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Avi Wallerstein,1,2 W Bruce Jackson,3 Jeffrey Chambers,4 Amir M Moezzi,5 Hugh Lin,6 Peter A Simmons6 1Department of Ophthalmology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; 2LASIK MD, Montreal, QC, Canada; 3University of Ottawa Eye Institute of the Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 4Kelowna Eye Care Center, Kelowna, BC, Canada; 5Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE, formerly Centre for Contact Lens Research), School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada; 6Allergan Clinical Research, Allergan plc, Irvine, CA, USA Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of a preservative-free, multi-ingredient formulation of carboxymethylcellulose 0.5%, hyaluronic acid 0.1%, and organic osmolytes (CMC-HA), to preservative-free carboxymethylcellulose 0.5% (CMC) in the management of postoperative signs and symptoms of dry eye following laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Methods: This was a double-masked, randomized, parallel-group study conducted in 14 clinical centers in Canada and Australia. Subjects with no more than mild dry eye instilled CMC-HA or CMC for 90 days post-LASIK. Ocular Surface Disease Index© (OSDI; primary efficacy measure), corneal staining, tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer’s test, acceptability/tolerability surveys, and visual acuity were assessed at screening and days 2, 10, 30, 60, and 90 post-surgery. Safety analyses included all enrolled. Results: A total of 148 subjects (CMC-HA, n=75; CMC, n=73) were enrolled and assigned to receive treatment, and 126 subjects completed the study without any protocol violations. Post-LASIK, dry eye signs/symptoms peaked at 10 days. OSDI scores for both groups returned to normal with no differences between treatment groups at day 90 (P=0.775). Corneal staining, Schirmer’s test, TBUT, and survey results were comparable. Higher mean improvements in uncorrected visual acuity were observed in the CMC-HA group at all study visits, reaching statistical significance at day 30 (P=0.013). Both treatments were well tolerated. Conclusion: CMC-HA-containing artificial tears relieved post-LASIK ocular dryness as well as CMC alone, and demonstrated incremental benefit in uncorrected vision, with a favorable safety profile. Results support use of CMC-HA eye drops to reduce signs and symptoms of ocular dryness post-LASIK. Keywords: LASIK, dry eye, artificial tears, carboxymethylcellulose, hyaluronic acid, ocular surface disease

Background: Climate factors such as solar radiation could contribute to mood disorders, but evidence of associations between exposure to solar radiation and mood disorders is mixed and varies by region., Objective: To evaluate the association of solar radiation with depression and distress among residents living in U.S. Gulf states., Methods: We enrolled home-visit participants in the Gulf Long-Term Follow-up Study who completed validated screening questionnaires for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9, N = 10,217) and distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Questionnaire, N = 8,765) for the previous 2 weeks. Solar radiation estimates from the Daymet database (1-km grid) were linked to residential addresses. Average solar radiation exposures in the seven (SRAD7), 14 (SRAD14), and 30 days (SRAD30) before the home visit were calculated and categorized into quartiles (Q1-Q4). We used generalized linear mixed models to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between solar radiation and depression/distress., Results: Higher levels of SRAD7 were non-monotonically inversely associated with depression [PR Vs.Q1 (95%CI): Q2 = 0.81 (0.68, 0.97), Q3 = 0.80 (0.65, 0.99), Q4 = 0.88 (0.69, 1.15)] and distress [PR Vs.Q1 (95%CI): Q2 = 0.76 (0.58, 0.99), Q3 = 0.77 (0.57, 1.06), Q4 = 0.84 (0.58, 1.22)]. Elevated SRAD14 and SRAD30 appeared to be associated with decreasing PRs of distress. For example, for SRAD14, PRs were 0.86 (0.63-1.19), 0.80 (0.55-1.18), and 0.75 (0.48-1.17) for Q2-4 versus Q1. Associations with SRAD7 varied somewhat, though not significantly, by season with increasing PRs of distress in spring and summer and decreasing PRs of depression and distress in fall., Impact Statement: Previous research suffered from exposure misclassification, which impacts the validity of their conclusions. By leveraging high-resolution datasets and Gulf Long-term Follow-up Cohort, our findings support an association between increased solar radiation and fewer symptoms of mood disorders., (© 2024. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Background: Minoritized racial/ethnic groups and women in the United States (US) are disproportionately burdened by food insecurity, which likely contributes to disparities in cardiovascular health (CVH). Disparities are projected to widen due to the worsening climate crisis that is straining the agricultural system including food supplies. Nonetheless, studies have not investigated the relationship between food security status and 'ideal' CVH in a large, nationally-representative and racially/ethnically diverse US sample., Methods and Results: We investigated household food security status in relation to 'ideal' CVH among US adults (N = 157,001) using 2014-2018/2020 National Health Interview Survey data. Food security status was defined as very low, low, marginal, or high. A summed score of 4 health behaviors and 3 clinical factors totaling 7 different measures was dichotomized (yes/no) to assess modified 'ideal' CVH (mICVH). Using Poisson regression with robust variance, we estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs of mICVH by household food security status. We stratified models by sex/gender and race/ethnicity. Very low food security prevalence was higher among non-Hispanic (NH)-Black (8.0%) compared to Hispanic/Latinx (5.1%), NH-White (3.1%) and NH-Asian (1.7%) adults. The association between very low versus high food security and mICVH was stronger among women (PR = 0.23 [95% CI: 0.17-0.31]) than men (PR = 0.48 [95% CI: 0.35-0.66]). Compared to NH-White adults with high food security, racially/ethnically minoritized groups with very low to high food security were generally less likely (range: [PR very low  = 0.25[95% CI: 0.14-0.44] - [PR high  = 0.88 [95% CI: 0.79-0.97]) to meet mICVH criteria., Conclusions: Food insecurity was associated with lower mICVH prevalence and racially/ethnically minoritized groups were disproportionately burdened., (© 2024. