for ALL during childhood but not for other childhood cancers.
(C) 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
For abstract and full article click here
For news article at Matria Health Care click here
July 25, 2008
Dampness and Mold in the Home and Depression: An Examination of Mold-Related Illness and Perceived Control of One’s Home as Possible Depression Pathways
Edmond D. Shenassa 1*, Constantine Daskalakis 2, Allison Liebhaber 1, Matthias Braubach 3, MaryJean Brown 4
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: edmond_shenassa@brown.edu.
Abstract
Objectives. We evaluated a previously reported association between residence in a damp and moldy dwelling and the risk of depression and investigated whether depression was mediated by perception of control over one’s home or mold-related physical illness.
Methods. We used survey data from 8 European cities. A dampness and mold score was created from resident- and inspector-reported data. Depression was assessed using a validated index of depressive symptoms.
Results. Dampness or mold in the home was associated with depression (odds ratio [OR]=1.39, 1.44, and 1.34, for minimal, moderate, and extensive exposure, respectively, compared with no exposure). This association became attenuated when perception of control (OR=1.34, 1.40, and 1.24; global P=.069) or a physical health index (OR=1.32, 1.37, and 1.15; global P=.104) was included in the model. The mediation effects of perception of control over one’s home and by physical health appeared to be additive.
Conclusions. Dampness and mold were associated with depression, independent of individual and housing characteristics. This association was independently mediated by perception of control over one’s home and by physical health.
For online source and full pdf click here (ajph.org)
July 21, 2008
Social Disparities in Housing and Related Pediatric Injury: A Multilevel Study
Edmond D. Shenassa, ScD, Amy Stubbendick, MS and Mary Jean Brown, ScD, RN
Edmond D. Shenassa is with the Department of Community Health and the Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Brown Medical School/Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI. Amy Stubbendick is with the Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass. Mary Jean Brown is with the Department of Maternal and Child Health, Harvard School of Public Health.
Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Edmond D. Shenassa, ScD, Brown Medical School, Department of Community Health and Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, One Hoppin Street, Suite 500, Providence, RI 02903 (e-mail: edmond_shenassa@brown.edu).
Objectives. We conducted an ecologic analysis to determine whether housing characteristics mediate the associations between concentration of poverty and pediatric injury and between concentration of racial minorities and pediatric injury and whether the association between housing conditions and pediatric injury is independent of other risks.
Methods. We created a hierarchical data set by linking individual-level data for pediatric injury with census data. Effect sizes were estimated with a Poisson model.
Results. After adjustment for owner occupancy and the percentage of housing built before 1950, the association between concentration of poverty and pediatric injury was attenuated. For concentration of racial minorities, only percentage of owner occupancy had some mediating effect. In hierarchical models, housing characteristics remained independent and significant predictors of pediatric injury.
Conclusions. The association between community characteristics and pediatric injury is partially mediated by housing conditions. Risk of pediatric injury associated with housing conditions is independent of other risks.
For full article click here (ajph.org)
July 21, 2008
Indoor Residential Chemical Emissions as Risk Factors for Respiratory and Allergic Effects in Children: A Review
Children's Environmental Health Article of the Month
Abstract
Most research into effects of residential exposures on respiratory health has focused on allergens, moisture/mold, endotoxin, or combustion products. A growing body of research from outside the US; however, has associated chemical emissions from common indoor materials with risk of asthma, allergies, and pulmonary infections. This review summarizes 21 studies in the epidemiologic literature on associations between indoor residential chemical emissions, or emission-related materials or activities, and respiratory health or allergy in infants or children. Associations, some strong, were reported between many risk factors and respiratory or allergic effects. Risk factors identified most frequently included formaldehyde or particleboard, phthalates or plastic materials, and recent painting. Findings for other risk factors, such as aromatic and aliphatic chemical compounds [[e.g. chemicals found in adhesives, PVC flooring and carpeting]], were limited but suggestive. Elevated risks were also reported for renovation and cleaning activities, new furniture, and carpets or textile wallpaper. Reviewed studies were entirely observational, limited in size, and variable in quality, and specific risk factors identified may only be indicators for correlated, truly causal exposures. Nevertheless, overall evidence suggests a new class of residential risk factors for adverse respiratory effects, ubiquitous in modern residences, and distinct from those currently recognized. It is important to confirm and quantify any risks, to motivate and guide necessary preventive actions.
