1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«The present study tested the hypotheses that residential proximity to highway is associated with PTB [preterm birth], LBW [low birthweight] and SGA [small-for-gestational-age] birth, and that neighbourhood and individual SES [socioeconomic status] modify these relationships.» (p. 695)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
Québec birth registry
2001 Census data

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«Residential proximity to highways is a potential proxy for exposure to traffic-related pollution that has been linked to adverse birth outcomes. We evaluated whether proximity to highway interacts with individual and neighbourhood socioeconomic status (SES) to influence birth outcomes. [...] Using multilevel logistic regression, the odds of preterm birth (PTB), low birthweight (LBW) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth were calculated for mothers residing in proximity to highways, accounting for individual and neighbourhood SES. Effect modification between SES and proximity to highway was tested for each outcome. [...] In wealthy neighbourhoods, proximity to highway was associated with an elevated odds of
[PTB, LBW and SGA birth]. For highly educated mothers, proximity to highway was associated with PTB [...] and LBW [...], but the association was borderline for SGA birth [...]. Proximity to highway was not associated with birth outcomes in other maternal and neighbourhood SES categories. [...] Counterintuitively, high SES mothers may be more likely than low SES mothers to experience adverse births associated with residential proximity to highway.» (p. 695)