Joint effects of ethnic enclave residence and ambient volatile organic compounds exposure on risk of gestational diabetes mellitus among Asian/Pacific Islander women in the United States

Abstract Background: Asian/Pacific Islander (API) communities in the United States often reside in metropolitan areas with distinct social and environmental attributes. Residence in an ethnic enclave, a socially distinct area, is associated with lower gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk, yet exposure to high levels of air pollution, including volatile organic compounds (VOCS), is associated with increased GDM risk. We examined the joint effects of ethnic enclaves and VOCs to better understand GDM risk among API women, the group with the highest prevalence of GDM.Methods: We examined 9,069 API births in the Consortium on Safe Labor (19 hospitals, 2002-2008). API ethnic enclaves were defined as areas ≥66th percentile for percent API residents, dissimilarity (geographic dispersal of API and White residents), and isolation (degree that API individuals interact with another API individual). High levels of 14 volatile organic compounds (VOC) were defined as ≥75th percentile. Four joint categories were created for each VOC: Low VOC/Enclave (reference group), Low VOC/No Enclave, High VOC/Enclave, High VOC/No Enclave. GDM was reported in medical records. Hierarchical logistic regression estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) between joint exposures and GDM, adjusted for maternal factors and area-level poverty. Risk was estimated for 3-months preconception and first trimester exposures.Results: Enclave residence was associated with lower GDM risk regardless of VOC exposure. Preconception benzene exposure was associated with increased risk when women resided outside enclaves [High VOC/No Enclave (OR:3.45, 95%CI:1.77,6.72)], and the effect was somewhat mitigated within enclaves, [High VOC/Enclave (OR:2.07, 95%:1.09,3.94)]. Risks were similar for 12 of 14 VOCs during preconception and 10 of 14 during the first trimester.Conclusions: API residence in non-enclave areas is associated with higher GDM risk, regardless of VOC level. Ethnic enclave residence may mitigate effects of VOC exposure, perhaps due to lower stress levels. The potential benefit of ethnic enclaves warrants further study.

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Joint effects of ethnic enclave residence and ambient volatile organic compounds exposure on risk of gestational diabetes mellitus among Asian/Pacific Islander women in the United States

Environmental Health ◽

10.1186/s12940-021-00738-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Andrew D. Williams ◽

Sandie Ha ◽

Edmond Shenassa ◽

Lynne C. Messer ◽

Jenna Kanner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

First Trimester ◽

The United States ◽

Ethnic Enclave ◽

Ethnic Enclaves ◽

Asian Pacific Islander ◽

Volatile Organic ◽

Asian Pacific

Abstract Background Asian/Pacific Islander (API) communities in the United States often reside in metropolitan areas with distinct social and environmental attributes. Residence in an ethnic enclave, a socially distinct area, is associated with lower gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk, yet exposure to high levels of air pollution, including volatile organic compounds (VOCS), is associated with increased GDM risk. We examined the joint effects of ethnic enclaves and VOCs to better understand GDM risk among API women, the group with the highest prevalence of GDM. Methods We examined 9069 API births in the Consortium on Safe Labor (19 hospitals, 2002–2008). API ethnic enclaves were defined as areas ≥66th percentile for percent API residents, dissimilarity (geographic dispersal of API and White residents), and isolation (degree that API individuals interact with another API individual). High levels of 14 volatile organic compounds (VOC) were defined as ≥75th percentile. Four joint categories were created for each VOC: Low VOC/Enclave (reference group), Low VOC/No Enclave, High VOC/Enclave, High VOC/No Enclave. GDM was reported in medical records. Hierarchical logistic regression estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) between joint exposures and GDM, adjusted for maternal factors and area-level poverty. Risk was estimated for 3-months preconception and first trimester exposures. Results Enclave residence was associated with lower GDM risk regardless of VOC exposure. Preconception benzene exposure was associated with increased risk when women resided outside enclaves [High VOC/No Enclave (OR:3.45, 95%CI:1.77,6.72)], and the effect was somewhat mitigated within enclaves, [High VOC/Enclave (OR:2.07, 95%:1.09,3.94)]. Risks were similar for 12 of 14 VOCs during preconception and 10 of 14 during the first trimester. Conclusions API residence in non-enclave areas is associated with higher GDM risk, regardless of VOC level. Ethnic enclave residence may mitigate effects of VOC exposure, perhaps due to lower stress levels. The potential benefit of ethnic enclaves warrants further study.

