Question - What is the effect on normal childhood development of living in proximity to major roadways and prenatal/early-life exposures to particulate matter less than 2.5 µm and ozone?
Answer - The cited article reports “Compared to those >1000 m away from a major roadway, those resided 50–100 m [RR: 2.12 (1.00–4.52)] and 100–500 m [RR: 2.07 (1.02–4.22)] away had twice the risk of failing the communication domain. Prenatal exposures to both PM2.5 and ozone during various pregnancy windows had weak but significant associations with failing any developmental domain with effects ranging from 1.6% to 2.7% for a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and 0.7%–1.7% for a 10 ppb increase in ozone. Average daily postnatal ozone exposure was positively associated with failing the overall screening by 8 months [3.3% (1.1%–5.5%)], 12 months [17.7% (10.4%–25.5%)], and 30 months [7.6%, (1.3%–14.3%)]. Findings were mixed for postnatal PM2.5 exposures.” (Ha S., et al. Prenatal and early life exposures to ambient air pollution and development. 2019 Env Res https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.064)