Symptoms and Mask Use Reported in the B-SAFE Pregnancy Cohort to Examine Wildfire Exposure Health Impacts

Abstract

OPS 33: Health impact of interventions 2, Room 411, Floor 4, August 28, 2019, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Background/Aims In the past two years, multiple wildfires of unprecedented devastation ravaged Northern California, hitting urban areas with more fatalities, evacuations, and structures destroyed than ever before. Thick smoke plumes and the highest PM2.5 concentrations ever recorded blanketed large metropolitan areas and affected millions, including ~100,000 pregnant women. Combined exposures to contaminants and emotional stress from these urban wildfires could have serious long-term developmental consequences if delivered during critical periods in pregnancy. The B-SAFE (Bio-Specimen Assessment of Fire Effects) study enrolls women pregnant during wildfires and their children, collects biospecimens and survey information that will be used to understand exposures, mechanistic responses, and health impacts of gestational wildfire exposure. Methods: Women 18+ years of age who were pregnant and living in Northern California during 2017 wildfires were recruited through local media and social media campaigns. Biospecimens and information were collected in-person pregnancy, delivery, and postnatal visits. Women completed online surveys about their wildfire experience. Results: Of the 172 participating mothers, most were white 84(%), college educated (77%), married (89%), and enrolled postnatally (145%). Of the first 149 B-SAFE mothers taking the 2017 wildfire survey, 104 (70%) reported having symptoms. The most commonly reported symptom was stress/anxiety, which affected 48%; ~20% remained affected up to a year after the fires. Itchy/irritated eyes and cough were reported in over 30% initially, but dropped steeply after the first month; trouble sleeping was reported for 15-22% in the first several months. ‘Sore throat’ was the most commonly reported ‘other symptom.’ Most mothers (80%) reported wearing masks; most (84%) were N95. Conclusions: This cohort and biorepository will expand to include mothers pregnant during the 2018 Camp Fire and will provide a resource for future studies to understand and minimize the biological and developmental effects of wildfires, as they increase in number, duration, and intensity.