Practical Implications: Composite wood materials that emit formaldehyde, flexible plastics that emit plasticizers, and new paint have all been associated with increased risks of respiratory and allergic health effects in children. Although causal links have not been documented, and other correlated indoor-related exposures may ultimately be implicated, these findings nevertheless point to a new class of little recognized indoor risk factors for allergic and respiratory disease, distinct from the current set of indoor risk factors. The available evidence thus raises initial questions about many common residential practices: for instance, using pressed wood furnishings in children's bedrooms, repainting infant nurseries, and encasing mattresses and pillows with vinyl for asthmatic children. The findings summarized here suggest a need for substantially increased research to replicate these findings, identify causal factors, and validate preventive strategies.
For Children's Enironmental Health Article Click Here
July 17,2008
Long-term pesticide use may up diabetes
Published: June 5, 2008 at 1:14 AM
BETHESDA, Md., June 5 (UPI) -- Licensed pesticide applicators who used chlorinated pesticides on more than 100 days in their lifetime were at greater risk of diabetes, U.S. researchers say. [snip]
"The results suggest that pesticides may be a contributing factor for diabetes along with known risk factors such as obesity, lack of exercise and having a family history of diabetes," study co-author Dale Sandler of the NIEHS said in a statement. "Although the amount of diabetes explained by pesticides is small, these new findings may extend beyond the pesticide applicators in the study."
The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found pesticide applicators in the highest category of lifetime days of use of any pesticide had an increase in risk for diabetes of 17 percent compared with those in the lowest pesticide use category of zero to 64 lifetime days.
Full article at:
http://tinyurl.com/66f6cn
Article abstract available at:
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org
June 12, 2008
The American Journal for Public Health
Call for Papers on Environmental Justice
Submissions due Aug 1, 2008
Contact: Liam R. O'Fallon at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ofallon@niehs.nih.gov
Click here for PDF and for further details
June 2008
Environmental Justice is a new quarterly peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. focused on research, debate, and discussion of the equitable treatment and involvement of all people, especially minority and low-income populations, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The premier issue is available free online at:
The goal of Environmental Justice is to provide an intellectual forum that presents a balanced and objective assessment of environmental inequalities locally, nationally, and globally. The Journal draws upon the expertise and perspectives of all parties involved in environmental justice struggles: communities, industry, academia, government, and nonprofit organizations.
June 2008
Alzheimer's Disease and Lead Exposure
The Journal of Neuroscience, January 2, 2008, 28(1):3-9
Link for Full Article:
http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/abstract/28/1/3
The sporadic nature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) argues for an environmental link that may drive AD pathogenesis; however, the triggering factors and the period of their action are unknown. Recent studies in rodents have shown that exposure to lead (Pb) during brain development predetermined the expression and regulation of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its amyloidogenic β-amyloid (Aβ) product in old age. Here, we report that the expression of AD-related genes [APP, BACE1 (β-site APP cleaving enzyme 1)] as well as their transcriptional regulator (Sp1) were elevated in aged (23-year-old) monkeys exposed to Pb as infants. Furthermore, developmental exposure to Pb altered the levels, characteristics, and intracellular distribution of Aβ staining and amyloid plaques in the frontal association cortex. These latent effects were accompanied by a decrease in DNA methyltransferase activity and higher levels of oxidative damage to DNA, indicating that epigenetic imprinting in early life influenced the expression of AD-related genes and promoted DNA damage and pathogenesis. These data suggest that AD pathogenesis is influenced by early life exposures and argue for both an environmental trigger and a developmental origin of AD.
Association of Environmental Toxicants and Conduct Disorder in U.S.
