Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

“No Matter How Hot It Is, You Just Have To Do The Work”: Examining Farmworkers’ Experiences With Heat And Climate Change In Idaho, Carly Hyland, Delmy Flores, Grace Augusto, Irene Ruiz, Marielena Vega, Rulon Wood

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Farmworkers are one of the populations most vulnerable to climate change. In addition to disproportionate exposure to climate-intensified hazards such as extreme heat and wildfire smoke, many farmworkers face situational and psychosocial stressors that also impact their health.

Methods: We conducted open-ended interviews with 16 farmworkers in Southcentral Idaho during June-August 2023 as part of a digital storytelling project in partnership with the Idaho Organization of Resource Councils (IORC). Interviews assessed participants’ experiences with climate change, perceived impacts on their health, and strategies and barriers to protecting themselves. Bilingual (English/Spanish) study staff translated and transcribed all video recordings verbatim, …

Self-Efficacy, Grit, And Rural Career Aspirations Among Early Career Nurses: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study, Daniel Terry, Blake Peck, Ed Baker, David Schmitz

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background Global nursing workforce shortage represents an impediment to the delivery of safe, evidence-based healthcare. Despite collective efforts, a consistent stream of nurses leaving the profession remains, particularly within the first five years of practice, which is exacerbated in rural communities. The aim of the study was to compare self-efficacy, grit, and rural career aspirations among nursing graduates between their second and fourth year of their nursing profession.

Methods As part of a longitudinal investigation, a repeated cross-sectional design was utilised. Participants included, 117 (response rate 52.2%) who completed an online questionnaire 18–24 months after graduating, and 32 participants (response …

Examination Of Urinary Pesticide Concentrations, Protective Behaviors, And Risk Perceptions Among Latino And Latina Farmworkers In Southwestern Idaho, Carly Hyland, Alejandra Hernandez, Éric Gaudreau, Jessica Larose, Jean-François Bienvenu, Lisa Meierotto, Rebecca L. Som Castellano, Cynthia L. Curl

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Studies have documented high levels of pesticide exposure among men farmworkers; however, few have examined exposures or the experiences of women farmworkers. Data gaps also exist regarding farmworkers’ perceived risk and control related to pesticides, information that is critical to develop protective interventions.

Objective: We aimed to compare urinary pesticide biomarker concentrations between Latino and Latina farmworkers and examine associations with occupational characteristics, risk perceptions, perceived control, and protective behaviors.

Methods: We enrolled a convenience sample of 62 farmworkers (30 men and 32 women) during the pesticide spray season from April–July 2022 in southwestern Idaho. Participants were asked to …

The Effect Of Pesticide Spray Season And Residential Proximity To Agriculture On Glyphosate Exposure Among Pregnant People In Southern Idaho, 2021, Cynthia L. Curl, Carly Hyland, Meredith Spivak, Lianne Sheppard, Bruce Lanphear, Michael N. Antoniou, Maria Ospina, Antonia M. Calafat

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Glyphosate is one of the most heavily used pesticides in the world, but little is known about sources of glyphosate exposure in pregnant people living in agricultural regions.

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate glyphosate exposure during pregnancy in relation to residential proximity to agriculture as well as agricultural spray season.

Methods: We quantified glyphosate concentrations in 453 urine samples collected biweekly from a cohort of 40 pregnant people in southern Idaho from February through December 2021. We estimated each participant’s glyphosate exposure as the geometric mean (GM) of glyphosate concentrations measured in all samples (average n = 11 …

Urinary Glyphosate Concentrations Among Pregnant Participants In A Randomized, Crossover Trial Of Organic And Conventional Diets, Carly Hyland, Meredith Spivak, Lianne Sheppard, Bruce P. Lanphear, Michael Antoniou, Maria Ospina, Antonia M. Calafat, Cynthia L. Curl

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Consumption of an organic diet reduces exposure to a range of agricultural pesticides. Only three studies have examined the effect of an organic diet intervention on exposure to the herbicide glyphosate, the most heavily used agricultural chemical in the world. Despite its widespread use, the primary sources of glyphosate exposure in humans are poorly understood.

Objective: Our objective was to examine the effect of an organic diet intervention on urinary glyphosate concentrations among pregnant individuals.

