Susanne Montgomery | Loma Linda University (original) (raw)
Papers by Susanne Montgomery
Molecular & cellular proteomics : MCP, 2016
African American (AA) men suffer from a disproportionately high incidence and mortality of prosta... more African American (AA) men suffer from a disproportionately high incidence and mortality of prostate cancer (PCa) compared with other racial/ethnic groups. Despite these disparities, African American men are underrepresented in clinical trials and in studies on PCa biology and biomarker discovery. We used immunoseroproteomics to profile antitumor autoantibody responses in AA and European American (EA) men with PCa, and explored differences in these responses. This minimally invasive approach detects autoantibodies to tumor-associated antigens that could serve as clinical biomarkers and immunotherapeutic agents. Sera from AA and EA men with PCa were probed by immunoblotting against PC3 cell proteins, with AA sera showing stronger immunoreactivity. Mass spectrometry analysis of immunoreactive protein spots revealed that several AA sera contained autoantibodies to a number of proteins associated with both the glycolysis and plasminogen pathways, particularly to alpha-enolase (ENO1). The...
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 2017
Journal of Community Health, 2012
Stillbirth is a globally significant public health problem with many medical causes. There are al... more Stillbirth is a globally significant public health problem with many medical causes. There are also indirect causal pathways including social and cultural factors which are particularly salient in India's traditional society. The purpose of this study was to explore women's perceptions of stillbirth and to determine how issues of gender and power, social support, coping efforts, and religious beliefs influence perinatal grief outcomes among poor women in rural Chhattisgarh, India. Structured interviews were done face-to-face in 21 randomly selected villages among women of reproductive age (N=355) who had experienced stillbirth (n=178) and compared to those who had not (n=177), in the Christian Hospital, Mungeli catchment area. Perinatal grief was significantly higher among women with a history of stillbirth. Greater perinatal grief was associated with lack of support, maternal agreement with social norms, and younger maternal age. These predictors must be understood in light of an additional finding-distorted sex ratios, which reflect gender discrimination in the context of Indian society. The findings of this study will allow the development of a culturally appropriate health education program which should be designed to increase social support and address social norms, thereby reducing psychological distress to prevent complicated perinatal grief. Perinatal grief is a significant social burden which impacts the health women.
Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services, 2011
The recent global focus on the promotion of faith-based health and social interventions requires ... more The recent global focus on the promotion of faith-based health and social interventions requires two major empirical data sets: (a), an understanding of how the health needs of churches relate to the assets they hold and (b) the collective capacity of members to use needed resources to help address a wide range of health issues including HIV/AIDS that continue to
Journal of Human Lactation, 2010
This was a nurse-driven, hospital-based, prospective cohort study of data collected in 19 hospita... more This was a nurse-driven, hospital-based, prospective cohort study of data collected in 19 hospitals in San Bernardino and Riverside counties by California Perinatal Services Network on all mothers (n = 21 842) who delivered a singleton infant (37-40 weeks gestation) between July 2005 through June 2006. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression showed that maternal infant-feeding method intention (measured prior to birth), sociodemographic characteristics, intrapartum variables, and early skin-to-skin mother-infant contact during the first 3 hours following birth (controlling for delivery hospital) were correlated with exclusive breastfeeding during the maternity hospitalization. Compared with mothers with no early skin-to-skin contact, exclusive breastfeeding was higher in mothers who experienced skin-to-skin contact for 1 to 15 minutes (odds ratio [OR] 1.376; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.189-1.593), 16 to 30 minutes (OR 1.665; 95% CI, 1.468-1.888), 31 to 59 minutes (OR 2.357; 95% CI, 2.061-2.695), and more than 1 hour (OR 3.145; 95% CI, 2.905-3.405). The results demonstrate a dose-response relationship between early skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding exclusivity.
