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[H+T--Friends] Birth defects linked to highway smog

by Eloisa Raynault

This may be of interest to you and your networks. Birth defects linked to highway smog: http://www.futurity.org/health-medicine/birth-defects-linked-to-highway-smo… STANFORD (US) — Women who breathe traffic pollution early in their pregnancy have a higher risk of having a baby with serious birth defects of the brain and spine, a new study reports. The finding comes from a study that examined air quality and birth-defect data for women living in California’s San Joaquin Valley, one of the smoggiest regions of the country. “We found an association between specific traffic-related air pollutants and neural tube defects, which are malformations of the brain and spine,” says lead author Amy Padula, a postdoctoral scholar in pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. Straight from the Source Read the original study <http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/03/27/aje.kws367.abstract?…> DOI: 10.1093/aje/kws367 “Birth defects affect one in every 33 babies, and about two-thirds of these defects are due to unknown causes,” says Gary Shaw, professor of neonatal and developmental medicine. “When these babies are born, they bring into a family’s life an amazing number of questions, many of which we can’t answer.” For the study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology <http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/03/27/aje.kws367.abstract?…> , the scientists studied 806 women who had a pregnancy affected by a birth defect between 1997 and 2006, and 849 women who had healthy babies during the same period. The study examined two types of neural tube defects: spina bifida, a spinal-column malformation, and anencephaly, an underdeveloped or absent brain); cleft lip, with or without cleft palate; cleft palate only; and gastroschisis, in which the infant is born with some of his or her intestines outside the body. All women studied resided in an area of California known for poor air quality—the San Joaquin Valley—during the first eight weeks of their pregnancies, a window of time when many birth defects develop. The researchers asked each woman for her home address during this period and scored subjects’ exposure to air pollutants using data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency as part of federally mandated air-quality monitoring. The pollutants assessed included carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and ozone, as well as local traffic density. After controlling for factors such as race/ethnicity, maternal education, and multivitamin use, women who breathed the highest levels of carbon monoxide were nearly twice as likely to have a baby with spina bifida or anencephaly as those with the lowest carbon monoxide exposure. Nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide exposures were also linked to increased risk for these defects; women with the highest nitrogen oxide exposure had nearly three times the risk of having a pregnancy affected by anencephaly than those with the lowest exposure, for example. Further studies are needed to examine the combined effects of multiple pollutants. The quality of earlier research linking air pollution and birth defects has been hampered by the difficulty of getting reliable data on women’s exposure to pollutants. The new study is the first to assess women’s pollutant exposures in early pregnancy, when birth defects are developing, rather than at birth. Scientists say further studies are needed to confirm the results of the new research and to examine other pollutants, as well as other types of birth defects. “If these associations are confirmed, this work offers an avenue for a potential intervention for reducing birth defects,” Padula says. “In addition, for our colleagues who are bench scientists, this work gives them an opportunity to think about what pollution exposures might mean mechanistically,” Shaw says. “It could give them a better understanding of the details of human development.” Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley and at Sonoma Technology Inc. in Sonoma, California, were involved in the work, which was funded by the National Institute for Environmental Health Science, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Source: Stanford University <http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2013/march/pollution.html>

12 years, 11 months

[H+T--Friends] Request for Public Comment on Proposed Surgeon General's Call to Action on Walking

by Eloisa Raynault

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services announced the opening of a docket to obtain information from the public on walking as an effective way to be sufficiently active for health. The information obtained will be used to frame an anticipated Surgeon General's call to action on this issue. The notice can be found at www.regulations.gov. The 30 day public comment period begins today and ends Tuesday, April 30th. The notice requests information on way to increase walking and community walkability. Please consider providing input to the docket and sharing this announcement with stakeholders who may also be interested. To provide input go to www.regulations.gov In the search box type the Docket No. CDC-2013-0003

12 years, 11 months

[H+T--Friends] National Public Health Week is here!