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Background: Burning/flaring of oil/gas during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response and cleanup (OSRC) generated high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ). Personnel working on the water during these activities may have inhaled combustion products. Neurologic effects of PM 2.5 have been reported previously but few studies have examined lasting effects following disaster exposures. The association of brief, high exposures and adverse effects on sensory and motor nerve function in the years following exposure have not been examined for OSRC workers., Objectives: We assessed the relationship between exposure to burning/flaring-related PM 2.5 and measures of sensory and motor nerve function among OSRC workers., Methods: PM 2.5 concentrations were estimated from Gaussian plume dispersion models and linked to self-reported work histories. Quantitative measures of sensory and motor nerve function were obtained 4-6 years after the disaster during a clinical exam restricted to those living close to two clinics in Mobile, AL or New Orleans, LA (n = 3401). We obtained covariate data from a baseline enrollment survey and a home visit, both in 2011-2013. The analytic sample included 1186 participants., Results: We did not find strong evidence of associations between exposure to PM 2.5 and sensory or motor nerve function, although there was a suggestion of impairment based on single leg stance among individuals with high exposure to PM 2.5 . Results were generally consistent whether we examined average or cumulative maximum exposures or removed individuals with the highest crude oil exposures to account for co-pollutant confounding. There was no evidence of exposure-response trends., Impact Statement: Remediating environmental disasters is essential for long-term human and environmental health. During the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster, burning and flaring of oil and gas were used to remove these pollutants from the environment, but led to potentially high fine particulate matter exposures for spill response workers working on the water. We investigate the potential adverse effects of these exposures on peripheral nerve function; understanding the potential health harm of remediation tactics is necessary to inform future clean up approaches and protect human health., (© 2023. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Introduction: Pregnant women and their offspring are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity and its adverse effects during critical periods of fetal development. Racially/ethnically minoritized women in the United States (US) who are pregnant are additionally burdened by food insecurity, which may exacerbate cardiovascular health (CVH) disparities. Despite heightened social vulnerability, few studies have employed an intersectional framework, including race and gender, to assess the food insecurity and CVH relationship., Methods: We used 2012-2018 and 2020 National Health Interview Survey data among US pregnant women aged 18-49 years old ( N  = 1,999) to assess the prevalence of food insecurity status by race/ethnicity and to investigate household food security status in relation to ideal CVH, using a modified ideal CVH (mICVH) metric. We categorized food security status as "very low/low", "marginal", or "high". To assess mICVH, a summary score of 7 clinical characteristics and health behaviors was dichotomized as yes [(7)] vs. no [<7]. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of associations between food security status and mICVH were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance. Models were adjusted for age, household income, educational attainment, geographic region, marital status, alcohol consumption, survey year, and race/ethnicity (in overall model)., Results: The mean age ± standard error was 29.0 ± 0.2 years. Among pregnant women, 12.7% reported "very low/low", 10.6% reported "marginal", and 76.7% reported "high" food security. "Very low/low" food security prevalence was higher among NH-Black (16.2%) and Hispanic/Latina (15.2%) pregnant women compared to NH-White (10.3%) and NH-Asian (3.2%) pregnant women. The mICVH prevalence was 11.6% overall and 14.5% for NH-White, 4.1% for NH-Black, 5.0% for Hispanic/Latina, and 26.7% for NH-Asian pregnant women. Among all pregnant women, "very low/low" and "marginal" vs. "high" food security status was associated with a lower prevalence of mICVH {[PR very low/low  = 0.26 (95% CI: 0.08-0.75)]; [PR marginal  = 0.47 (95% CI: 0.23 -0.96)]}., Conclusion: Household food insecurity was higher among pregnant women in minoritized racial/ethnic groups and was associated with lower mICVH prevalence. Given the higher burden of food insecurity among minoritized racial/ethnic groups, food security may be an important intervention target to help address disparities in poor CVH among pregnant women., Competing Interests: CP and WJ were employed by Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Murkey, Gaston, Payne, Jackson II and Jackson.)

Background: Studies are increasingly examining the relationship between the neighborhood environment and cognitive decline; yet, few have investigated associations between multiple neighborhood features and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD)., Objective: We investigated the relationship between neighborhood features and ADRD cumulative incidence from 2010 to 2014 in the South Carolina Alzheimer's Disease Registry (SCADR)., Methods: Diagnosed ADRD cases ≥ 50  years of age were ascertained from the SCADR by ZIP code and census tract. Neighborhood features from multiple secondary sources included poverty, air pollution [particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less ( PM 2.5 )], and rurality at the census-tract level and access to healthy food, recreation facilities, and diabetes screening at the county level. In addition to using Poisson generalized linear regression to estimate ADRD incident rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), we applied integrated nested Laplace approximations and stochastic partial differential equations (INLA-SPDE) to address disparate spatial scales. We estimated associations between neighborhood features and ADRD cumulative incidence., Results: The average annual ADRD cumulative incidence was 690 per 100,000 people per census tract (95% CI: 660, 710). The analysis was limited to 98% of census tracts with a population ≥ 50  years old (i.e., 1,081 of 1,103). The average percent of families living below the federal poverty line per census tract was 18.8%, and ∼ 20 % of census tracts were considered rural. The average percent of households with limited access to healthy food was 6.4%. In adjusted models, every 5 μ g / m 3 ) increase of PM 2.5 was associated with 65% higher ADRD cumulative incidence ( IRR = 1.65 ; 95% CI: 1.30, 2.09), where PM 2.5 at or below 12   μ g / m 3 is considered healthy. Compared to large urban census tracts, rural and small urban tracts had 10% ( IRR = 1.10 ; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.23) and 5% ( IRR = 1.05 ; 95% CI: 0.96, 1.16) higher ADRD, respectively. For every percent increase of the county population with limited access to healthy food, ADRD was 2% higher ( IRR = 1.02 ; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.04)., Conclusions: Neighborhood environment features, such as higher air pollution levels, were associated with higher neighborhood ADRD incidence. The INLA-SPDE method could have broad applicability to data collected across disparate spatial scales. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13183.