Journal of Adolescent Health, Jan 1, 1997
The purpose of this research were to explore homeless youths' histories of exposure to vi... more The purpose of this research were to explore homeless youths' histories of exposure to violence, perpetration of violence, and fear of violent victimization, and to examine the extent to which these constructs are associated with demographic variables. A sample of 432 youth (between 13 and 23 years old) who were homeless or at imminent risk for homelessness were sampled from both service and street sites. The percentage of youth who reported exposure to each type of violence was calculated. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine differences in the risk of exposure to violence across gender, ethnicity, age, and length of time homeless. Respondents reported a high rate of exposure to violence. Female respondents reported levels of exposure to violence that were as high as those reported by males. Females were more likely to report having been sexually assaulted and fearing victimization, and tended to be less likely to report perpetrating violence. With a few exceptions, ethnic identity was not a significant predictor of exposure to violence or fear of victimization. Age tended to be inversely associated with risk of exposure to violence. Length of time homeless was not associated with fear of victimization. Homeless youth are at high risk for exposure to a variety of forms violence as both witnesses and victims. The overall rates of exposure to violence and patterns of association with demographic variables are significantly higher than those reported in national samples of adolescents.
Although understanding of the subsistence patterns, service utilization, and HIV-risk behaviors o... more Although understanding of the subsistence patterns, service utilization, and HIV-risk behaviors of homeless youths and young adults is increasing, relatively little is known about the epidemiology of mental health problems in this group or the relationships between mental health problems and substance use. This study measured symptoms of depression, low self-esteem, ADHD, suicidality, self-injurious behavior (SIB), and drug and alcohol use disorder in a sample of homeless youth and young adults living in Hollywood, CA. Results indicated extremely high prevalences of mental health problems, as compared with corresponding rates of mental health problems found among housed youths in previous studies. Prevalence of mental health problems differed by age and ethnicity. African Americans were at lower risk of suicidal thoughts and SIB than were those of other ethnicities. Older respondents and females were at increased risk of depressive symptoms, and younger respondents were at increased risk of SIB. Previous history of sexual abuse and/or assault was associated with increased risk of suicidality and SIB. Risk factors for drug abuse disorder included ethnicity other than African American, homelessness for 1 year or more, suicidality, SIB, depressive symptoms, and low self-esteem. Risk factors for alcohol abuse disorder included male gender, white ethnicity, homelessness for 1 year or more, suicidality, and SIB. Extremely high rates of mental health problems and substance abuse disorders in this sample suggest the need for street-based and nontraditional mental health services targeted toward these youths and young adults.
Journal of Early Adolescence, Jan 1, 1998
Abstract Despite the increasing knowledge about homeless and street youth in the United States, l... more Abstract Despite the increasing knowledge about homeless and street youth in the United States, little is known about the youngest segments of those populations, early adolescents (12 through 15 years of age). Investigated in this study were the demographic and lifestyle characteristics of 245 street youth in California. Measures included demographic characteristics (eg, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation), peer group identification, history of homelessness, sources of shelter and money, and perceived health status. Results ...
American Behavioral Scientist, 1996
Journal of Research on Adolescence, 1994
The Midwestern Prevention Program (MPP) is an ongoing trial of a multi-component intervention—inc... more The Midwestern Prevention Program (MPP) is an ongoing trial of a multi-component intervention—including a school-based social influence curriculum, a parent program, mass-media programming, community organization, and health policy change—designed to prevent drug and alcohol abuse among adolescents. In this article, we focus on the Indianapolis program site, and we address relationships between parental participation in the program and adolescent drug use. Components of the parent program included parent ...
Encyclopedia of Women’s Health, 2004
Results from the first ever community college study on waterpipe use (n=1,207) in fall 2011 at tw... more Results from the first ever community college study on waterpipe use (n=1,207) in fall 2011 at two demographically diverse schools in Southern California found use in the higher range of the collegiate literature (seventeen peer-reviewed studies; all from four-year schools, 2004-2011) - 55.5% reported ever using the waterpipe, and more than one in three (34.1%) used it in the previous year. More students have experimented with the waterpipe than ever smoked a cigarette, 48.8%. Current use, 10.8%, is associated with current alcohol (AOR=2.8, p<.001), current cigar (AOR=2.5, p<.01) and current cigarette use (AOR=1.8, p<.05) as well as female binge drinking (AOR=1.8, p=<.05). Compared to African-Americans, Whites are 2.9 times (p<.05) more likely to be current users. Current marijuana, illegal drug, and smokeless tobacco use are not associated with any measure of waterpipe use and there are also no gender or economic (financial aid, first generation, and hours worked per...
