Changes in traffic-related air pollution exposures and associations with adverse birth outcomes over 20 years in Texas.

Background: Billions of dollars have been spent implementing regulations to reduce traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) from exhaust pipe emissions. However, few health studies have evaluated the change in TRAP emissions and associations with infant health outcomes. We hypothesize that the magnitude of association between vehicle exposure measures and adverse birth outcomes has decreased over time, parallelling regulatory improvements in exhaust pipe emissions.

Drinking Water Contaminant Concentrations and Birth Outcomes.

Previous research in the US has found negative health effects of contamination when it triggers regulatory violations. An important question is whether levels of contamination that do not trigger a health-based violation impact health. We study the impact of drinking water contamination in community water systems on birth outcomes using drinking water sampling results data in Pennsylvania.

Pregnancy Outcomes among Pregnant Persons after COVID-19 Vaccination: Assessing Vaccine Safety in Retrospective Cohort Analysis of U.S. National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C).

COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be effective in preventing severe illness, including among pregnant persons. The vaccines appear to be safe in pregnancy, supporting a continuously favorable overall risk/benefit profile, though supportive data for the U.S.

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.

Risk factors associated with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2: an N3C and NIH RECOVER study.

Background: More than one-third of individuals experience post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC, which includes long-COVID). The objective is to identify risk factors associated with PASC/long-COVID diagnosis.

Methods: This was a retrospective case-control study including 31 health systems in the United States from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C).

Who is pregnant? Defining real-world data-based pregnancy episodes in the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C).

Objectives: To define pregnancy episodes and estimate gestational age within electronic health record (EHR) data from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C).

Materials And Methods: We developed a comprehensive approach, named Hierarchy and rule-based pregnancy episode Inference integrated with Pregnancy Progression Signatures (HIPPS), and applied it to EHR data in the N3C (January 1, 2018-April 7, 2022). HIPPS combines: (1) an extension of a previously published pregnancy episode algorithm, (2) a novel algorithm to detect gestational age-specific signatures of a progressing pregnancy for further episode support, and (3) pregnancy start date inference.

Changes in Socioeconomic Disparities for Traffic-Related Air Pollution Exposure During Pregnancy Over a 20-Year Period in Texas.

Importance: Air pollution presents clear environmental justice issues. However, few studies have specifically examined traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), a source driven by historically racist infrastructure policies, among pregnant individuals, a population susceptible to air pollution effects. How these disparities have changed over time is also unclear but has important policy implications.

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.

A population-based cohort study of traffic congestion and infant growth using connected vehicle data.

More than 11 million Americans reside within 150 meters of a highway, an area of high air pollution exposure. Traffic congestion further contributes to environmental pollution (e.g.

Who is pregnant? defining real-world data-based pregnancy episodes in the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C).

Objective: To define pregnancy episodes and estimate gestational aging within electronic health record (EHR) data from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C).

Materials And Methods: We developed a comprehensive approach, named H ierarchy and rule-based pregnancy episode I nference integrated with P regnancy P rogression S ignatures (HIPPS) and applied it to EHR data in the N3C from 1 January 2018 to 7 April 2022. HIPPS combines: 1) an extension of a previously published pregnancy episode algorithm, 2) a novel algorithm to detect gestational aging-specific signatures of a progressing pregnancy for further episode support, and 3) pregnancy start date inference.

Coroner county systems are associated with a higher likelihood of unclassified drug overdoses compared to medical examiner county systems.

There is a striking geographic variation in drug overdose deaths without a specific drug recorded, many of which likely involve opioids. Knowledge of the reasons underlying this variation is limited. We sought to understand the role of medicolegal death investigation (MDI) systems in unclassified drug overdose mortality.

Drinking water, fracking, and infant health.

This study assesses the health risks associated with drinking water contamination using variation in the timing and location of shale gas development (SGD). Our novel dataset, linking health and drinking water outcomes to shale gas activity through water sources, enables us to provide new estimates of the causal effects of water pollution on health and to isolate drinking water as a specific mechanism of exposure for SGD. We find consistent and robust evidence that drilling shale gas wells negatively impacts both drinking water quality and infant health.

Associations between residential proximity to oil and gas extraction and hypertensive conditions during pregnancy: a difference-in-differences analysis in Texas, 1996-2009.

Background: Oil and gas extraction produces air pollutants that are associated with increased risks of hypertension. To date, no study has examined residential proximity to oil and gas extraction and hypertensive conditions during pregnancy. This study quantifies associations between residential proximity to oil and gas development on gestational hypertension and eclampsia.

Associations between Residential Proximity to Oil and Gas Drilling and Term Birth Weight and Small-for-Gestational-Age Infants in Texas: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis.

Background: Oil and natural gas extraction may produce environmental pollution at levels that affect reproductive health of nearby populations. Available studies have primarily focused on unconventional gas drilling and have not accounted for local population changes that can coincide with drilling activity.

Objective: Our study sought to examine associations between residential proximity to oil and gas drilling and adverse term birth outcomes using a difference-in-differences study design.

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.

Assessing the effectiveness of vehicle emission regulations on improving perinatal health: a population-based accountability study.

Background: Since the 1990s, extensive regulations to reduce traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) have been implemented, yet the effectiveness of these regulations has not been assessed with respect to improving infant health. In this study, we evaluate how infant health risks associated with maternal residences near highways during pregnancy have changed over time.

Methods: We created a population-based retrospective birth cohort with geocoded residential addresses in Texan metropolitan areas from 1996 through 2009 (n = 2 259 411).

Using contributing causes of death improves prediction of opioid involvement in unclassified drug overdoses in US death records.

Background And Aims: A substantial share of fatal drug overdoses is missing information on specific drug involvement, leading to under-reporting of opioid-related death rates and a misrepresentation of the extent of the opioid epidemic. We aimed to compare methodological approaches to predicting opioid involvement in unclassified drug overdoses in US death records and to estimate the number of fatal opioid overdoses from 1999 to 2016 using the best-performing method.

Design: This was a secondary data analysis of the universe of drug overdoses in 1999-2016 obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics Detailed Multiple Cause of Death records.