Energy Insecurity Indicators Associated With Increased Odds Of Respiratory, Mental Health, And Cardiovascular Conditions.

Energy insecurity, defined as the inability to meet household energy needs, has multiple economic, physical, and coping dimensions that affect health. We conducted the first citywide representative survey of energy insecurity and health in a sample of 1,950 New York City residents in 2022. We compiled ten indicators that characterize energy insecurity as experienced in New York City housing settings and then examined associations between number and types of indicators and health conditions. Nearly 30 percent of residents experienced three or more indicators, with significantly higher levels among Black non-Latino/a and Latino/a residents compared with White non-Latino/a residents, renters compared with owners, recent immigrants compared with those living in the United States for longer, and those in households with children compared with those with no children. Residents with three or more indicators of energy insecurity had higher odds of respiratory, mental health, and cardiovascular conditions and electric medical device dependence than residents with no indicators. Our study demonstrates that broadening the understanding of energy insecurity with context-specific metrics can help guide interventions and policies that address disparities relevant to health and energy equity.

Predictors of Urinary Pyrethroid and Organophosphate Compound Concentrations among Healthy Pregnant Women in New York.

Our study aimed to investigate dietary and non-dietary predictors of exposure to pyrethroids, organophosphates pesticides and 2,4-D herbicide in two cohorts of pregnant women in New York City: 153 women from the Thyroid Disruption and Infant Development (TDID) cohort and 121 from the Sibling/Hermanos Cohort(S/H). Baseline data on predictors were collected from the women at time of recruitment. We used three different modeling strategies to address missing data due to biomarker values below the limit of detection (

Associations between intrauterine exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls on neonatal ano-genital distance.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are widespread environmental contaminants. PCBs have endocrine disrupting properties which raises concerns regarding their effect on the developing fetus. This study aimed to examine the association between prenatal exposure to PCBs and anogenital distance (AGD) in newborns. Serum concentrations of PCB congeners -118, -138, -153 and -180 were measured in 175 pregnant women presenting to the delivery room. AGD was measured in their newborns. Regression models were used to estimate associations between maternal PCB exposure and infant anogenital measurements, controlling for possible confounding variables. Mean maternal serum concentrations were 2.95 ± 2.18 ng/g, 4.62 ± 3.54 ng/g, 7.67 ± 6.42 ng/g and 5.10 ± 3.91 ng/g for congeners -118, -138, -153 and -180, respectively. Higher maternal concentrations of PCBs were associated with reduced AGD measures in male infants. Higher maternal concentrations of PCB-138 and PCB-153 were associated with reduced ano-scrotal distances and higher maternal concentrations of all four PCB congeners were associated with reduced ano-penile distances. No significant associations were found between any PCB congener and any AGD measure in female newborns. This study demonstrates that intrauterine exposure to PCBs may be associated with reduced AGD in male newborns. More research is needed to reveal the implications for adult reproductive health.

Effects of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers on Child Cognitive, Behavioral, and Motor Development.

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) flame retardants are environmental chemicals that cross the placenta during pregnancy and have shown evidence of neurotoxicity. As the in utero period is a sensitive developmental window, such exposure may result in adverse childhood outcomes. Associations between in utero PBDE exposure and neurodevelopment are found in animal models and increasingly in human population studies. Here, we review the epidemiological evidence of the association between prenatal exposure to PBDEs and motor, cognitive, and behavioral development in infants and children. Published work suggests a negative association between PBDE concentrations and neurodevelopment despite varying PBDE congeners measured, bio-specimen matrix used, timing of the biological sampling, geographic location of study population, specific developmental tests used, age of children at time of testing, and statistical methodologies. This review includes 16 published studies that measured PBDE exposure in maternal blood during pregnancy or in cord blood at delivery and performed validated motor, cognitive, and/or behavioral testing at one or more time during childhood. We evaluate possible mediation through PBDE-induced perturbations in thyroid function and effect measure modification by child sex. While the majority of studies support an adverse association between PBDEs and neurodevelopment, additional research is required to understand the mechanism of action, possibly through the perturbations in thyroid function either in the pregnant woman or in the child, and the role of biologically relevant effect modifiers such as sex.

Exploring the Housing and Household Energy Pathways to Stress: A Mixed Methods Study.