Cancer control: journal of the Moffitt Cancer Center
The worldwide incidence of prostate cancer is higher among American black men than any other male... more The worldwide incidence of prostate cancer is higher among American black men than any other male group. In the United States, lack of participation in screening for prostate cancer by black men is influenced by several cultural factors, including knowledge, health beliefs, barriers, and relationships with primary healthcare providers. We used the qualitative and paralleling descriptive quantitative findings of a mixed-method longitudinal study exploring prostate cancer screening behaviors among 277 black men. Five themes were identified as critical elements affecting men's screening for prostate cancer: lack of knowledge, communication, social support, quality of care, and sexuality. These themes were associated with a sense of disconnectedness by black men from the healthcare system and contributed to nonparticipation in prostate cancer early detection activities. Lack of discussion about the decision to screen for prostate cancer and general lack of culturally appropriate com...
Despite recent surveys reporting a decline in adolescents' use of alcohol and other drugs... more Despite recent surveys reporting a decline in adolescents' use of alcohol and other drugs in the general population, substance abuse may actually be increasing among particular subgroups of high-risk youth. This study examined the prevalence of alcohol and other drug use reported by 1121 youth, ages 12-24 years, seen for an initial medical visit at a free community-based primary health clinic. The clinic, located in the Hollywood/Wilshire area of Los Angeles, serves both homeless (62%) and non-homeless (38%) youth. Bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the homeless youth were significantly more likely to report use of alcohol and illicit drugs (marijuana, stimulants, hallucinogens, and narcotics) and prior involvement in injecting drug use (IDU). Variables found to be significantly associated with substance use among the homeless youth included length of time homeless, an attempted suicide, physical and sexual abuse, and involvement in survival sex/prostitution. Among the non-homeless youth, age of first intercourse, a previous suicide attempt, and a history of physical and sexual abuse were significantly associated with substance use. These findings suggest that rates of alcohol and other drug use may be higher among youth seen at community-based primary health clinics, particularly homeless youth underscoring the need for screening for these risk variables.
Emerging evidence suggests that chronic exposure to excessive noise may result in detrimental eff... more Emerging evidence suggests that chronic exposure to excessive noise may result in detrimental effects on health, including hearing loss, hypertension, and cardiovascular problems. While noise levels that are sufficient to result in these effects are reached at occupational environments, they may also occur in residential settings, such as near areas of high traffic and railways. To address such issues, Loma Linda University established the Environmental Railyard Research Impacting Community Health (ENRRICH) Project to investigate the linkage between the BNSF San Bernardino Railyard (SBR) and adverse health outcomes using a community-based participatory research approach. With a substantial number of individuals expressing noise concerns, the ENRRICH project assessed data on perceptions of ambient noise and self-reported noise-related health outcomes by employing a two-wave cross-sectional study. Moreover, ambient noise levels were sampled using an acoustic measurement device near pa...
Objectives Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions affecting children today and a ... more Objectives Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions affecting children today and a leading cause of morbidity. The Inland Southern California region is an area of great concern for air pollution and related respiratory health challenges for children; as it is the downwind recipient of the LA basin air pollution combined with its own increasing size of railyard facilities and major freeways in close proximity to an alarming number of elementary schools. One such elementary school, Ramona Alessandro, is located within only a few hundred yards from one of the busiest and dirtiest railyards in California, known as BNSF Railyard. Evidence is mounting on the adverse health effects in children related to proximity to roadways including: low birth weight, premature births, asthma occurrence, delayed lung development and functional deficits. Children with their developing respiratory systems are likely to experience increased exposure to pollutants and a greater risk of respira...
San Bernardino, California is home to BNSF San Bernardino Railyard (SBR), a major trading hub tha... more San Bernardino, California is home to BNSF San Bernardino Railyard (SBR), a major trading hub that was recently identified by the California Air Resources Board as having the highest community health risk in the State. In response, the ENRRICH Project was implemented by Loma Linda University researchers and their local community partner CCAEJ to investigate the potential linkage between proximity to the railyard and adverse health outcomes. The project used a community-based participatory research approach with mixed methods. Qualitative inquiry was conducted to contextually inform the quantitative study, in which randomly selected residents (N=715) near the railyard and further away (controls) were interviewed by rigorously trained residents. Data was coded for recurrent themes and organized into overarching categories. Themes and trends were then concurrently analyzed with qualitative and quantitative methods, involving GIS, word clouds, and statistics to allow characterization of...