Braun JM, Froehlich TE, Daniels JL, Dietrich KN, Hornung R, Auinger P, Lanphear BP.
Link to Full Article: http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2008/11177/abstract.html
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the association of tobacco smoke and environmental lead exposure with conduct disorder (CD).
Methods: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2004
(NHANES) is a nationally representative cross-sectional sample of the non-institutionalized US population. We examined the association of prenatal tobacco, postnatal tobacco, and environmental lead exposure with CD in 8-15 year old children (n=3081). Prenatal tobacco exposure was measured by parent report of cigarette use during pregnancy while postnatal tobacco was measured using serum cotinine levels. Lead exposure was assessed using current blood lead concentration. Parents completed the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC) to determine whether their children met DSM-IV CD criteria.
Results: Overall, 2.06% of children met DSM-IV criteria for CD in the past year, equivalent to 560,000 US children age 8 to 15 years old.
After adjustment, prenatal tobacco exposure was associated with increased odds for CD (OR: 3.00; 95% CI: 1.36, 6.63). Increased blood lead levels (4th vs. 1st quartile) and serum cotinine levels (5th vs.
1st quintile) were associated with an 8.64-fold (95% CI: 1.87, 40.04) and 9.15-fold (95% CI: 1.47, 56.90) increased odds of meeting DSM-IV CD criteria. Increasing serum cotinine levels and blood lead levels were also associated with increased prevalence of CD symptoms (symptom count ratio lead: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.23, 2.43; symptom count ratio cotinine: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.15, 3.40).
Conclusions: These results suggest that prenatal tobacco exposure and environmental lead exposure contribute substantially to CD in US children.
Asthma In Children Linked To Cleaning Products And Air Freshener Use During Pregnancy
(based on research article published in Oct. 2007)
"Expectant mothers who use a lot of household cleaning products may increase the risk of their child developing asthma", the Daily Mail reports. The
article says that researchers claim to have found a link between wheezing and asthma in young children, and their mothers' use of cleaning products
such as bleach and air freshener during pregnancy, or shortly after birth. The study found that mothers increased the risk of their child developing persistent wheezing by the age of seven by up to 41%.
This research shows an association between the use of household chemicals during pregnancy and asthma in the child. The study has limitations, as
there are many causes and triggers for asthma. These include heritability from parents and environmental factors such as smoking, animal allergies, pollen, dust mites or foods, medications, infections, emotions, stress, and cold weather. The authors have taken some of these into account in their analyses.
The study did not consider the ingredients in household chemicals in detail and expectant parents should not be too concerned by the reports. Furthermore, parents from a clean household should not think that they are responsible for their child's asthma. Cleaning products should be used in well-ventilated rooms by everyone anyway. More research is needed to understand better the complex relationship between exposure to chemicals and asthma risk.
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Links to the news coverage (Chemicals found in household cleaning products cause asthma in children, finds study. Daily Mail, March 12 2008):
http://tinyurl.com/ywdfe4
Links to the peer reviewed article abstract (Household chemicals, persistent wheezing and lung function: effect modification by atopy? Henderson J, Sherriff A, Farrow A and Ayres JG. Eur Respir J 2008; 31:547-554): http://tinyurl.com/2cuqfq
For more information, contact Lis Maring
Last updated: 03/19/2009
Kid’s Science Challenge
WELCOME TO YEAR 2 OF THE KIDS' SCIENCE CHALLENGE! With the help of three new teams of scientists and engineers, there is a brand new set of challenges for kids in the 3rd to 6th grade to consider. - posted Nov 6, 2009
Maryland Secretary of Agriculture
The SGA Speaker Series presents: Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Buddy Hance Tuesday, Nov. 10th. - posted Nov 6, 2009
Good Luck and Congratulations Maryland State 4-H Animal Science Teams
Congratulations to each of the Maryland 4-H youth that were named to the 2009 Maryland State 4-H Judging, Bowl, Hippology and related Teams! We have a large number of youth, staff, and volunteers who will be participating in national contests that will be held at the 2009 North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, KY, November 7-20. - posted Nov 6, 2009