Chronic stress, known to contribute to negative physical and mental health outcomes, is closely associated with broader issues of material hardship, poor neighborhood conditions, residential instability, and inadequate housing conditions. However, few studies have comprehensively explored pathways to stress in a low-income housing environment. A mixed-methods pilot study investigated the concept of energy insecurity by looking at the impacts of weatherization and energy efficiency interventions on low-income households in the South Bronx neighborhood of New York City. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 low-income heads of household; participants also completed health, housing and budget assessments. Physical deficiencies, economic hardship, and health issues all interacted to directly and indirectly produce living conditions that contribute to chronic stress. Households with higher stress reported more health problems. Poor quality housing led to coping responses that increased expenses, which in turn increased stress around housing and energy affordability. This study provides further support for the connections between both health and the built environment and between low socio-economic status populations and net negative health outcomes. Energy insecurity is an important contributor to chronic stress in low-income households, and isolating pathways to stress where there is potential for interventions is important for future policy and housing-based strategies.

Desafíos en la prevención de la transmisión madre-hijo de VIH y sífilis en el Conurbano bonaerense: un estudio cualitativo / Challenges in preventing mother - to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in suburban Buenos Aires: a qualitative study

La sífilis congénita causa abortos espontáneos, mortinatos, y malformaciones. Prevenir la transmisión vertical (TV) de sífilis implica un tratamiento más breve y menos costoso que el que se usa para prevenir la TV de VIH, no obstante hay un número mucho mayor de casos de sífilis congénita en Argentina. Métodos: se realizaron entrevistas semi-estructuradas a profesionales de hospitales públicos del Conurbano Bonaerense. Se analizó las percepciones de riesgo de mujeres gestantes para VIH y sífilis. Además se comparó las percepciones sobre TV de sífilis y VIH en cuanto a medidas de prevención y sistemas utilizados para detectar y tratar infecciones en mujeres gestantes y sus parejas. Resultados: los sistemas formales e informales para prevenir y notificar la TV se muestran inconsistentes. Se encontró una falta de consejería pre y post-test y un sistema informal de derivación. Las percepciones más comunes de los profesionales fueron: las pacientes tienen una falta de interés en hablar con los profesionales sobre su salud sexual, la prevención de la TV de VIH es más urgente que la de sífilis, hay una baja participación de las parejas en los controles prenatales y el testeo para ITS, existe una falta de comprensión por parte de los pacientes sobre la importancia en hacer el testeo para la sífilis, hay una sensibilización mayor de la importancia de hacer el testeo del VIH, se observan dificultades en tratar parejas de mujeres gestante con VDRL positivo. Conclusiones: la falta de consejería pre y post-test es una barrera a la prevención de la TV. Las expectativas de las pacientes embarazadas y el tabú en cuanto a temas considerados personales afectan la discusión entre profesionales y sus pacientes. Los sistemas de derivación para los controles prenatales debería ser estandarizados, sobre todo para gestantes con resultados positivos para VIH y sífilis...

Congenital syphilis causes miscarriages, stillbirths and birth defects. Preventing mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of syphilis entails a briefer and less expensive drug regimen than preventing MTCT of HIV, yet here are significantly more cases of congenital syphilis in Argentina. Methods: Semi-structured interviews of professionals were conducted in the public hospitals of Greater Buenos Aires. Perceptions of risks of pregnant women for HIV and syphilis infection were analyzed, and a comparison performed between perceptions of MTCT transmission of syphilis and HIV in terms of prevention efforts and systems used to detect and treat infections in pregnant women and their partners. Results: Formal and informal systems to prevent and report MTCT were found inconsistent, along with a lack of pre-and post-test counseling and an informal referral system. Common perceptions of health workers: Patients lack of interest in talking about sexual health with doctors, prevention of MTCT of HIV more urgent than prevention of congenital syphilis, low partner participation in prenatal care and STI testing, patients greater awareness of the importance of HIV testing than the importance of syphilis testing, difficulty in treating partners of pregnant women with positive VDRL test. Conclusions: Lack of counseling presents a barrier to effective MTCT prevention. Expectations of pregnant patients and stigma regardin matters considered personal affects discourse between health workers and patientes. Referral systems for prenatal care should be standardized, especially for pregnant women who test positive for HIV and syphilis. Formalizing informal systems already used to prevent MTCT of HIV to include syphilis would be an effective and logical use of resources...