Molecular & cellular proteomics : MCP, 2016
African American (AA) men suffer from a disproportionately high incidence and mortality of prosta... more African American (AA) men suffer from a disproportionately high incidence and mortality of prostate cancer (PCa) compared with other racial/ethnic groups. Despite these disparities, African American men are underrepresented in clinical trials and in studies on PCa biology and biomarker discovery. We used immunoseroproteomics to profile antitumor autoantibody responses in AA and European American (EA) men with PCa, and explored differences in these responses. This minimally invasive approach detects autoantibodies to tumor-associated antigens that could serve as clinical biomarkers and immunotherapeutic agents. Sera from AA and EA men with PCa were probed by immunoblotting against PC3 cell proteins, with AA sera showing stronger immunoreactivity. Mass spectrometry analysis of immunoreactive protein spots revealed that several AA sera contained autoantibodies to a number of proteins associated with both the glycolysis and plasminogen pathways, particularly to alpha-enolase (ENO1). The...
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 2017
Journal of Community Health, 2012
Stillbirth is a globally significant public health problem with many medical causes. There are al... more Stillbirth is a globally significant public health problem with many medical causes. There are also indirect causal pathways including social and cultural factors which are particularly salient in India&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s traditional society. The purpose of this study was to explore women&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s perceptions of stillbirth and to determine how issues of gender and power, social support, coping efforts, and religious beliefs influence perinatal grief outcomes among poor women in rural Chhattisgarh, India. Structured interviews were done face-to-face in 21 randomly selected villages among women of reproductive age (N=355) who had experienced stillbirth (n=178) and compared to those who had not (n=177), in the Christian Hospital, Mungeli catchment area. Perinatal grief was significantly higher among women with a history of stillbirth. Greater perinatal grief was associated with lack of support, maternal agreement with social norms, and younger maternal age. These predictors must be understood in light of an additional finding-distorted sex ratios, which reflect gender discrimination in the context of Indian society. The findings of this study will allow the development of a culturally appropriate health education program which should be designed to increase social support and address social norms, thereby reducing psychological distress to prevent complicated perinatal grief. Perinatal grief is a significant social burden which impacts the health women.
Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services, 2011
The recent global focus on the promotion of faith-based health and social interventions requires ... more The recent global focus on the promotion of faith-based health and social interventions requires two major empirical data sets: (a), an understanding of how the health needs of churches relate to the assets they hold and (b) the collective capacity of members to use needed resources to help address a wide range of health issues including HIV/AIDS that continue to
Journal of Human Lactation, 2010
This was a nurse-driven, hospital-based, prospective cohort study of data collected in 19 hospita... more This was a nurse-driven, hospital-based, prospective cohort study of data collected in 19 hospitals in San Bernardino and Riverside counties by California Perinatal Services Network on all mothers (n = 21 842) who delivered a singleton infant (37-40 weeks gestation) between July 2005 through June 2006. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression showed that maternal infant-feeding method intention (measured prior to birth), sociodemographic characteristics, intrapartum variables, and early skin-to-skin mother-infant contact during the first 3 hours following birth (controlling for delivery hospital) were correlated with exclusive breastfeeding during the maternity hospitalization. Compared with mothers with no early skin-to-skin contact, exclusive breastfeeding was higher in mothers who experienced skin-to-skin contact for 1 to 15 minutes (odds ratio [OR] 1.376; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.189-1.593), 16 to 30 minutes (OR 1.665; 95% CI, 1.468-1.888), 31 to 59 minutes (OR 2.357; 95% CI, 2.061-2.695), and more than 1 hour (OR 3.145; 95% CI, 2.905-3.405). The results demonstrate a dose-response relationship between early skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding exclusivity.