Background: Toenails are a promising matrix for chronic metal exposure assessment, but there are currently no standard methods for collection and analysis. Questions remain about sample mass requirements and the extent to which metals measured in this matrix are representative of chronic body burden., Objective: This study proposes a method to maximize sample conservation for toenail metals analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We demonstrate the reliability of an ~25 mg toenail sample (typically 1-2 clippings) for metals analysis and evaluate the intra-individual variability of multiple metals in this matrix over time in men from the Gulf Long-term Follow-up (GuLF) Study., Methods: Toenail samples from 123 GuLF Study participants were collected at two visits 3 years apart and analyzed for 18 elements using ICP-MS. Participants with samples exceeding 200 mg at the first visit (n = 29) were selected for triplicate sub-sample analysis. Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W) was used to assess sub-sample reliability and Spearman's correlation coefficients (ρ) were used to evaluate fluctuations in elemental concentrations over time., Results: Results were not reported for Cd, Co, Mo, Sb, and V (detected in <60% of the samples). There was strong agreement among triplicate samples (Kendall's W: 0.72 (Cu)-0.90 (Cu)) across all elements evaluated, moderate correlations of elemental concentrations (Spearman's ρ: 0.21-0.42) over 3 years for As, Ca, Cr, Fe, Pb, Mn, and Zn, and strong correlations (>0.50) for Se, Cu, and Hg., Impact Statement: This toenail reliability study found that a low-mass (~25 mg) toenail sample (1-2 clippings) is suitable for the determination of most elements using ICP-MS and helps to increase the analytical capacity of limited toenail biospecimens collected in cohort studies. The results highlight differences in the suitability of toenails for chronic metal exposure assessment by element and underscore the need to consider intra-person variability, especially when comparing results across studies. We also provide recommendations for analytical standardization and the partitioning of the total collected toenail sample into multiple analytic sub-samples for future studies using toenail biospecimen for multiple assays., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

Low neighborhood social cohesion (nSC) has been associated with obesity. Still, few studies have assessed the nSC-obesity relationship among a large, nationally representative, and racially/ethnically diverse sample of the United States population. To address this literature gap, we examined cross-sectional associations among 154,480 adult participants of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 2013-2018. We also determined if associations varied by race/ethnicity, sex/gender, age, annual household income, and food security status. Based on a 4-item scale from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods Community Survey, we categorized nSC as low, medium, and high. Based on body mass index (BMI) recommendations, we categorized obesity as ≥30 kg/m 2 . We used Poisson regression with robust variance to directly estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) while adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, such as annual household income, educational attainment, and marital status, along with other confounders. Study participants' mean age ± standard error was 47.1±0.1 years; most (69.2%) self-identified as Non-Hispanic (NH)-White, and 51.0% were women. NH-Black and Hispanic/Latinx adults comprised more of the population in neighborhoods with low nSC (14.0% NH-Black, 19.1% Hispanic/Latinx, and 61.8% NH-White) versus high nSC (7.7% NH-Black, 10.4% Hispanic/Latinx and 77.0% NH-White). Low vs. high nSC was associated with a 15% higher prevalence of obesity (PR=1.15 [95% CI: 1.12-1.18]), and the magnitude of the association was more substantial among NH-White (PR=1.21 [95% CI: 1.17-1.25]) compared to associations among Hispanic/Latinx (PR=1.04 [95% CI: 0.97-1.11]) and NH-Black (PR=1.01 [95% CI: 0.95-1.07]) adults. Low vs. high nSC was associated with a 20% higher prevalence of obesity in women (PR=1.20 [95% CI: 1.16-1.24]) compared to a 10% higher prevalence in men (PR=1.10 [95% CI: 1.06-1.14]). Low vs. high nSC was associated with a 19% higher prevalence of obesity among adults ≥50 years old (PR=1.19 [95% CI: 1.15-1.23]) compared to a 7% higher prevalence of obesity among adults <50 years old (PR=1.07 [95% CI: 1.03-1.11]). Efforts to address nSC may improve health and address health disparities., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: None declared Declaration of interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Background: During the 2010 Deepwater Horizon ( DWH ) disaster, response and cleanup workers were potentially exposed to toxic volatile components of crude oil. However, to our knowledge, no study has examined exposure to individual oil spill-related chemicals in relation to cardiovascular outcomes among oil spill workers., Objectives: Our aim was to investigate the association of several spill-related chemicals [benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, n -hexane (BTEX-H)] and total hydrocarbons (THC) with incident coronary heart disease (CHD) events among workers enrolled in a prospective cohort., Methods: Cumulative exposures to THC and BTEX-H across the cleanup period were estimated via a job-exposure matrix that linked air measurement data with self-reported DWH spill work histories. We ascertained CHD events following each worker's last day of cleanup work as the first self-reported physician-diagnosed myocardial infarction (MI) or a fatal CHD event. We estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals for the associations of exposure quintiles (Q) with risk of CHD. We applied inverse probability weights to account for bias due to confounding and loss to follow-up. We used quantile g-computation to assess the joint effect of the BTEX-H mixture., Results: Among 22,655 workers with no previous MI diagnoses, 509 experienced an incident CHD event through December 2019. Workers in higher quintiles of each exposure agent had increased CHD risks in comparison with the referent group (Q1) of that agent, with the strongest associations observed in Q5 (range of HR = 1.14 - 1.44 ). However, most associations were nonsignificant, and there was no evidence of exposure-response trends. We observed stronger associations among ever smokers, workers with ≤ high school education, and workers with body mass index < 30   kg / m 2 . No apparent positive association was observed for the BTEX-H mixture., Conclusions: Higher exposures to volatile components of crude oil were associated with modest increases in risk of CHD among oil spill workers, although we did not observe exposure-response trends. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11859.

