How will UCLA identify community members for the survey and clinical assessments?

[fusion_builder_container type="flex" hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" border_style="solid"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" type="1_1" background_position="left top" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_repeat="no-repeat" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" hover_type="none" min_height="" link=""][fusion_text] We will select 2,000 individuals (1,400 from the impacted community and 600 in comparison areas) to participate in the survey. To achieve a representative sample of the affected community, survey participants will be selected utilizing a rigorous address-based approach that takes into account factors such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and proximity to the wellhead within a 5 to 6-mile radius to the south. The selected individuals will receive a letter requesting their participation in the survey. From the pool of 2,000 survey participants, we plan to select 600 individuals (400 from the impacted community and 200 in comparison areas) for the Study's clinical assessments and medical testing with the goal of achieving a representative sample. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

How will UCLA study health impact, given that the blowout happened 8 years ago?

We are using various methods and sources to collect data from before, during, and after the disaster. Some of our data sources including the neonatal blood samples, health care utilization records, cancer registry, and the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) were collected before, during, and after the blowout. Additionally, we are actively working to obtain data from legal settlements.

How will UCLA assess acute exposure during the blowout vs. chronic exposure before or following the blowout? How will UCLA assess short-term and long-term impacts of the exposure?

[fusion_builder_container type="flex" hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" border_style="solid"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" type="1_1" background_position="left top" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_repeat="no-repeat" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" hover_type="none" min_height="" link=""][fusion_text] For exposure, we will estimate short-term exposures using available datasets collected during the blowout to model and characterize emissions, understand how they traveled, identify were they landed during the disaster, and develop a detailed risk assessment. We will measure long-term exposures by conducting indoor/outdoor air quality monitoring and by monitoring methane emissions from the facility using new remote sensing techniques during normal operations. For the health impact assessment, we will measure short-term impact by analyzing existing data on birth outcomes of the blowout for pregnant women who were exposed during their third trimester; the neonatal blood samples to examine impact of the blowout on newborns; and rates of hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and doctor visits during the blowout. We will measure the long-term impact by conducting clinical assessments, examining the rates of hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and doctor visits after the blowout; surveys and focus groups of current and past residents; and likelihood of developing cancers associated with exposure to gas. We will use statistical methods to distinguish between short- and long-term effects, particularly when assessing health impact. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

How will the Study assess cancer impacts? What data will be used to support the analysis?

[fusion_builder_container type="flex" hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" border_style="solid"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" type="1_1" background_position="left top" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_repeat="no-repeat" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" hover_type="none" min_height="" link=""][fusion_text] The Study encompasses a comprehensive cancer assessment. Our approach combines both risk assessment and an examination of actual cancer data. Data from the California Health Map and Cancer Registry will provide detailed insights into cancer diagnoses within the impact zone, spanning periods before, during, and after the disaster. This dual approach is paramount for comprehensive analysis and the ability to provide meaningful and plausible explanations for any elevated cancer rates we may encounter. Analyzing cancers can be particularly challenging due to their long latency periods, which is the time between exposure to a carcinogen and the manifestation of the disease. Therefore, our approach focuses on cancers with shorter latency periods, including various blood cancers. We will also examine cancers known to have associations with contaminants emitted from the facility, such as blood cancers due to their known connection to benzene exposure and nasopharyngeal cancers linked to formaldehyde exposures. We are also studying if health care use patterns for patients with cancer change. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

What will UCLA examine during the clinical assessments?

[fusion_builder_container type="flex" hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" border_style="solid"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" type="1_1" background_position="left top" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_repeat="no-repeat" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" hover_type="none" min_height="" link=""][fusion_text] Clinical assessments and medical testing will be comprehensive. The Study involves the use of metabolomics, an approach that allows for the identification of thousands of chemicals and metabolites in participants' blood, encompassing various pollutants that may remain in the body for many years. We will also examine health status, lung function, hematologic (i.e., blood) impact, and inflammation markers. In addition, data from the disaster period and a symptoms survey will be incorporated to address the lack of published medical data on chemical exposure effects. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Why is UCLA studying environmental exposure instead of just focusing on health outcomes of the disaster? Why is UCLA conducting clinical assessments?

[fusion_builder_container type="flex" hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" border_style="solid"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" type="1_1" background_position="left top" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_repeat="no-repeat" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" hover_type="none" min_height="" link=""][fusion_text] The exposure and health impact assessments are essential elements of understanding the impact of the blowout. The Study approach balances evidence obtained from direct resident assessments, focus groups, and surveys; existing health care utilization, birth records, and blood samples; and environmental exposure data. We will conduct clinical assessments to gather evidence of potential exposures during the blowout and current health status of residents. We will use exposure data to determine the likelihood of developing specific health conditions due to the exposure. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

How will UCLA account for topographical variations within the impact zone?

We will use exposure models and atmospheric chemistry and transport models that account for the presence of canyons and other topographical variations to accurately characterize potential exposure to the blowout. We will use “distance decay models,” which will further identify areas of highest exposure and can assess whether health effects are more severe in those areas. We will also place air pollution monitors and collect air samples in areas affected by the canyon winds because air flow through the nearby canyons could influence where chemicals emitted from the facility are currently dispersed and where they may have been dispersed during the blowout.

Why is UCLA conducting an indoor and outdoor air quality study? How will this information be used?

We aim to assess the ambient air quality and potential emissions outdoors and at residences near the Aliso Canyon facility. This newly collected data will help us better characterize any potential ongoing emissions, how those emissions may travel through air, and where those emissions travel within the community. The Study includes indoor air quality monitoring of emissions that could occur during natural gas appliance usage and from other pollution sources. Specifically, we aim to identify any potentially harmful chemicals present in the gas supplied to homes near the Aliso Canyon facility. In addition, we will collect gas samples directly from pipes that transport gas to residences to gain insight into gas composition before it is used. These steps will afford a more holistic understanding of the potential sources of exposures associated with the natural gas facility.

FAQs Archive - Page 2 of 3 - UCLA Aliso Canyon Disaster Health Research Study

How will UCLA identify community members for the survey and clinical assessments?
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How will UCLA study health impact, given that the blowout happened 8 years ago?
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How will UCLA assess acute exposure during the blowout vs. chronic exposure before or following the blowout? How will UCLA assess short-term and long-term impacts of the exposure?
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How will the Study assess cancer impacts? What data will be used to support the analysis?
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What will UCLA examine during the clinical assessments?
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Why is UCLA studying environmental exposure instead of just focusing on health outcomes of the disaster? Why is UCLA conducting clinical assessments?
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How will UCLA account for topographical variations within the impact zone?
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Why is UCLA conducting an indoor and outdoor air quality study? How will this information be used?
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FAQs

How will UCLA identify community members for the survey and clinical assessments?

How will UCLA study health impact, given that the blowout happened 8 years ago?

How will UCLA assess acute exposure during the blowout vs. chronic exposure before or following the blowout? How will UCLA assess short-term and long-term impacts of the exposure?

How will the Study assess cancer impacts? What data will be used to support the analysis?

What will UCLA examine during the clinical assessments?

Why is UCLA studying environmental exposure instead of just focusing on health outcomes of the disaster? Why is UCLA conducting clinical assessments?

How will UCLA account for topographical variations within the impact zone?

Why is UCLA conducting an indoor and outdoor air quality study? How will this information be used?

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