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Impact of Hurricane Exposure on Reproductive Health Outcomes, Florida, 2004

Impact of Hurricane Exposure on Reproductive Health Outcomes, Florida, 2004

Authors :
Grabich, Shannon C.
Robinson, Whitney R.
Konrad, Charles E.
Horney, Jennifer A.
Source :
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness; August 2017, Vol. 11 Issue: 4 p407-411, 5p
Publication Year :
2017

Abstract

AbstractObjectivePrenatal hurricane exposure may be an increasingly important contributor to poor reproductive health outcomes. In the current literature, mixed associations have been suggested between hurricane exposure and reproductive health outcomes. This may be due, in part, to residual confounding. We assessed the association between hurricane exposure and reproductive health outcomes by using a difference-in-difference analysis technique to control for confounding in a cohort of Florida pregnancies.MethodsWe implemented a difference-in-difference analysis to evaluate hurricane weather and reproductive health outcomes including low birth weight, fetal death, and birth rate. The study population for analysis included all Florida pregnancies conceived before or during the 2003 and 2004 hurricane season. Reproductive health data were extracted from vital statistics records from the Florida Department of Health. In 2004, 4 hurricanes (Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne) made landfall in rapid succession; whereas in 2003, no hurricanes made landfall in Florida.ResultsOverall models using the difference-in-difference analysis showed no association between exposure to hurricane weather and reproductive health.ConclusionsThe inconsistency of the literature on hurricane exposure and reproductive health may be in part due to biases inherent in pre-post or regression-based county-level comparisons. We found no associations between hurricane exposure and reproductive health. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:407–411)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
19357893 and 1938744X
Volume :
11
Issue :
4
Database :
Supplemental Index
Journal :
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Publication Type :
Periodical
Accession number :
ejs42929749
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2016.158