Purpose: Neighborhood disadvantage has been associated with increased risk for pneumonia and influenza-associated hospitalizations. Few studies, however, have investigated how neighborhood disadvantage may influence immune-related illnesses. The aim of this study was to examine the association between neighborhooddisadvantage and immune-related illnesses., Methods: We used data from the Gulf Long-term Follow-up (GuLF) Study (n = 32,608). Our analytic sample included home visit participants (n = 11,193) who had complete information on exposure and covariates (n = 10,543). Neighborhood disadvantage was assessed using the 2013 Area Deprivation Index (ADI), which assigns a ranking of 1 to 100 for lowest to highest disadvantage. We linked ADI to participants' geocoded enrollment addresses at the census block group level. ADI was categorized into quartiles based on the national distribution with the first quartile as the referent. Immune-related illnesses self-reported at the home visit (May 2011-May 2013) included occurrence of shingles, pneumonia, cold sores, flu, and colds since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (April 2010). Frequent colds and frequent flu were defined as ≥4 colds and ≥2 episodes of flu since the spill. An aggregated outcome, based on occurrence of any pneumonia, cold sores, flu, and ≥4 colds since the spill, was also examined. We assessed the association of each outcome with ADI using multivariable log-binomial regression adjusting for individual-level demographics, behavioral factors, kids at home, and season of interview completion., Results: We found elevated prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for pneumonia associated with ADI in the third (PR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.04, 4.02) and fourth (PR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.00, 3.98) quartiles. PRs for frequent colds were also elevated for increasing ADI quartiles, but with confidence intervals including the null value., Conclusions: The observed associations of frequent colds and pneumonia with increasing neighborhood disadvantage may warrant further research on this topic., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: During the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster, in-situ burning and flaring were conducted to remove oil from the water. Workers near combustion sites were potentially exposed to burning-related fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ). Exposure to PM 2.5 has been linked to increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but no study has examined the relationship among oil spill workers., Objectives: To investigate the association between estimated PM 2.5 from burning/flaring of oil/gas and CHD risk among the DWH oil spill workers., Methods: We included workers who participated in response and cleanup activities on the water during the DWH disaster (N = 9091). PM 2.5 exposures were estimated using a job-exposure matrix that linked modelled PM 2.5 concentrations to detailed DWH spill work histories provided by participants. We ascertained CHD events as the first self-reported physician-diagnosed CHD or a fatal CHD event that occurred after each worker's last day of burning exposure. We estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for the associations between categories of average or cumulative daily maximum PM 2.5 exposure (versus a referent category of water workers not near controlled burning) and subsequent CHD. We assessed exposure-response trends by examining continuous exposure parameters in models., Results: We observed increased CHD hazard among workers with higher levels of average daily maximum exposure (low vs. referent: HR = 1.26, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.70; high vs. referent: HR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.08, 4.12; per 10 μg/m 3 increase: HR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.19). We also observed suggestively elevated HRs among workers with higher cumulative daily maximum exposure (low vs. referent: HR = 1.19, 95% CI: 0.68, 2.08; medium vs. referent: HR = 1.38, 95% CI: 0.88, 2.16; high vs. referent: HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 0.96, 2.14; per 100 μg/m 3 -d increase: HR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.05)., Conclusions: Among oil spill workers, exposure to PM 2.5 from flaring/burning of oil/gas was associated with increased risk of CHD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Occupational characteristics may influence serious psychological distress (SPD) and contribute to health inequities; yet, few studies have examined multiple employment industries and occupational classes in a large, racially diverse sample of the United States. Using data from the National Health Interview Survey, we investigated employment industry and occupational class in relation to SPD in the overall population and by race/ethnicity, gender, age, household income, and health status. We created eight employment industry categories: professional/administrative/management, agricultural/manufacturing/construction, retail trade, finance/information/real estate, educational services, health care/social assistance, accommodation/food services, and public administration/arts/other services. We also created three occupational class categories: professional/management, support services, and laborers. SPD was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and scores ≥13 indicated SPD. We adjusted for confounders and used Poisson regression to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Among the 245,038 participants, the mean age was 41.7 ± 0.1 years, 73% were Non-Hispanic (NH)-White, and 1.5% were categorized as having SPD. Compared to the professional/administrative/management industry, working in other industries (e.g., manufacturing/construction (PR = 0.82 [95% CI: 0.70-0.95]) and educational services (PR = 0.79 [95% CI: 0.66-0.94])) was associated with lower SPD. Working in support services and laborer versus professional/management positions were both associated with 19% higher prevalence of SPD (95% CI: 1.04-1.35; 95% CI: 1.04-1.38, respectively). Furthermore, working in a support services or laborer versus professional/management position was associated with higher SPD in most employment industries. Industry-specific workplace interventions to equitably improve mental health are warranted.