Journal of Adolescent Health, Jan 1, 1997
The purpose of this research were to explore homeless youths' histories of exposure to vi... more The purpose of this research were to explore homeless youths' histories of exposure to violence, perpetration of violence, and fear of violent victimization, and to examine the extent to which these constructs are associated with demographic variables. A sample of 432 youth (between 13 and 23 years old) who were homeless or at imminent risk for homelessness were sampled from both service and street sites. The percentage of youth who reported exposure to each type of violence was calculated. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine differences in the risk of exposure to violence across gender, ethnicity, age, and length of time homeless. Respondents reported a high rate of exposure to violence. Female respondents reported levels of exposure to violence that were as high as those reported by males. Females were more likely to report having been sexually assaulted and fearing victimization, and tended to be less likely to report perpetrating violence. With a few exceptions, ethnic identity was not a significant predictor of exposure to violence or fear of victimization. Age tended to be inversely associated with risk of exposure to violence. Length of time homeless was not associated with fear of victimization. Homeless youth are at high risk for exposure to a variety of forms violence as both witnesses and victims. The overall rates of exposure to violence and patterns of association with demographic variables are significantly higher than those reported in national samples of adolescents.
Although understanding of the subsistence patterns, service utilization, and HIV-risk behaviors o... more Although understanding of the subsistence patterns, service utilization, and HIV-risk behaviors of homeless youths and young adults is increasing, relatively little is known about the epidemiology of mental health problems in this group or the relationships between mental health problems and substance use. This study measured symptoms of depression, low self-esteem, ADHD, suicidality, self-injurious behavior (SIB), and drug and alcohol use disorder in a sample of homeless youth and young adults living in Hollywood, CA. Results indicated extremely high prevalences of mental health problems, as compared with corresponding rates of mental health problems found among housed youths in previous studies. Prevalence of mental health problems differed by age and ethnicity. African Americans were at lower risk of suicidal thoughts and SIB than were those of other ethnicities. Older respondents and females were at increased risk of depressive symptoms, and younger respondents were at increased risk of SIB. Previous history of sexual abuse and/or assault was associated with increased risk of suicidality and SIB. Risk factors for drug abuse disorder included ethnicity other than African American, homelessness for 1 year or more, suicidality, SIB, depressive symptoms, and low self-esteem. Risk factors for alcohol abuse disorder included male gender, white ethnicity, homelessness for 1 year or more, suicidality, and SIB. Extremely high rates of mental health problems and substance abuse disorders in this sample suggest the need for street-based and nontraditional mental health services targeted toward these youths and young adults.
Journal of Early Adolescence, Jan 1, 1998
Abstract Despite the increasing knowledge about homeless and street youth in the United States, l... more Abstract Despite the increasing knowledge about homeless and street youth in the United States, little is known about the youngest segments of those populations, early adolescents (12 through 15 years of age). Investigated in this study were the demographic and lifestyle characteristics of 245 street youth in California. Measures included demographic characteristics (eg, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation), peer group identification, history of homelessness, sources of shelter and money, and perceived health status. Results ...
American Behavioral Scientist, 1996
Journal of Research on Adolescence, 1994
The Midwestern Prevention Program (MPP) is an ongoing trial of a multi-component intervention—inc... more The Midwestern Prevention Program (MPP) is an ongoing trial of a multi-component intervention—including a school-based social influence curriculum, a parent program, mass-media programming, community organization, and health policy change—designed to prevent drug and alcohol abuse among adolescents. In this article, we focus on the Indianapolis program site, and we address relationships between parental participation in the program and adolescent drug use. Components of the parent program included parent ...
Encyclopedia of Women’s Health, 2004
Results from the first ever community college study on waterpipe use (n=1,207) in fall 2011 at tw... more Results from the first ever community college study on waterpipe use (n=1,207) in fall 2011 at two demographically diverse schools in Southern California found use in the higher range of the collegiate literature (seventeen peer-reviewed studies; all from four-year schools, 2004-2011) - 55.5% reported ever using the waterpipe, and more than one in three (34.1%) used it in the previous year. More students have experimented with the waterpipe than ever smoked a cigarette, 48.8%. Current use, 10.8%, is associated with current alcohol (AOR=2.8, p<.001), current cigar (AOR=2.5, p<.01) and current cigarette use (AOR=1.8, p<.05) as well as female binge drinking (AOR=1.8, p=<.05). Compared to African-Americans, Whites are 2.9 times (p<.05) more likely to be current users. Current marijuana, illegal drug, and smokeless tobacco use are not associated with any measure of waterpipe use and there are also no gender or economic (financial aid, first generation, and hours worked per...