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Joint Effects of Ethnic Enclave Residence and Air Pollution Exposure on Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Among Asian/Pacific Islander Women in the United States

10.21203/rs.3.rs-65451/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew D Williams ◽

Sandie Ha ◽

Edmond Shenassa ◽

Lynne Messer ◽

Jenna Kanner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

United States ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Gestational Diabetes ◽

First Trimester ◽

The United States ◽

Ethnic Enclave ◽

Ethnic Enclaves ◽

Asian Pacific Islander ◽

Asian Pacific

Abstract Background: Asian/Pacific Islander (API) communities in the United States often reside in metropolitan areas with distinct social and environmental attributes. Residence in an ethnic enclave, a socially distinct area, is associated with lower gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk, yet exposure to air pollution, which is often elevated in urban areas, is associated with increased GDM risk. We examined the joint effects of ethnic enclaves and air pollution to better understand GDM risk among API women, the group with the highest prevalence of GDM.Methods: We examined 9,069 API births in the Consortium on Safe Labor (19 hospitals, 2002-2008). API ethnic enclaves were defined as areas ≥66th percentile for percent API residents, dissimilarity (distribution of API and White residents), and isolation (degree that API individuals interact with another API individual). High levels of 14 volatile organic compounds (VOC) were defined as ≥75th percentile. Four joint categories were created for each VOC: Low VOC/Enclave (reference group), Low VOC/No Enclave, High VOC/Enclave, High VOC/No Enclave. GDM was reported in medical records. Hierarchical logistic regression estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) between joint exposures and GDM, adjusted for maternal factors and area-level poverty. Risk was estimated for 3-months preconception and first trimester exposures.Results: Enclave residence was associated with lower GDM risk regardless of VOC exposure. Preconception benzene exposure was associated with increased risk when women resided outside enclaves [High VOC/No Enclave (OR:3.45, 95%CI:1.77,6.72)], and the effect was somewhat mitigated within enclaves, [High VOC/Enclave (OR:2.07, 95%:1.09,3.94)]. Risks were similar for 12 of 14 VOCs during preconception and 10 of 14 during the first trimester.Conclusions: API residence in non-enclave areas is associated with higher GDM risk, regardless of VOC level. Ethnic enclave residence may mitigate effects of VOC exposure, perhaps due to lower stress levels. The potential benefit of ethnic enclaves warrants further study.

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Joint Effects of Ethnic Enclave Residence and Air Pollution Exposure on Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Among Asian/Pacific Islander Women in the United States

Annals of Epidemiology ◽

10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.08.031 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 52 ◽

pp. 106

Author(s):

A.D. Williams ◽

S. Ha ◽

E. Shenassa ◽

L. Messer ◽

J. Kanner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

United States ◽

Air Pollution ◽

The United States ◽

Ethnic Enclave ◽

Asian Pacific Islander ◽

Air Pollution Exposure ◽

Asian Pacific ◽

Pacific Islander Women ◽

Pollution Exposure

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Ambient Volatile Organic Compounds and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Are Asian/Pacific Islander Women at Greater Risk?

American Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/aje/kwy256 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 188 (2) ◽

pp. 389-397 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Andrew D Williams ◽

Katherine L Grantz ◽

Cuilin Zhang ◽

Carrie Nobles ◽

Seth Sherman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Gestational Diabetes ◽

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

Asian Pacific Islander ◽

Volatile Organic ◽

Asian Pacific ◽

Pacific Islander Women ◽

Racial Ethnic

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Pulmonary Health Effects of Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds—A Meta-Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041578 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1578 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kyle L. Alford ◽

Naresh Kumar

Keyword(s):

Volatile Organic Compounds ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Effect Size ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

The United States ◽

High Income ◽

Pulmonary Diseases ◽

Health Concern ◽

Pubmed Database ◽

Volatile Organic

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are commonly found in consumer products, including furniture, sealants and paints. Thus, indoor VOCs have become a public health concern, especially in high-income countries (HICs), where people spend most of their time indoors, and indoor and outdoor air exchange is minimal due to a lack of ventilation. VOCs produce high levels of reaction with the airway epithelium and mucosa membrane and is linked with pulmonary diseases. This paper takes a stock of the literature to assess the strength of association (measured by effect size) between VOCs and pulmonary diseases with the focus on asthma and its related symptoms by conducting a meta-analysis. The literature was searched using the PubMed database. A total of 49 studies that measured VOCs or VOC types and pulmonary health outcomes were included in the analysis. The results of these studies were tabulated, and standard effect size of each study was computed. Most studies were conducted in high-income countries, including France (n = 7), Japan (n = 7) and the United States (n = 6). Our analysis suggests that VOCs have a medium-sized effect on pulmonary diseases, including the onset of asthma (effect size (or Cohen’s d) ~0.37; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.25–0.49; n = 23) and wheezing (effective size ~0.26; 95% CI = 0.10–0.42; n = 10). The effect size also varied by country, age and disease type. Multiple stakeholders must be engaged in strategies to mitigate and manage VOC exposure and its associated pulmonary disease burden.

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