Background: Serious psychological distress (SPD) is common and more prevalent in women, older adults, and individuals with a low-income. Prior studies have highlighted the role of low neighborhood social cohesion (nSC) in potentially contributing to SPD; however, few have investigated this association in a large, nationally representative sample of the United States. Therefore, our objective was to investigate the overall and racial/ethnic-, sex/gender-, self-rated health status-, age-, and household income-specific relationships between nSC and SPD., Methods: We used data from survey years 2013 to 2018 of the National Health Interview Survey to investigate nSC and SPD among Asian, Non-Hispanic (NH)-Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and NH-White men as well as women in the United States (N = 168,573) and to determine modification by race/ethnicity, sex/gender, self-rated health status, age, and annual household income. nSC was measured by asking participants four questions related to the trustworthiness and dependability of their neighbors. nSC scores were trichotomized into low (< 12), medium (12-14), and high (15-16). SPD was measured using the Kessler 6 psychological distress scale with scores ≥ 13 indicating SPD. After adjusting for sociodemographic, health behavior, and clinical confounders, we used Poisson regression with robust variance to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)., Results: Among 168,573 participants, most were Non-Hispanic (NH)-White (69%), and mean age was 47 ± 0.01 years. After adjustment, low vs. high nSC was associated with a 75% higher prevalence of SPD overall (PR = 1.75 [1.59-1.92]), 4 times the prevalence of SPD among Asian men (PR = 4.06 [1.57-10.50]), 2 times the prevalence of SPD among participants in at least good health (PR = 2.02 [95% CI: 1.74-2.35]), 92% higher prevalence of SPD among participants ≥ 50 years old (PR = 1.92 [1.70-2.18]), and approximately 3 times the prevalence of SPD among Hispanic/Latinx participants with household incomes ≥ $75,000 (PR = 2.97 [1.45-6.08])., Conclusions: Low nSC was associated with higher SPD in the overall population and the magnitude of the association was higher in Asian men, participants who reported good health, older participants, and Hispanic/Latinx adults with higher household incomes. Future research should continue to examine how neighborhood contexts can affect health across various sociodemographic groups, especially among groups with multiple marginalized social identities., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: During the 2010 Deepwater Horizon ( DWH ) disaster, controlled burning was conducted to remove oil from the water. Workers near combustion sites were potentially exposed to increased fine particulate matter [with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μ m ( PM 2.5 )] levels. Exposure to PM 2.5 has been linked to decreased lung function, but to our knowledge, no study has examined exposure encountered in an oil spill cleanup., Objective: We investigated the association between estimated PM 2.5 only from burning/flaring of oil/gas and lung function measured 1-3 y after the DWH disaster., Methods: We included workers who participated in response and cleanup activities on the water during the DWH disaster and had lung function measured at a subsequent home visit ( n = 2,316 ). PM 2.5 concentrations were estimated using a Gaussian plume dispersion model and linked to work histories via a job-exposure matrix. We evaluated forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1; milliliters), forced vital capacity (FVC; milliliters), and their ratio (FEV1/FVC; %) in relation to average and cumulative daily maximum exposures using multivariable linear regressions., Results: We observed significant exposure-response trends associating higher cumulative daily maximum PM 2.5 exposure with lower FEV1 ( p -trend = 0.04 ) and FEV1/FVC ( p -trend = 0.01 ). In comparison with the referent group (workers not involved in or near the burning), those with higher cumulative exposures had lower FEV1 [ - 166.8 mL , 95% confidence interval (CI): - 337.3 , 3.7] and FEV1/FVC ( - 1.7 , 95% CI: - 3.6 , 0.2). We also saw nonsignificant reductions in FVC (high vs. referent: - 120.9 , 95% CI: - 319.4 , 77.6; p -trend = 0.36 ). Similar associations were seen for average daily maximum PM 2.5 exposure. Inverse associations were also observed in analyses stratified by smoking and time from exposure to spirometry and when we restricted to workers without prespill lung disease., Conclusions: Among oil spill workers, exposure to PM 2.5 specifically from controlled burning of oil/gas was associated with significantly lower FEV1 and FEV1/FVC when compared with workers not involved in burning. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8930.

Importance: Exposure to hydrocarbons, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and other chemicals from the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon disaster may be associated with increased blood pressure and newly detected hypertension among oil spill response and cleanup workers., Objective: To determine whether participation in cleanup activities following the disaster was associated with increased risk of developing hypertension., Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study was conducted via telephone interviews and in-person home exams. Participants were 6846 adults who had worked on the oil spill cleanup (workers) and 1505 others who had completed required safety training but did not do cleanup work (nonworkers). Eligible participants did not have diagnosed hypertension at the time of the oil spill. Statistical analyses were performed from June 2018 to December 2021., Exposures: Engagement in cleanup activities following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster, job classes, quintiles of cumulative total hydrocarbons exposure level, potential exposure to burning or flaring oil, and estimated PM2.5 were examined., Main Outcomes and Measures: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements were collected during home exams from 2011 to 2013 using automated oscillometric monitors. Newly detected hypertension was defined as antihypertensive medication use or elevated blood pressure since the spill. Log binomial regression was used to calculate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% CIs for associations between cleanup exposures and hypertension. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate exposure effects on continuous blood pressure levels., Results: Of 8351 participants included in this study, 6484 (77.6%) were male, 517 (6.2%) were Hispanic, 2859 (34.2%) were non-Hispanic Black, and 4418 (52.9%) were non-Hispanic White; the mean (SD) age was 41.9 (12.5) years at enrollment. Among workers, the prevalence of newly detected hypertension was elevated in all quintiles (Q) of cumulative total hydrocarbons above the first quintile (PR for Q3, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.13-1.46], PR for Q4, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.10-1.43], and PR for Q5, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.15-1.50]). Both exposure to burning and/or flaring oil and gas (PR, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.02-1.33]) and PM2.5 from burning (PR, 1.26 [95% CI, 0.89-1.71]) for the highest exposure category were associated with increased risk of newly detected hypertension, as were several types of oil spill work including cleanup on water (PR, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.08-1.66]) and response work (PR, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.20-1.90])., Conclusions and Relevance: Oil spill exposures were associated with newly detected hypertension after the Deepwater Horizon disaster. These findings suggest that blood pressure screening should be considered for workers with occupational hydrocarbon exposures.

