Health outcomes among offspring of US Coast Guard responders to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, 2010-2011

Clinton Hall*, Ava Marie S. Conlin, Monica Burrell, Celeste J. Romano, Anna T. Bukowinski, Gia R. Gumbs, Emily W. Harville, Dana L. Thomas, Hristina Denic-Roberts, Jennifer A. Rusiecki

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the potential for adverse health outcomes among infants born to US Coast Guard (USCG) responders to the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill disaster. Methods Department of Defense Birth and Infant Health Research programme data identified a cohort of singleton infants born 2010-2011 to USCG personnel in the DWH Oil Spill Coast Guard Cohort study. Infants were included if their military parent ( € sponsor') responded to the oil spill during a selected reproductive exposure window (ie, 3 months preconception for male sponsors and periconception through pregnancy for female sponsors), or if their sponsor was a non-responder. χ 2 tests and multivariable log-binomial regression were used to compare the demographic and health characteristics of infants born to spill responders and non-responders. Results Overall, 1974 infants with a male sponsor (n=182 responder, n=1792 non-responder) and 628 infants with a female sponsor (n=35 responder, n=593 non-responder) in the DWH Oil Spill Coast Guard Cohort were identified. Health outcomes were similar among the offspring of male responders and non-responders. The frequency of any poor live birth outcome (ie, low birth weight, preterm birth or birth defect) was higher among infants born to female responders (17.1%, n=6) than non-responders (8.9%, n=53); the maternal age-adjusted association was suggestively elevated (risk ratio 1.93, 95% CI 0.89 to 4.16). Conclusion Infant health outcomes were comparable between the offspring of male USCG oil spill responders and non-responders. Findings were limited by the small number of infants identified, particularly among female responders, and should be interpreted with caution.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)192-195
Number of pages4
JournalOccupational and Environmental Medicine
Volume80
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Apr 2023
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Environmental Pollution
  • Military Personnel
  • Pregnancy Outcome

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