Methods: We conducted a 2-wk randomized crossover trial in which 39 pregnant participants living near (≤ 0.5 km) or far (> 0.5 km) from …

Prenatal And Childhood Exposure To Organophosphate Pesticides And Behavior Problems In Adolescents And Young Adults In The Chamacos Study, Sharon K. Sagiv, Ana M. Mora, Stephen Rauch, Katherine R. Kogut, Carly Hyland, Robert B. Gunier, Asa Bradman, Julianna Deardorff, Brenda Eskenazi

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: We previously reported associations of prenatal exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides with poorer neurodevelopment in early childhood and at school age, including poorer cognitive function and more behavioral problems, in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS), a birth cohort study in an agriculture community.

Objective: We investigated the extent to which early-life exposure to OP pesticides is associated with behavioral problems, including mental health, in youth during adolescence and early adulthood.

Methods: We measured urinary dialkylphosphates (DAPs), nonspecific OP metabolites, in urine samples collected from mothers twice during pregnancy (13 and 26 …

Possible Role Of Caffeine In Nicotine Use Onset Among Early Adolescents: Evidence From The Young Mountaineer Health Study Cohort, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson, Steven M. Kogan, Michael J. Mann, Megan L. Smith, Christa L. Lilly, Jack E. James

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Preventing nicotine use onset among children and youth is an important public health goal. One possible contributor that has received little empirical investigation is caffeine use. The goal of this study was to examine the possible contribution of caffeine to nicotine onset during early adolescence.

Methods

We used data from the Young Mountaineer Health Study Cohort. Survey data were collected from 1,349 (response rate: 80.7%) 6^th grade students (mean age at baseline 11.5 years) in 20 middle schools in West Virginia during the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021. We limited our analyses to students reporting never …

Efficacy Of Information Extraction From Bar, Line, Circular, Bubble And Radar Graphs, Hiddadura Isura Malinda Mendis Abeynayake, Ravindra S. Goonetilleke, Albert Wijeweera, Uwe Reischl

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

With the emergence of enormous amounts of data, numerous ways to visualize such data have been used. Bar, circular, line, radar and bubble graphs that are ubiquitous were investigated for their effectiveness. Fourteen participants performed four types of evaluations: between categories (cities), within categories (transport modes within a city), all categories, and a direct reading within a category from a graph. The representations were presented in random order and participants were asked to respond to sixteen questions to the best of their ability after visually scanning the related graph. There were two trials on two separate days for each participant. …

Social Support And Perceptions Of Covid-19-Related Emotional Impact On Mental Health Among Early Adolescents In Appalachia, Hannah M. Layman, Michael J. Mann, Megan L. Smith, Steven M. Kogan, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Young people who experience higher levels of social support from their schools and families have been shown to be less likely to develop symptoms of negative mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety.1–4 This raises questions concerning how young people's stress and psychological changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as social support during this time have affected their overall mental health. The aim of this study was to assess the association between sources of parental- and school-level social support and youth perceptions of COVID-19-related emotional impact on mental health among early adolescent girls and boys in …

Sustaining Rural Pharmacy Workforce Understanding Key Attributes For Enhanced Retention And Recruitment, Daniel Terry, Blake Peck, Danny Hills, Jaclyn Bishop, Mark Kirschbaum, Kehinde Obamiro, Hoang Phan, Ed Baker, David Schmitz

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: To pilot the Pharmacist Community Apgar Questionnaire (PharmCAQ) and evaluate its usability and capacity to develop a greater understanding of the unique factors that impact the rural recruitment and retention of pharmacists.

Design: Cross-sectional design involving face-to-face, telephone or video conferencing interviews.

Setting: Twelve rural communities across Tasmania and Western Victoria, Australia.

Participants: Participants (n = 24) included pharmacists, a Director of Clinical Services, pharmacy practice managers and senior pharmacy assistants.

Main Outcome Measures: Interviews enabled the completion of the PharmCAQ, which assigns quantitative values to 50 key factors to ascertain a community's strengths and challenges associated with …

Is Adiposity Related To Repeat Measures Of Blood Leukocyte Dna Methylation Across Childhood And Adolescence?, Luke Montrose

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation may influence gene expression and phenotypes, including obesity in childhood. The directionality of this relationship is nevertheless unclear, and some evidence suggests that adiposity modifies the epigenome, rather than the other way around. In this pilot study, we utilize data from the Early Life Exposures in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) study to examine whether measures of adiposity in childhood and early adolescence are associated with repeated measures of blood leukocyte DNA methylation at LINE-1 repetitive elements and two genes implicated in growth and adiposity: H19 and HSD11B2. Longitudinal epigenetic data were generated …

The Opportunity Cost Of Covid For Public Health Practice: Covid-19 Pandemic Response Work And Lost Foundational Areas Of Public Health Work, J. Mac Mccullough, Moriah Robins

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Context: There is little empirical evidence regarding the magnitude of the COVID-19 response across the public health workforce and the extent to which other public health programs were called upon to contribute to the response, potentially leading to less work being done in other public health programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: To assess the composition of the workforce that contributed to the COVID-19 pandemic response during 2020-2022.