Background: The Gulf Long-Term Follow-up (GuLF) Study is a prospective cohort study of health effects associated with oil spill response and clean-up following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Disaster (DWH). As part of the study, spirometry testing of lung function was carried out in home visits across multiple states. Few studies have described factors associated with spirometry test failure in field-based settings., Objective: Our objective was to identify what factors, if any, predict test failure among GuLF Study participants who completed spirometry testing in a non-traditional setting., Methods: Trained examiners administered spirometry (May 2011-May 2013) to 10,019 participants living in US Gulf States (LA, MS, TX, AL, FL) using an Easy-on ultrasonic spirometer. We applied American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society quality criteria to determine quality test failure and identified factors predictive of failure using both a Stepwise and a LASSO model. We calculated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations of selected factors with test failure., Results: Among GuLF Study participants who conducted spirometry, self-reported African American/Black participants (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.23,1.56); men (OR:1.61, 95% CI: 1.41,1.83); and those making less than $20,000 per year (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.26,1.67) were more likely to fail quality testing, while those who were obese were less likely to fail (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.42,0.89)., Conclusion: Field-based studies involving spirometry should identify and account for participant factors that may influence test failure. Coaching that is tailored to those less likely to have experience with spirometry may help reduce test failure rates., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Both essential and non-essential metals come from natural and anthropogenic sources. Metals can bioaccumulate in humans and may impact human health, including hypertension., Methods: Blood metal (cadmium, lead, mercury, manganese, and selenium) concentrations were measured at baseline for a sample of participants in the Gulf Long-Term Follow-up (GuLF) Study. The GuLF Study is a prospective cohort study focused on potential health effects following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Hypertension was defined as high systolic (≥140 mm Hg) or diastolic (≥90 mm Hg) blood pressure or taking anti-hypertensive medications. A total of 957 participants who had blood measurement for at least one metal, baseline blood pressure measurements, information on any anti-hypertensive medication use, and relevant covariates were included in this cross-sectional analysis. We used Poisson regression to explore the association between individual blood metal levels and hypertension. Quantile-based g-computation was used to investigate the association between the metal mixture and hypertension. We also explored the association between individual blood metal levels and continuous blood pressure measurements using general linear regression., Results: Comparing the highest quartile of blood metals with the lowest (Q4vs1), the hypertension prevalence ratio (PR) was 0.92 (95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.73,1.15) for cadmium, 0.86 (95%CI = 0.66,1.12) for lead, 0.89 (95%CI = 0.71,1.12) for mercury, 1.00 (95%CI = 0.80,1.26) for selenium, and 1.22 (95%CI = 0.95,1.57) for manganese. We observed some qualitative differences across race and BMI strata although none of these differences were statistically significant. In stratified analyses, the PR (Q4vs1) for mercury was 0.69 (95%CI = 0.53, 0.91) in White participants and 1.29 (95%CI = 0.86,1.92) in Black participants (p for interaction = 0.5). The PR (Q4vs1) for manganese was relatively higher in Black participants (PR = 1.37, 95%CI = 0.92,2.05) than in White participants (PR = 1.15, 95%CI = 0.83,1.60, p for interaction = 0.5), with a suggestive dose-response among Blacks. After stratifying by obesity (BMI ≥30 and < 30), positive associations of of hypertension with cadmium (PR [Q4vs1] = 1.19, 95%CI = 0.91,1.56, p for interaction = 0.5), lead (PR [Q4vs1] = 1.14, 95%CI = 0.84,1.55, p for interaction = 1.0) and manganese (PR = 1.25, 95%CI = 0.93,1.68, p for interaction = 0.8) were observed in participants with BMI≥30, but not in participants with BMI<30. The joint effect of the metal mixture was 0.96 (95%CI = 0.73,1.27). We did not observe clear associations between blood metal levels and continuous blood pressure measurements., Conclusion: We did not find overall cross-sectional associations between blood cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium levels and hypertension or blood pressure. We found some evidence suggesting that manganese might be positively associated with risk of hypertension. Associations varied somewhat by race and BMI., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Individuals affected by disasters are at risk for adverse mental health sequelae. Individuals living in the US Gulf Coast have experienced many recent major disasters, but few studies have explored the cumulative burden of experiencing multiple disasters on mental health., Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between disaster burden and mental health., Methods: We used data from 9278 Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study participants who completed questionnaires on perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 2011-2013. We linked 2005-2010 county-level data from the Spatial Hazard Events and Losses Database for the United States, a database of loss-causing events, to participant's home address. Exposure measures included total count of loss events as well as severity quantified as property/crop losses per capita from all hazards. We used multilevel modeling to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each exposure-outcome relationship., Results: Total count of loss events was positively associated with perceived stress (OR Q4 :1.40, 95% CI:1.21-1.61) and was inversely associated with PTSD (OR Q4 :0.66, 95% CI:0.45-0.96). Total duration of exposure was also associated with stress (OR Q4 :1.16, 95% CI:1.01-1.33) but not with other outcomes. Severity based on cumulative fatalities/injuries was associated with anxiety (OR Q4 :1.31, 95% CI:1.05-1.63) and stress (OR Q4 :1.34, 95% CI:1.15-1.57), and severity based on cumulative property/crop losses was associated with anxiety (OR Q4 :1.42, 95% CI:1.12-1.81), depression (OR Q4 :1.22, 95% CI:0.95-1.57) and PTSD (OR Q4 :1.99, 95% CI:1.44-2.76)., (© 2021. