Fox E. Underwood

Corrigendum: Rural and Urban Residence During Early Life Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Population-Based Inception and Birth Cohort Study.

Objectives:To determine the association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rural/urban household at the time of diagnosis, or within the first 5 years (y) of life.Methods:Population-based cohorts of residents of four Canadian provinces were created using health administrative data. Rural/urban status was derived from postal codes based on population density and distance to metropolitan areas. Validated algorithms identified all incident IBD cases from administrative data (Alberta: 1999–2008, Manitoba and Ontario: 1999–2010, and Nova Scotia: 2000–2008). We determined sex-standardized incidence (per 100,000 patient-years) and incident rate ratios (IRR) using Poisson regression. A birth cohort was created of children in whom full administrative data were available from birth (Alberta 1996–2010, Manitoba 1988–2010, and Ontario 1991–2010). IRR was calculated for residents who lived continuously in rural/urban households during each of the first 5 years of life.Results:There were 6,662 rural residents and 38,905 urban residents with IBD. Incidence of IBD per 100,000 was 33.16 (95% CI 27.24–39.08) in urban residents, and 30.72 (95% CI 23.81–37.64) in rural residents (IRR 0.90, 95% CI 0.81–0.99). The protective association was strongest in children <10 years (IRR 0.58, 95% CI 0.43–0.73) and 10–17.9 years (IRR 0.72, 95% CI 0.64–0.81). In the birth cohort, comprising 331 rural and 2,302 urban residents, rurality in the first 1–5 years of life was associated with lower risk of IBD (IRR 0.75–0.78).Conclusions:People living in rural households had lower risk of developing IBD. This association is strongest in young children and adolescents, and in children exposed to the rural environment early in life.

A preliminary spatial assessment of risk: Marine birds and chronic oil pollution on Canada's Pacific coast

Chronic oil pollution poses substantial risks to marine birds and other marine wildlife worldwide. On Canadas Pacific coast, the negative ecological consequences to marine birds and marine ecosystems in general remain poorly understood. Using information relating to oil spill probability of occurrence, areas of overall importance to marine birds, and the at-sea distribution and density of 12 marine bird species and seven bird groups, including multiple Species at Risk, we undertook a spatial assessment of risk. Our results identify two main areas important to marine birds potentially at higher risk of exposure to oil. For individual bird species or species groups, those predicted to have elevated bird densities near the mainland and the northeast coast of Vancouver Island were identified as being at higher potential risk of exposure. Our results, however, should be considered preliminary. As with other anthropogenic stressors, in order to better understand and subsequently mitigate the consequences of chronic oil pollution on marine birds, improved information relating to marine birds and the occurrence of oil spills on Canadas Pacific coast is needed.

Population Density and Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Prospective Population-Based Study in 13 Countries or Regions in Asia-Pacific

INTRODUCTION: Living in an urban environment may increase the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is unclear if this observation is seen globally. We conducted a population-based study to assess the relationship between urbanization and incidence of IBD in the Asia-Pacific region. METHODS: Newly diagnosed IBD cases between 2011 and 2013 from 13 countries or regions in Asia-Pacific were included. Incidence was calculated with 95% confidence interval (CI) and pooled using random-effects model. Meta-regression analysis was used to assess incidence rates and their association with population density, latitude, and longitude. RESULTS: We identified 1175 ulcerative colitis (UC), 656 Crohn’s disease (CD), and 37 IBD undetermined (IBD-U). Mean annual IBD incidence per 100 000 was 1.50 (95% CI: 1.43–1.57). India (9.31; 95% CI: 8.38–10.31) and China (3.64; 95% CI, 2.97–4.42) had the highest IBD incidence in Asia. Incidence of overall IBD (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 2.19; 95% CI: 1.01–4.76]) and CD (IRR: 3.28; 95% CI: 1.83–9.12) was higher across 19 areas of Asia with a higher population density. In China, incidence of IBD (IRR: 2.37; 95% CI: 1.10–5.16) and UC (IRR: 2.63; 95% CI: 1.2–5.8) was positively associated with gross domestic product. A south-to-north disease gradient (IRR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.91–0.98) was observed for IBD incidence and a west-to-east gradient (IRR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.05–1.24) was observed for CD incidence in China. This study received IRB approval. CONCLUSIONS: Regions in Asia with a high population density had a higher CD and UC incidence. Coastal areas within China had higher IBD incidence. With increasing urbanization and a shift from rural areas to cities, disease incidence may continue to climb in Asia.