Cancer control: journal of the Moffitt Cancer Center
The worldwide incidence of prostate cancer is higher among American black men than any other male... more The worldwide incidence of prostate cancer is higher among American black men than any other male group. In the United States, lack of participation in screening for prostate cancer by black men is influenced by several cultural factors, including knowledge, health beliefs, barriers, and relationships with primary healthcare providers. We used the qualitative and paralleling descriptive quantitative findings of a mixed-method longitudinal study exploring prostate cancer screening behaviors among 277 black men. Five themes were identified as critical elements affecting men's screening for prostate cancer: lack of knowledge, communication, social support, quality of care, and sexuality. These themes were associated with a sense of disconnectedness by black men from the healthcare system and contributed to nonparticipation in prostate cancer early detection activities. Lack of discussion about the decision to screen for prostate cancer and general lack of culturally appropriate com...
Despite recent surveys reporting a decline in adolescents' use of alcohol and other drugs... more Despite recent surveys reporting a decline in adolescents' use of alcohol and other drugs in the general population, substance abuse may actually be increasing among particular subgroups of high-risk youth. This study examined the prevalence of alcohol and other drug use reported by 1121 youth, ages 12-24 years, seen for an initial medical visit at a free community-based primary health clinic. The clinic, located in the Hollywood/Wilshire area of Los Angeles, serves both homeless (62%) and non-homeless (38%) youth. Bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the homeless youth were significantly more likely to report use of alcohol and illicit drugs (marijuana, stimulants, hallucinogens, and narcotics) and prior involvement in injecting drug use (IDU). Variables found to be significantly associated with substance use among the homeless youth included length of time homeless, an attempted suicide, physical and sexual abuse, and involvement in survival sex/prostitution. Among the non-homeless youth, age of first intercourse, a previous suicide attempt, and a history of physical and sexual abuse were significantly associated with substance use. These findings suggest that rates of alcohol and other drug use may be higher among youth seen at community-based primary health clinics, particularly homeless youth underscoring the need for screening for these risk variables.
Emerging evidence suggests that chronic exposure to excessive noise may result in detrimental eff... more Emerging evidence suggests that chronic exposure to excessive noise may result in detrimental effects on health, including hearing loss, hypertension, and cardiovascular problems. While noise levels that are sufficient to result in these effects are reached at occupational environments, they may also occur in residential settings, such as near areas of high traffic and railways. To address such issues, Loma Linda University established the Environmental Railyard Research Impacting Community Health (ENRRICH) Project to investigate the linkage between the BNSF San Bernardino Railyard (SBR) and adverse health outcomes using a community-based participatory research approach. With a substantial number of individuals expressing noise concerns, the ENRRICH project assessed data on perceptions of ambient noise and self-reported noise-related health outcomes by employing a two-wave cross-sectional study. Moreover, ambient noise levels were sampled using an acoustic measurement device near pa...
Objectives Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions affecting children today and a ... more Objectives Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions affecting children today and a leading cause of morbidity. The Inland Southern California region is an area of great concern for air pollution and related respiratory health challenges for children; as it is the downwind recipient of the LA basin air pollution combined with its own increasing size of railyard facilities and major freeways in close proximity to an alarming number of elementary schools. One such elementary school, Ramona Alessandro, is located within only a few hundred yards from one of the busiest and dirtiest railyards in California, known as BNSF Railyard. Evidence is mounting on the adverse health effects in children related to proximity to roadways including: low birth weight, premature births, asthma occurrence, delayed lung development and functional deficits. Children with their developing respiratory systems are likely to experience increased exposure to pollutants and a greater risk of respira...
San Bernardino, California is home to BNSF San Bernardino Railyard (SBR), a major trading hub tha... more San Bernardino, California is home to BNSF San Bernardino Railyard (SBR), a major trading hub that was recently identified by the California Air Resources Board as having the highest community health risk in the State. In response, the ENRRICH Project was implemented by Loma Linda University researchers and their local community partner CCAEJ to investigate the potential linkage between proximity to the railyard and adverse health outcomes. The project used a community-based participatory research approach with mixed methods. Qualitative inquiry was conducted to contextually inform the quantitative study, in which randomly selected residents (N=715) near the railyard and further away (controls) were interviewed by rigorously trained residents. Data was coded for recurrent themes and organized into overarching categories. Themes and trends were then concurrently analyzed with qualitative and quantitative methods, involving GIS, word clouds, and statistics to allow characterization of...