Buttling Lauren G, McKnight Molly X, Kolivras Korine N, Ranganathan Shyam, Gohlke Julia M
Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Department of Geography, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Environ Epidemiol. 2021 Jan 25;5(1):e128. doi: 10.1097/EE9.0000000000000128. eCollection 2021 Feb.
Maternal residency in Central Appalachia counties with coal production has been previously associated with increased rates of low birth weight (LBW). To refine the relationship between surface mining and birth outcomes, this study employs finer spatiotemporal estimates of exposure.
We developed characterizations of annual surface mining boundaries in Central Appalachia between 1986 and 2015 using Landsat data. Maternal address on birth records was geocoded and assigned amount of surface mining within a 5 km radius of residence (street-level). Births were also assigned the amount of surface mining within residential ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA). Associations between exposure to active mining during gestation year and birth weight, LBW, preterm birth (PTB), and term low birth weight (tLBW) were determined, adjusting for outcome rates before active mining and available covariates.
The percent of land actively mined within a 5 km buffer of residence (or ZCTA) was negatively associated with birth weight (5 km: β = -14.07 g; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -19.35, -8.79, = 1.79 × 10; ZCTA: β = -9.93 g; 95% CI = -12.54, -7.33, = 7.94 × 10). We also found positive associations between PTB and active mining within 5 km (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.03, 1.09, = 1.43 × 10) and within ZCTA (OR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.03, 1.06, = 9.21 × 10). Positive relationships were also found between amount of active mining within 5 km or ZIP code of residence and LBW and tLBW outcomes.
Maternal residency near active surface mining during gestation may increase risk of PTB and LBW.
先前研究表明，居住在阿巴拉契亚中部产煤县的孕妇，其低体重儿（LBW）出生率较高。为了进一步明确露天采矿与出生结局之间的关系，本研究采用了更精细的时空暴露估计方法。
我们利用陆地卫星数据，对1986年至2015年间阿巴拉契亚中部地区的年度露天采矿边界进行了特征描述。对出生记录上的产妇地址进行地理编码，并确定其居住半径5公里范围内（街道层面）的露天采矿量。同时，还确定了产妇居住邮编区域（ZCTA）内的露天采矿量。在调整了活跃采矿前的结局发生率和可用协变量后，确定了孕期接触活跃采矿与出生体重、低体重儿、早产（PTB）和足月低体重儿（tLBW）之间的关联。
居住半径5公里缓冲区内（或ZCTA内）的活跃采矿土地百分比与出生体重呈负相关（5公里：β = -14.07克；95%置信区间[CI] = -19.35，-8.79， = 1.79 × 10；ZCTA：β = -9.93克；95% CI = -12.54，-7.33， = 7.94 × 10）。我们还发现，5公里范围内（优势比[OR] = 1.06；95% CI = 1.03，1.09， = 1.43 × 10）和ZCTA内（OR = 1.04；95% CI = 1.03，1.06， = 9.21 × 10）的活跃采矿与早产之间存在正相关。居住半径5公里或邮编范围内的活跃采矿量与低体重儿和足月低体重儿结局之间也存在正相关。
孕期孕妇居住在活跃露天采矿附近可能会增加早产和低体重儿的风险。
