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CATEGORIES:Defenses
DESCRIPTION:"Exposure to Airborne Fine Particle Pollution Among Environment
 al Justice Communities and the Effects on Adverse Birth Outcomes in Southwe
 stern Pennsylvania"\, Public Health/Environmental and Occupational Health. 
 \n\nCommittee: \n\nNesta Bortey-Sam (chair)\, EOH James Fabisiak (advisor)\
 , EOHSally Wenzel\, EOHJeanine Buchanich\, Biostatistics and Health Data Sc
 ience Abstract: \n\nPM2.5 exposure – particles ≤ 2.5 microns in aerodynamic
  diameter – is associated with adverse birth outcomes including prematurity
 \, low birth weight (LBW)\, and small for gestational age (SGA). Previous s
 tudies indicate both elevated PM2.5 exposures and greater risks of adverse 
 birth outcomes among environmental justice (EJ) communities\; however\, few
 er studies examine the combined impact of EJ residency and PM2.5 and consti
 tuent exposure. We characterized total and constituent (black carbon (BC)\,
  SO4\, NO3\, NH4\, organic matter (OM)\, and soil (mineral dust)) PM2.5 fro
 m 2000-2018 in SWPA (Allegheny\, Armstrong\, Beaver\, Butler\, Fayette\, Gr
 eene\, Washington\, and Westmoreland counties) using satellite-derived esti
 mates from the Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group. Census tract\, count
 y\, and regional annual averages were calculated using 2010 EJ census tract
  and county data provided by the PA DEP. Total PM2.5 was significantly high
 er in EJ (20% or more living in poverty and/or 30% or more racial minority 
 population) than non-EJ census tracts (p < 0.05). Component exposure differ
 ences varied. We then conducted a cohort study of 136\,435 SWPA PA DOH birt
 h records (excluding the City of Pittsburgh) from 2010-2017 to explore the 
 independent and combined effects of EJ residency and total PM2.5 and consti
 tuents on preterm birth (< 37 weeks gestation)\, LBW (birth weight < 2\,500
  g)\, and SGA (birth weight < 10th percentile weight for gestational age) t
 hrough multivariate logistic regression. Residency coordinates were matched
  to census tracts and to satellite-derived monthly estimates to determine E
 J residency and 1-year pre-birth average PM2.5 and constituent exposures. M
 oderate (9-12 µg/m3) and high (> 12 µg/m3) PM2.5 exposure increased the odd
 s of preterm birth (OR: 1.21\; 95% CI: 1.15\, 1.29 and OR: 1.35\; 95% CI: 1
 .24\, 1.47 respectively)\, as did EJ residency (OR: 1.08\, 95% CI: 1.02\, 1
 .15). High exposure to SO42-\, NO3-\, NH4+\, and soil increased odds of pre
 term birth\; NH4+ had the strongest effect (OR: 1.16\, 95% CI: 1.12\, 1.22)
 . Neither EJ residency nor PM2.5 exposure affected SGA\; moderate PM2.5 was
  associated with reduced odds of LBW (OR: 0.91\, 95% CI: 0.84\, 0.98). Thes
 e findings address current gaps in the literature while also describing the
  impact of PM2.5 exposure on local vulnerable communities.
DTEND:20250612T200000Z
DTSTAMP:20260418T001459Z
DTSTART:20250612T180000Z
GEO:40.444043;-79.958003
LOCATION:Benedum Hall\, G28
SEQUENCE:0
SUMMARY:Dissertation Defense: Emily Nicholls 
UID:tag:localist.com\,2008:EventInstance_49730429908403
URL:https://calendar.pitt.edu/event/dissertation-defense-emily-nicholls
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