Design: A large, cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of the state and local public health agency workforce through the Public Health Workforce Interest and Needs Survey (PH WINS).

Setting: Nearly all state health …

Simplifying Blood Pressure Measurements In Clinical Settings, Uwe Reischl, Conrad Colby

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Upper arm sphygmomanometry is the most commonly used method to measure blood pressure in adults. However, variations in upper arm circumference and use of different cuff-sizes results in different pressure readings. When using the same cuff size, pressure readings will be higher for larger arm circumferences and lower for smaller arm circumferences. The objective of this study was to identify an adjustment factor that will allow pressure readings obtained for any combination of arm circumference and cuff size to be compared.

Methods: To investigate the relationship between arm circumferences, cuff size and pressure readings, experiments were conducted using laboratory …

Perspective: Organic Food Consumption During Pregnancy And The Potential Effects On Maternal And Offspring Health, Cynthia L. Curl, Annica Balentine

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Pregnancy represents a critical window for both maternal and child health. Previous studies have shown that the consumption of an organic diet during pregnancy can reduce pesticide exposure compared with the consumption of a conventional diet. It is possible that this could, in turn, improve pregnancy outcomes, because maternal pesticide exposure during pregnancy has been associated with increased risk of pregnancy complications. Organic foods are produced by methods that comply with organic standards, generally restricting the use of agrochemicals, such as synthetic pesticides. In the past few decades, the global demand for organic foods has increased drastically, driven in large …

Screening The “Invisible Population” Of Older Adult Patients For Prescription Pain Reliever Non-Medical Use And Use Disorders, Alyssa M. Falise, Vinita Sharma, Carolin C. Hoeflich, Catalina Lopez-Quintero, Catherine W. Striley

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: In the United States, the number of older adults reporting non-medical use of prescription pain relievers (NMUPPR) between 2015 and 2019 has remained constant, while those meeting criteria for opioid use disorders (OUDs) between 2013 and 2018 increased three-fold. These rates are expected to increase due to increased life expectancy among this population coupled with higher rates of substance use. However, they have consistently lower screening rates for problematic prescription pain reliever use, compared to younger cohorts. Objectives: This commentary reviewed trends in older adult NMUPPR and OUDs and reviewed several available screening tools. We then considered …

Pesticide Exposure And Cortical Brain Activation Among Farmworkers In Costa Rica, Carly Hyland

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Previous epidemiological studies have reported associations of pesticide exposure with poor cognitive function and behavioral problems. However, these findings have relied primarily on neuropsychological assessments. Questions remain about the neurobiological effects of pesticide exposure, specifically where in the brain pesticides exert their effects and whether compensatory mechanisms in the brain may have masked pesticide-related associations in studies that relied purely on neuropsychological measures.

Methods: We conducted a functional neuroimaging study in 48 farmworkers from Zarcero County, Costa Rica, in 2016. We measured concentrations of 13 insecticide, fungicide, or herbicide metabolites or parent compounds in urine samples collected during two …

The Pharmacy Community Apgar Questionnaire: A Modified Delphi Technique To Develop A Rural Pharmacist Recruitment And Retention Tool, Daniel R. Terry, Blake Peck, Danny Hills, Jaclyn Bishop, Mark Kirschbaum, Kehinde O. Obamiro, Hoang Phan, Ed Baker, David Schmitz

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: An adequate healthcare workforce remains essential for the health of rural communities. Strategies to address rural health workforce challenges have often centred on the medical and nursing workforce; however, addressing the rural pharmacist workforce also remains critical as they are often the first point of contact for health advice. Initiatives have increased pharmacist supply; however, key issues such as poor attraction, recruitment, and retention to rural areas remain. The aim of this study was to support the recruitment and retention of pharmacists in rural areas of Australia through the development of the Pharmacy Community Apgar Questionnaire (PharmCAQ).