by Eloisa Raynault

It's National Public Health Week! National Public Health Week is here and we hope you're excited! There are many ways to get involved throughout the week and beyond, so be sure to check www.nphw.org <http://action.apha.org/site/R?i=N1oMrCdnaA12WuboenRmOw> often for new events and follow @NPHW on twitter <http://action.apha.org/site/R?i=oT6WSS20WcOGiIWvNgMfCQ> , and 'like' the APHA Facebook page. <http://action.apha.org/site/R?i=1qsLMry-GJAD6c1g-iFeKA> Surgeon General Regina Benjamin kicks off National Public Health Week (video) Watch as Surgeon General Regina Benjamin kicks off National Public Health Week <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx6cA1OGBUE> and explains how public health is a return on investment. The video announces the beginning of a national effort to engage more people in the simple, yet extraordinarily beneficial form of exercise: walking. Tell us what public health means to you National Public Health Week is the perfect time for you to tell us what public health means to you. Participate in our NPHW Message Board and complete the following phrases: "Public Health is ...", and "A world without public health would be ..." Simply download the messages, fill in your thoughts, take a picture and send it to us at www.nphw.org <http://action.apha.org/site/R?i=UAvakT9CKVZYVNpJucdg1w> and we'll post it to the APHA Facebook page. It's a simple and fun way to get involved in NPHW! Join the NPHW Twitter chat, Wednesday, April 3, at 2 p.m. EDT As part of National Public Health Week, we're hosting a third Twitter chat and we hope you can join us! Scheduled for Wednesday, April 3, at 2 p.m. EDT, engage with fellow public health advocates on important public health topics that relate to public health's return on investment. We'll explore and discuss ways in which evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion initiatives can save lives and money. Twitter makes it easy for you to get involved in the conversation. Just include #NPHWchat <http://action.apha.org/site/R?i=QLycfxTk3L5ivMEep0DuOg> in your tweet or follow @NPHW <http://action.apha.org/site/R?i=y5ozeVOTAcKZP4ru6n7vuA> . RSVP <http://action.apha.org/site/R?i=Zs_3NnIqza8DiI9W3E4xrQ> and invite your friends! Tell us how you're celebrating National Public Health Week Hosting an event? Tell us about it by submitting it to the NPHW events calendar <http://www.nphw.org/events/submit-an-event> . And submit your NPHW activities to The Nation's Health <http://www.nphw.org/events/submit-an-event> . APHA's newspaper will publish submissions from across the country. Send in your National Public Health Week news and events by April 19!

12 years, 11 months

[H+T--Friends] TRB Workshop Opportunity

by Ed Christopher

Our friends from the Committee on Simulation and Measurement of Vehicle and Operator Performance (AND30) are working on a workshop concept for the TRB 2014 annual meeting that might be of interest. Below is the working description of the workshop. If anyone has an interest in the workshop or is working in this area please contact Wade Allen (rwallen(a)systemstech.com) directly to discuss your interest and let him know you are with the TRB subcommittee on Health and Transportation. The Simulation Committee is interested in partnering with our subcommittee so this is an excellent opportunity for you to contribute on our behalf. ------------------------- Working Description: The purpose of this workshop is to explore the use of simulators for assessing the deficiencies of drivers with medical conditions and rehabilitating these drivers to overcome their deficits. The application of simulation needs to consider its efficacy relative to driving safety and the influence of related issues such as simulator sickness which detract from its diagnostic and therapeutic value. -- Ed Christopher FHWA Resource Center Planning Team 4749 Lincoln Mall Drive, Suite 600 Matteson, IL 60443 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (C)

12 years, 11 months

[H+T--Friends] LA Times: "It's official: Traffic pollution can cause asthma in children"

by Eloisa Raynault

This article in the LA Times may be of interest to you: http://goo.gl/QZwvo Researchers in Europe have confirmed scientifically what parents in traffic-congested Southern California have known anecdotally for years: Poor air quality associated with busy roads can cause asthma <http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/physical-conditions/asthma-HEPHC000 007.topic> in children. The study, which examined children's health in 10 cities, concluded that 14% of chronic childhood asthma cases could be attributed to near-road traffic pollution. It is the first time that medical researchers have made such a direct link - previous studies stopped at saying that traffic pollution is known to trigger asthma, not cause it. Eloisa Raynault | American Public Health Association | 800 I Street NW, Washington DC 20001 | Transportation, Health and Equity Program Manager | o: 202-777-2487 | http://apha.org/transportation <http://apha.org/transportation> Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

