311722
Comparative analysis of environmental exposures and orofacial clefts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Philippines
METHODS: As part of an epidemiologic-genetic study between Operation Smile, University of Southern California and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, maternal and paternal exposure data during pregnancy were collected from 2011 to 2013 using interviewer-administrated questionnaires in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Philippines. Chi-squared, Student t and Fischer’s exact tests were used to compare groups.
RESULTS: In the DRC and Philippines, exposure to industrial chemicals (p<0.01), rural residence (p<0.01) and public or well-water consumption (p<0.05), were more frequent among mothers of cases compared to mothers of controls. When comparing exposure trends for the Congolese and Filipino populations, significantly more cases in the DRC had exposures to industrial chemicals (13.5% vs. 8.5%, p<0.01), rural residence (9.5% vs. 53.2%, p<0.01), well-water consumption (10.2% vs. 40.0% P<0.01) and public water consumption (76.5% vs. 8%, p<0.01).
CONCLUSION: With considerable lifestyle and cultural differences in the DRC and Philippines, both populations have similar exposure risks for cleft disease while having significantly different incidences of exposure. The nuances of these relationships are key to deciphering the full picture of cleft risk around the world.
Learning Areas:
Biostatistics, economicsEnvironmental health sciences
Epidemiology
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Compare environmental exposures in parents of children with orofacial clefts in the Democratic Republic of Congo versus the Philippines
Keyword(s): Chemical Exposures & Prevention, Birth Defects
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked on this study for 4 years and have been actively involved in design, data collection and manuscript drafting.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.