Methods …

If Smoking Were Eliminated, Which Us Counties Would Still Have High Rates Of Smoking-Related Cancers?, Douglas J. Myers, David Kriebel

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: to characterize the county variability of the impact of smoking elimination on rates of smoking-related cancers and explore whether common environmental indices predicted which metropolitan counties would experience high rates of smoking-related cancers even after smoking was eliminated. Methods: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data were obtained. County level cancer rates for 257 metropolitan SEER counties, including the observed rates and those predicted after eliminating smoking, were derived via multilevel regression modeling and age standardized to the 2016 SEER population. Associations between the EPA’s Environmental Quality Index (EQI) scores and “Low Benefit” …

Testing The Pragmatic Effectiveness Of A Consumer-Based Mindfulness Mobile App In The Workplace: Randomized Controlled Trial, Jennifer L. Huberty, Hallie M. Espel-Huynh, Taylor L. Neher, Megan E. Puzia

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Mental health and sleep problems are prevalent in the workforce, corresponding to costly impairment in productivity and increased health care use. Digital mindfulness interventions are efficacious in improving sleep and mental health in the workplace; however, evidence supporting their pragmatic utility, potential for improving productivity, and ability to reduce employer costs is limited.

Objective: This pragmatic, cluster randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the experimental effects of implementing a commercially available mindfulness app—Calm—in employees of a large, multisite employer in the United States. Outcomes included mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress), sleep (insomnia and daytime sleepiness), resilience, productivity impairment …

Health Effects Of Pesticide Exposure In Latin American And The Caribbean Populations: A Scoping Review, Carly Hyland

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Multiple epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to pesticides is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, the literature on pesticide-related health effects in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region, an area of intensive agricultural and residential pesticide use, is sparse. We conducted a scoping review to describe the current state of research on the health effects of pesticide exposure in LAC populations with the goal of identifying knowledge gaps and research capacity building needs.

Methods: We searched PubMed and SciELO for epidemiological studies on pesticide exposure and human health in LAC populations published between January 2007 and …

Invited Perspective: Eliminating Toxics To Prevent Disease: Asbestos Leads The Way, David Kriebel, Douglas J. Myers

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Countries that have consumed more asbestos have historically had higher mortality rates from asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) than countries with lower asbestos consumption. A research letter in this issue by Rath et al. provides a 15-y update on evidence for this link and uses this evidence to support calls for a worldwide ban on the use of asbestos. We find their results convincing, and we agree with the urgent need to stop producing and using asbestos. For those who might be skeptical of this conclusion or who are considering how much weight to give this evidence, we offer this perspective as …

Interactions Of Agricultural Pesticide Use Near Home During Pregnancy And Adverse Childhood Experiences On Adolescent Neurobehavioral Development In The Chamacos Study, Carly Hyland

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Studies have documented independent adverse associations between prenatal and early-life exposure to environmental chemicals and social adversity with child neurodevelopment; however, few have considered these exposures jointly. The objective of this analysis is to examine whether associations of pesticide mixtures and adolescent neurobehavioral development are modified by early-life adversity in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) cohort.

Methods: We used linear mixed effects Bayesian Hierarchical Models (BHM) to examine the joint effect of applications of 11 agricultural pesticides within 1 km of maternal homes during pregnancy and youth-reported Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Females In Substance Use Treatment And Their Children: A Pilot Study, Brittany T. Smith, Michael R. Brumage, Keith J. Zullig, Elizabeth A. Claydon, Megan L. Smith, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Women with substance use disorder (SUD) often have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The intergenerational nature of ACEs also put their children at risk for experiencing ACEs. However, no research has explored the prevalence of ACEs in children whose mothers have SUD. This study assessed ACE scores in mothers with SUD and their children and compared them with non-SUD participants. Females with SUD were recruited from a treatment center (n = 50) and compared to females without SUD from the same area (n = 50). The ACE scores of the participants and their children were measured as well as sociodemographic …

Parental Support And Monitoring As Associated With Adolescent Alcohol And Tobacco Use By Gender And Age, Rosalina Mills, Michael J. Mann, Megan L. Smith, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Parental support (PS) and parental monitoring (PM) are known protective factors against adolescent substance use (SU). However, little is known about whether PS and PM may affect SU outcomes differently by gender and age. This study examined the relationship between PS and PM and adolescent SU, specifically alcohol and tobacco use, stratified by gender and age group.