12 years, 11 months

[H+T--Friends] For those in DC: Walk for Health on April 6th

by Eloisa Raynault

The American Public Health Association (APHA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are co-sponsoring the Walk for Health on April 6, 2013. This year's Walk for Health theme is 'Know Your Number' as it relates to your blood pressure and hypertension. The walk will begin at PAHO headquarters and be followed by a fun festival with activities, information, and refreshments. Both shorter and longer distance courses will be created and those who wish to jog, run, or bike are encouraged to do so. This is a family friendly event and all are encouraged to attend! This event is rain or shine. Additional details will be released soon, please check back as the event nears for the most up-to-date information: http://www.nphw.org/events/details/walk-for-health-and-post-walk-festiva l Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/events/317317008371939/ Eloisa Raynault | American Public Health Association | 800 I Street NW, Washington DC 20001 | Transportation, Health and Equity Program Manager | o: 202-777-2487 | http://apha.org/transportation <http://apha.org/transportation> Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

12 years, 12 months

[H+T--Friends] Should Pregnant Women Be Warned About the Health Risks of Driving?

by Ed Christopher

This was sent to me by someone on our list but it got deleted by our spam filtering. Seems "Pregnant Women" in the title triggered something in the spam filter. -------------------- When you tell people you’re pregnant, the first thing you get is advice. It comes from friends, from relatives, from books, from your doctor, from random people on the street, from signs and warnings on various products. Do this. Don’t do that. Avoid drinking alcohol. Steer clear of second-hand smoke (or god forbid, first-hand). Don’t drink too much caffeine. Consult a physician on every medication you take, whether over-the-counter or prescription. Don’t eat sushi. Skip unpasteurized cheeses. Think twice before you get on a roller coaster. But one thing no one says to you is this: don’t drive or ride in a personal motor vehicle if you can avoid it. Or at least, no one said it to me. No one told me the proper way to wear a seatbelt while pregnant, either. http://m.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/03/should-pregnant-women-be-war… -- Ed Christopher

13 years

[H+T--Friends] How to count cyclists and pedestrians to help transportation planning

by Lou, Deborah

Hello, We would like to share this resource with you: Counting Bicyclists and Pedestrians to Inform Transportation Planning<http://www.activelivingresearch.org/bikepedcounts> This brief describes a number of technologies for counting bicycles and pedestrians and the benefits and challenges associated with different approaches. It also explains how counting data can be used to inform transportation planning, presents trends in levels of bicycle and pedestrian activity, and illustrates one goal of non-motorized traffic monitoring, namely, estimating bicycle and pedestrian traffic on streets in cities and towns. You can also find several other resources on our website<http://www.activelivingresearch.org/taxonomy/transportation> to help you create more physically active and healthier communities. For example, check out our colorful, eye-catching infographic<http://www.activelivingresearch.org/blog/2012/07/node/12689> on the role of transportation in promoting walking and biking. [http://www.activelivingresearch.org/files/ALR_Infographic_Transportation_Ju…] Please share with your organization, colleagues, and networks. Do let me know if you have feedback or any questions! Thank you, Debbie [Follow us on Twitter]<https://twitter.com/#!/AL_Research> [Like us on Facebook] <http://www.facebook.com/pages/Active-Living-Research/333084613384441> [View our videos on YouTube] <http://www.youtube.com/user/ActiveLivingResearch> Debbie Lou, Ph.D. Program Analyst Active Living Research -- A National Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Using evidence to prevent childhood obesity and create active communities UC San Diego 3900 Fifth Ave, Suite 310 San Diego, CA 92103 Ph: (619) 260-6336 Fx: (619) 260-1510 www.activelivingresearch.org<http://www.activelivingresearch.org/>

13 years

[H+T--Friends] New Report: Promoting Equity through the Practice of Health Impact Assessment

by Megan Wier

Hi everyone - I wanted to share a new Health Impact Assessment (HIA) resource, "Promoting Equity through the Practice of Health Impact Assessment," in case it may be helpful in your work. The report is available for download at the following link: http://www.sfphes.org/news/201-promoting-equity-through-hia This primer identifies eight principles for promoting equity in HIA, along with specific strategies for implementing each principle and examples - including a number focused on transportation related policies or plans - that exemplify those principles in HIA practice in communities across the country. The report also shares common challenges to incorporating equity into HIA practice and ways to overcome them. The report was co-authored by the San Francisco Dept. of Public Health, Human Impact Partners, PolicyLink , and the Adler School of Professional Psychology, working with a diverse Advisory Committee of equity advocates and HIA practitioners to develop its structure and content. Best, Megan *** Please note that I am in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Thank you! *** ------------------------------------------------------------- Megan L. Wier, MPH, Epidemiologist Lead - Health, Transportation and Equity Environmental Health Section San Francisco Department of Public Health phone: 415-252-3972, fax: 415-252-3964 Megan.Wier(a)sfdph.org www.sfphes.org