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Although low neighborhood social cohesion (nSC) has been linked with poor sleep, studies of racially/ethnically diverse participants using multiple sleep dimensions remain sparse. Using National Health Interview Survey data, we examined overall, age, sex/gender, and racial/ethnic-specific associations between nSC and sleep health among 167,153 adults. Self-reported nSC was categorized into low, medium, and high. Very short sleep duration was defined as <6 hours; short as <7 h, recommended as 7-9 h, and long as ≥9 h. Sleep disturbances were assessed based on trouble falling and staying asleep, waking up feeling unrested, and using sleep medication (all ≥3 days/times in the previous week). Adjusting for sociodemographics and other confounders, we used Poisson regression with robust variance to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for sleep dimensions by low and medium vs. high nSC. The mean age of the sample was 47 ± 0.1 years, 52% of those included were women, and 69% were Non-Hispanic (NH)-White. Low vs. high nSC was associated with a higher prevalence of very short sleep (PR = 1.29; (95% CI = 1.23-1.36)). After adjustment, low vs. high nSC was associated with very short sleep duration among NH-White (PR = 1.34 (95% CI = 1.26-1.43)) and NH-Black (PR = 1.14 (95% CI = 1.02-1.28)) adults. Low nSC was associated with shorter sleep duration and sleep disturbances.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the sleep-cardiovascular health (CVH) association varies by Hispanic/Latino heritage group and housing tenure status (i.e., homeownership, unassisted housing, government-assisted housing), which is an important social determinant of health., Design: Cross-sectional analysis of pooled National Health Interview Survey (2004-2017) data., Setting: United States., Participants: US-born/non-US-born Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central/South American, and US-born non-Hispanic (NH)-white adults., Measurements: Within each housing tenure category, Poisson regressions with robust variance estimated the adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of (1) habitual sleep duration (<6-hours, 6-<7-hours, and >9-hours vs. 7-9 hours) and sleep quality for Hispanic/Latino heritage groups compared with NH-whites and (2) ideal CVH for Hispanic/Latino heritage groups within each sleep duration category, separately, compared with NH-whites who reported 7-9 hours sleep duration., Results: Among 283,767 NH-white and Hispanic/Latino adults (mean age=47.0±0.09 years, 50.1% female), 33% rented housing (4% government-assisted; 29% unassisted), and 67% were homeowners. Compared with their NH-white housing tenure counterparts, only Puerto Rican homeowners were more likely to report <6-hours (PR=1.70 [95% CI: 1.44-2.01]) and 6-<7-hours (PR=1.31 [1.19-1.44]) sleep duration. Overall, Hispanic/Latino heritage groups were either less likely or no more likely to report >9-hours sleep duration and poor sleep quality compared with NH-whites. Disparities in CVH were large between Puerto Rican unassisted renters and homeowners who reported >9-hours of habitual sleep compared with their NH-white housing tenure counterparts who reported 7-9 hours., Conclusions: Hispanic/Latino-white disparities in the sleep-CVH relationship may vary by Hispanic/Latino heritage group and housing tenure., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Oil spill response and clean-up (OSRC) workers were exposed to hazardous airborne chemicals following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The aim of this study was to evaluate lung function in workers 4-6 years following the disaster using a prospective cohort. Participants who completed two spirometry test sessions 1-3 years, and 4-6 years after the spill (N = 1,838) were included and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ; ml), forced vital capacity (FVC; ml), and ratio (FEV 1 /FVC; %) determined. Linear mixed models were utilized to estimate relationships between OSRC exposures and lung function 4-6 years after the spill and changes since the prior measurement. Despite suggestive reduced lung function at 1-3 years, at the  4-6-year exam workers with total hydrocarbon (THC) exposure 1-2.99 ppm and ≥3 ppm compared to those with ≤0.29 ppm exhibited higher FEV 1 (β: 108 ml, 95% CI: 17, 198) and (β: 118 ml, 95% CI: 5, 232), respectively. Compared with support workers, those in higher exposed jobs displayed greater improvement in FEV 1 between visits: cleanup on water (β: 143 ml, 95% CI: 35, 250), operations (β: 132 ml, 95% CI: 30, 234) and response (β: 149 ml, 95% CI: 43, 256). Greater FEV 1 improvement was also associated with higher versus the lowest level THC exposure: 1-2.99 ppm (β: 134 ml, 95% CI: 57, 210) and ≥3 ppm (β: 205 ml, 95% CI: 109, 301). Lung function decrements seen shortly after the spill were no longer apparent 4-6 years later, with the greatest improvement among those with the highest exposures.

Objectives: Ethnoracial disparities in sleep health across the lifecourse, may underlie other disparities in health and well-being among adults in the United States (U.S.). We evaluated if socioenvironmental stressors, which likely differ by the race/ethnicity of college students, may contribute to sleep disparities in this demographic group., Design/measurements: National Health Interview Survey data pooled from 2004 to 2017 were used to test the hypothesis that ethnoracial disparities in sleep exist among college students residing in dormitories in the U.S., Setting: Nationally representative survey data., Participants: A total of 2,119 college students residing in dormitories (71% White, 16% Black/African-American, 7% Hispanic/Latino, and 6% Asian) participated in the study., Results: The prevalence of short sleep duration was higher among Black/African-Americans than among White students, but not among Hispanics/Latinos and Asians, after adjusting for age, gender, and region of residence. In fully adjusted models, Black/African-Americans, although no longer statistically significant after adjustments, were more likely to report short sleep duration compared with White students (adjusted prevalence ratio; [aPR] = 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.98-1.71). The prevalence of separate insomnia symptoms did not differ by ethnoracial group in adjusted models. Only Asian students had a higher prevalence (aPR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.12-1.75) of nonrestorative sleep than White students., Conclusion: Black/African-American but not Hispanic/Latino or Asian college students were more likely to report short sleep duration than Whites. Insomnia symptoms did not differ between groups, while Asians experienced more nonrestorative sleep. Future studies should investigate the socioenvironmental causes of disparities using longitudinal designs, larger sample sizes, better socioeconomic status (SES) indicators, and objective sleep measures., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: Oil spill response and cleanup (OSRC) workers had potentially stressful experiences during mitigation efforts following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. Smelling chemicals; skin or clothing contact with oil; heat stress; handling oily plants/wildlife or dead animal recovery; and/or being out of regular work may have posed a risk to worker respiratory health through psychological stress mechanisms., Objective: To evaluate the association between six potentially stressful oil spill experiences and lung function among OSRC workers 1-3 years following the Deepwater Horizon disaster, while controlling for primary oil spill inhalation hazards and other potential confounders., Methods: Of 6811 GuLF STUDY participants who performed OSRC work and completed a quality spirometry test, 4806 provided information on all exposures and confounders. We carried out complete case analysis and used multiple imputation to assess risk among the larger sample. Potentially stressful work experiences were identified from an earlier study of these