Methods: Middle and high school students (n = 2351, 48.5% Female) completed surveys of self-reported SU, perceived PS and PM, and socioeconomic background. Age group was defined dichotomously as grade 7–8 Middle school and grade 9–10 High school students. PS and …

Simulated Wildfire Smoke Significantly Alters Sperm Dna Methylation Patterns In A Murine Model, Adam Schuller, Chiara Bellini, Timothy G. Jenkins, Matthew Eden, Jacqueline Matz, Jessica Oakes, Luke Montrose

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Wildfires are now a common feature of the western US, increasing in both intensity and number of acres burned over the last three decades. The effects of this changing wildfire and smoke landscape are a critical public and occupational health issue. While respiratory morbidity due to smoke exposure is a priority, evaluating the molecular underpinnings that explain recent extrapulmonary observations is necessary. Here, we use an Apoe^−/− mouse model to investigate the epigenetic impact of paternal exposure to simulated wildfire smoke. We demonstrate that 40 days of exposure to smoke from Douglas fir needles induces sperm DNA methylation changes …

Breathing Wildfire Smoke Can Affect The Brain And Sperm, As Well As The Lungs, Luke Montrose, Adam Schuller

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Wildfires burning in the western U.S. are sending smoke into communities far from the fires themselves, creating hazardous air for days or weeks at a time. A lot of people are wondering: What does breathing all that smoke do to our bodies?

Wildfire smoke is a mix of chemicals and tiny particles that are small enough to evade the body’s defenses and directly affect the lungs. But the damage may not stop there.

As environmental toxicologists, we have been investigating the health effects of wildfire smoke on humans, including on parts of the body that you might not expect: sperm …

What’S In Wildfire Smoke?: A Toxicologist Explains The Health Risks And Which Masks Can Help, Luke Montrose

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Smoke is turning the sky hazy across a large swath of the country as dozens of large fires burn, and a lot of people are wondering what’s in the air they’re breathing.

As an environmental toxicologist, I study the effects of wildfire smoke and how they differ from other sources of air pollution. We know that breathing wildfire smoke can be harmful. Less clear is what the worsening wildfire landscape will mean for public health in the future, but research is raising red flags.

Measurement Of Urinary Pesticide Biomarkers Among Latina Farmworkers In Southwestern Idaho, Cynthia L. Curl, Lisa Meierotto, Rebecca L. Som Castellano, Meredith R. Spivak, Kurunthachalam Kannan

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background Women who work in agriculture may have greater risk of pesticide exposure than men who share this occupation. Despite an increase in the fraction of the agricultural workforce comprised by women, few studies have characterized pesticide exposure in the USA with a focus on among these workers.

Objective This pilot study aimed to describe pesticide exposure in a cohort of Latina farmworkers in farming communities in southwestern Idaho.

Methods We collected urine samples from 29 Latina farmworkers, which were analyzed for 11 pesticide biomarkers. We evaluated the effect of pesticide spray season on urinary biomarker levels, and explored the …

Grower Perceptions Of Safety Hazards And Associated Injuries Among Farmworkers Involved In Northwest Potato Production, Cynthia Curl, Karin Adams, Rachel Phinney, Matthew Blua

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Potatoes are a vital part of the Pacific Northwest’s agricultural economy. As in many agricultural industries, workers involved in potato production may be at risk for illness and injuries.

Methods: A Hazard Perception Survey (HPS) was completed by 63 potato growers in Washington (n = 26) and Idaho (n = 37) during the fall and winter of 2017–2018. Participants were asked to indicate their level of concern regarding the frequency and severity of injuries associated with various potato production tasks. Descriptive statistical analyses were used to identify operations and tasks that potato growers perceived to be most …

Understanding Challenges To Well-Being Among Latina Farmworkers In Rural Idaho Using In An Interdisciplinary, Mixed-Methods Approach, Cynthia L. Curl, Lisa Meierotto, Rebecca L. Som Castellano

Public Health and Population Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The aim of this study was to identify social, cultural and workplace-related risk factors affecting well-being among Latina farmworkers in rural Idaho. We recruited 70 Latina farmworkers from southwestern Idaho in 2019. We employed an inter-disciplinary, mixed-methods approach—including surveys, focus groups, interviews, and pesticide biomonitoring—to characterize multiple domains that influence well-being, including food security and access, housing conditions, social supports, access to medical care, and workplace safety. Six major themes emerged as primary challenges to Latina farmworkers’ well-being. In the public sphere, study participants identified these challenges as long working hours, concerns regarding pesticide exposure, and lack of enforcement of …