13 years

[H+T--Friends] Follow Up: VMT/Traffic Density Analysis Inquiry

by Megan Wier

Hi everyone, I am writing to follow up for those who were interested in responses to my post re: VMT/Traffic Density Analysis as a proxy for health impacts of transportation (e.g., near-source air pollution, noise, active transport hazards, and livability generally) - see below. They are summarized as follows. Please feel free to contact me off-list if you are interested in PDFs of the referenced articles (the first one is downloadable free online at the link included below the citation). Best, Megan Summary: - MPOs running a travel forecasting model would have the capacity to do this type of analysis - Caveats of mapping modeled VMT using an MPO’s regional model for a small/sub-city level scale (e.g., TAZ, census block/tract, 1/2 mile grids) shared by one MPO include: 1. The regional model doesn’t include most of the local roads 2. The regional model would need future recalibration to show more accurate result for the sub-areas. - The Boston Region MPO has started aggregating VMT from their travel demand model by transportation analysis zone (TAZ) and turning it into a contour surface for transportation health impact analyses. This approach is described in the article I had shared in my initial email - available online at the link below. Characterizing urban traffic exposures using transportation planning tools: an illustrated methodology for health researchers. Rioux CL, Gute DM, Brugge D, Peterson S, Parmenter B. J Urban Health. 2010 Mar;87(2):167-88. doi: 10.1007/s11524-009-9419-7. Epub 2010 Jan 22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20094920 An additional article related to this work shared by the MPO is: Modeling and validation of on-road CO2 emissions inventories at the urban regional scale. Brondfield MN, Hutyra LR, Gately CK, Raciti SM, Peterson SA. Environ Pollut. 2012 Nov;170:113-23. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2012.06.003. Epub 2012 Jul 7. - The San Francisco Bay Area's MTC is using modeled VMT density as an equity performance measure using VMT from the MTC's travel model: http://www.onebayarea.org/pdf/Appendices_5-4-12/Appendix_F_Equity_Analysis_… *** Please note that I am in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Thank you! *** ------------------------------------------------------------- Megan L. Wier, MPH, Epidemiologist Lead - Health, Transportation and Equity Environmental Health Section San Francisco Department of Public Health phone: 415-252-3972, fax: 415-252-3964 Megan.Wier(a)sfdph.org www.sfphes.org ----- Forwarded by Megan Wier/DPH/SFGOV on 03/14/2013 08:55 AM ----- From: Megan Wier <Megan.Wier(a)sfdph.org> To: "'TRB Health and Transportation'" <h+t--friends(a)chrispy.net> Date: 02/28/2013 05:41 PM Subject: [H+T--Friends] VMT/Traffic Density Analysis Inquiry Sent by: h+t--friends-bounces(a)chrispy.net Hi everyone, I am writing on behalf of Rajiv Bhatia with an inquiry re: whether people working at MPOs have quantified, modeled or mapped VMT or traffic density at a smaller area/sub-city level. If you have, could you please email me directly (megan.wier(a)sfdph.org) with some details regarding this work and your data source(s)? If you have not but have plans to do so and/or the data available to do so, I would be most interested in hearing about it as well. For some background regarding this approach and implications for health, please see the attached article. Thanks so much in advance - Best, Megan (See attached file: Rioux_UrbanTrafficExposures_JUrbanHealth_2010].pdf) *** Please note that I am in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Thank you! *** ------------------------------------------------------------- Megan L. Wier, MPH, Epidemiologist Lead - Health, Transportation and Equity Environmental Health Section San Francisco Department of Public Health phone: 415-252-3972, fax: 415-252-3964 Megan.Wier(a)sfdph.org www.sfphes.org[attachment "Rioux_UrbanTrafficExposures_JUrbanHealth_2010].pdf" deleted by Megan Wier/DPH/SFGOV] _______________________________________________ H+T--Friends mailing list H+T--Friends(a)ryoko.chrispy.net http://ryoko.chrispy.net/mailman/listinfo/h+t--friends

13 years

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