workers. The lung function parameters of interest include the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 , mL), the forced vital capacity (FVC, mL) and the ratio (FEV 1 /FVC, %)., Results: On average, participants in the analytic sample completed spirometry tests 1.7 years after the spill. Among workers with at least 2 acceptable FEV 1 and FVC curves, workers with jobs that involved oily plants/wildlife or dead animal recovery had lower values for FEV 1 (Mean difference: -53 mL, 95% CI: -84, -22), FVC (Mean difference: -45 mL, 95% CI: -81, -9) and FEV 1 /FVC (Mean difference: -0.44%, 95% CI: -0.80, -0.07) compared to unexposed workers in analyses using multiple imputation., Conclusions: Workers involved in handling oily plants/wildlife or dead animal recovery had lower lung function than unexposed workers after accounting for other OSRC inhalation hazards., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objectives: To investigate Black-White disparities in suboptimal sleep and cardiometabolic health by government-assisted rental housing status., Design: National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) pooled cross-sectional data (2004-2016)., Setting: United States., Participants: Black and White adult participants (n = 80,880)., Measurements: Poisson regression with robust variance was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals for self-reported unrecommended (<6 hours), short (≤6-<7 hours), and long (>9 hours) sleep duration (each separately vs recommended (≤7-9 hours)) and sleep difficulties (eg, trouble falling/staying asleep ≥3 days/week) (yes vs no) among Blacks compared to Whites within rental housing categories (government-assisted vs unassisted), separately, for men and women. Within sex/housing categories, we applied the same approach to compare cardiometabolic health outcomes (ie, overweight/obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke) between Blacks with worse sleep and Whites with recommended sleep. Models were adjusted for age and other potential confounders., Results: Participants' mean age was 42 ± 18 years, 57% were female, and 30% Black. Blacks in unassisted housing had a higher prevalence of unrecommended and short sleep (PR = 1.22 [1.15-1.30] -men, PR = 1.14 [1.08-1.21] -women) compared to their White counterparts (p housing⁎race  = 0.001 -men, p housing⁎race  = 0.008 -women), but no Black-White differences (PR = 0.88 [0.73-1.07] -men, PR = 0.98 [0.89-1.09] -women) were observed among government-assisted renters. Generally, Blacks were less likely to report sleep difficulties than Whites. Cardiometabolic health disparities between Blacks with worse sleep and Whites with recommended sleep were generally smaller among government-assisted renters, but relationships varied by sex., Conclusions: There were no racial disparities in short sleep duration, and cardiometabolic health disparities were generally attenuated when Blacks and Whites resided in government-assisted rental housing., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Asthma is a common chronic lung disease, the incidence and severity of which may be influenced by gene-environment interactions. Our objective was to examine associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and combinations of SNPs in the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway, residential distance to roadway as a proxy for traffic-related air pollution exposure, and asthma diagnosis and exacerbations. We obtained individual-level data on genotype, residential address, and asthma diagnosis and exacerbations from the Environmental Polymorphisms Registry. Subjects (n = 2,704) were divided into three groups (hyper-responders, hypo-responders, and neither) based on SNP combinations in genes along the TLR4 pathway. We geocoded subjects and calculated distance, classified as <250 m or ≥250 m, between residence and nearest major road. Relationships between genotype, distance to road, and odds of asthma diagnosis and exacerbations were examined using logistic regression. Odds of an asthma diagnosis among hyper-responders <250 m from a major road was 2.37(0.97, 6.01) compared to the reference group (p < 0.10). Hypo-responders ≥250 m from the nearest road had lower odds of activity limitations (0.46 [0.21, 0.95]) and sleeplessness (0.36 [0.12, 0.91]) compared to neither-responders (p < 0.05). Specific genotype combinations when combined with an individual's proximity to roadways, possibly due to traffic-related air pollution exposure, may affect the likelihood of asthma diagnosis and exacerbations.

Study Objectives: To identify systematic biases across groups in objectively and subjectively measured sleep duration., Methods: We investigated concordance of self-reported habitual sleep duration compared with actigraphy- and single-night in-home polysomnography (PSG) across white, black, Hispanic, and Chinese participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis., Results: Among 1910 adults, self-reported sleep duration, determined by differences between bed and wake times, was overestimated in all racial groups compared with PSG and actigraphy. Compared with whites (ρ = 0.45), correlations were significantly lower only in blacks (ρ = 0.28). Self-reporting bias for total sleep time compared with wrist actigraphy was 66 min (95% confidence interval [CI]: 61-71) for whites, 58 min (95% CI: 48-69) for blacks, 66 min (95% CI: 57-74) for Hispanics, and 60 min (95% CI: 49-70) for Chinese adults. Compared with PSG, self-reporting bias in whites at 73 min (95% CI: 67-79) was higher than in blacks (54 min [95% CI: 42-65]) and Chinese (49 min [95% CI: 37-61]) but not different from Hispanics (67 min [95% CI: 56-78]). Slight agreement/concordance was observed between self-reported and actigraphy-based total sleep time (kw = 0.14 for whites, 0.10 for blacks, 0.17 for Hispanics, and 0.11 for Chinese) and PSG (kw = 0.08 for whites, 0.04 for blacks, 0.05 for Hispanics, and 0.01 for Chinese) across race/ethnicity., Conclusions: Self-reported sleep duration overestimated objectively measured sleep across all races, and compared with PSG, overestimation is significantly greater in whites compared with blacks. Larger reporting bias reduces the ability to identify significant associations between sleep duration and health among blacks compared with whites. Sleep measurement property differences should be considered when comparing sleep indices across racial/ethnic groups.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between total hydrocarbon (THC) exposures attributed to oil spill clean-up work and lung function 1 to 3 years after the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster., Methods: We used data from the GuLF STUDY, a large cohort of adults who worked on response to the DWH disaster and others who were safety trained but did not work. We analyzed data from 6288 workers with two acceptable spirometry tests. We estimated THC exposure levels with a job exposure matrix. We evaluated lung function using the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1; mL), the forced vital capacity (FVC; mL), and the FEV1/FVC ratio (%)., Results: Lung function measures did not differ by THC exposure levels among clean-up workers., Conclusion: We did not observe an association between THC exposure and lung function among clean-up workers 1 to 3 years following the DWH disaster.