| Increased Rate of Hospitalization for Diabetes and Residential Proximity of Hazardous Waste Sites Maria Kouznetsova,1 Xiaoyu Huang,1 Jing Ma,1 Lawrence Lessner,1,2 and David O. Carpenter2 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, and 2Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, New York, USA Abstract
Background: Epidemiologic studies suggest that there may be an association between environmental exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and diabetes. Objective: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that residential proximity to POP-contaminated waste sites result in increased rates of hospitalization for diabetes. Methods: We determined the number of hospitalized patients 25–74 years of age diagnosed with diabetes in New York State exclusive of New York City for the years 1993–2000. Descriptive statistics and negative binomial regression were used to compare diabetes hospitalization rates in individuals who resided in ZIP codes containing or abutting hazardous waste sites containing POPs ("POP" sites) ; ZIP codes containing hazardous waste sites but with wastes other than POPs ("other" sites) ; and ZIP codes without any identified hazardous waste sites ("clean" sites) . Results: Compared with the hospitalization rates for diabetes in clean sites, the rate ratios for diabetes discharges for people residing in POP sites and "other" sites, after adjustment for potential confounders were 1.23 [95% confidence interval (CI) , 1.15–1.32] and 1.25 (95% CI, 1.16–1.34) , respectively. In a subset of POP sites along the Hudson River, where there is higher income, less smoking, better diet, and more exercise, the rate ratio was 1.36 (95% CI, 1.26–1.47) compared to clean sites. Conclusions: After controlling for major confounders, we found a statistically significant increase in the rate of hospitalization for diabetes among the population residing in the ZIP codes containing toxic waste sites. Key words: behavior, diabetes mellitus, dioxins, negative binomial regression, PCBs, persistent pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, SES, socioeconomic status, ZIP codes. Environ Health Perspect 115:75–79 (2007) . doi:10.1289/ehp.9223 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 18 August 2006]
Address correspondence to D.O. Carpenter, Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, SUNY, 5 University Place, A217, Rensselaer, NY 12144-3429 USA. Telephone: (518) 525-2660. Fax: (518) 525-2665. E-mail: carpent@uamail.albany.edu This study was supported by a grant from the Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health (TW00636) , and by the Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany. The authors declare they have no competing financial interests. Received 31 March 2006 ; accepted 17 August 2006.
Correction In the original manuscript published online, RRs and 95% CIs in the Abstract, all values in Tables 2 and 3, and values in the text referring to these tables were underestimated. Also, the numbers and percentages for the the clean group were incorrect in Table 1. All of these have been corrected here.
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