Canada: Climate Change, Air Pollution and Health

Canada is a very large country with a very sparse population. As one of the highest-latitude countries in the northern hemisphere, it is exposed to extreme effects of climate change. Many of these effects have an impact on air quality. Canada is also one of the world’s largest economies, with its wealth tightly linked to natural resource extraction. This resource dependency has led to a remarkable awareness of the potentially negative consequences of a resource-based economy on the environment, climate change, and air quality and, hence, to a tension between economic development and environmental protection. Canada has the ability to invest significantly in the monitoring and modelling of air quality. In translating this knowledge to the medical community and the general public, health risks related to air pollution could be mitigated and better health could be promoted. However, monitoring efforts should focus far more on the spatial dimension, in addition to the temporal one, owing to the great expanse of Canada’s geography.

Land Use Regression of Particulate Matter in Calgary, Canada

GIScience 2016 Short Paper Proceedings Land Use Regression of Particulate Matter in Calgary, Canada S. Bertazzon 1 , F. Underwood 1 , M. Johnson 2 , J. Zhang 2 University of Calgary, Department of Geography, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 1N4 Email: {bertazzs, feunderw}@ucalgary.ca Health Canada, Air Health Science Division, 269 Laurier Ave West, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1A 0K9 Email: markey.johhnson@hc-sc-gc.ca; joyce.zhang@alumni.utoronto.ca Abstract Two-week integrated samples of particulate matter (PM 1.0 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 ) were collected in summer and winter in Calgary, Canada. PM concentrations were higher in summer for all size fractions. In both seasons, spatial variation and clustering were moderate. Land use regression (LUR) models were estimated for each PM size fraction and season, yielding R 2 > 0.75 for PM 2.5 and PM 10 in summer, and R 2 > 0.45 for PM 1.0 in summer and for all winter models. Summer models yielded consistent predictors across size fractions, representing industrial emissions, local traffic, and major arterial traffic. Winter predictors included industrial emissions, major arterial traffic, and distance from open, snow-covered parks. The models suggest industrial pollution covered large areas in both seasons, and was affected by prevailing winds in summer, whereas traffic-related pollution decayed rapidly as distance from roads increased. 1. Introduction Particulate matter (PM) is a mixture of small particles: acids, organic chemicals, metals, and dust particles (EPA 2016). Coarse particles (PM 10 ) are 2.5−10 micrometers in diameter; fine particles (PM 2.5 ) are less than 2.5 micrometers. Particulate pollution is associated with reduced visibility, environmental degradation, and adverse health effects, e.g., respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (Ruckerl et al. 2011), with evidence that health impacts and chemical composition vary by size fraction (Kelly and Fussell 2012). Land use regression (LUR) yields air pollution estimates at fine spatial resolution based on the relationship between air pollution values and land use variables observed at sampled points (Henderson et al., 2007). Most LUR literature focuses on NO 2 , with a few studies modelling PM 2.5 , ultrafine particles, and PM components (e.g., Henderson et al., 2007, Zhang et al., 2015). This paper is the first study comparing models for three PM size fractions. Further novel elements in the well-established LUR literature are the inclusion of prevailing winds and the use of GIScience to advance spatial understanding of air pollution: an example of best practice for a spatial turn in health and environmental research (Richardson et al., 2013). 2. Methods Air monitoring campaigns were conducted in Calgary in August 2010 and January-February 2011. A network of 50 monitors was deployed in each campaign (Bertazzon et al. 2015). Due to power outages and equipment failures, the campaigns yielded 27 valid summer PM samples and 29 winter samples. Predictor variables were defined on circular buffers from each sampling point. In addition, windrose variables were defined on buffers modified according to the prevailing winds in each season (Zhang et al. 2015). Getis G and Moran’s I spatial statistical tests were conducted to assess spatial clustering and autocorrelation in the variables, based on a row-standardized 3-nearest-neighbours spatial