Public Health

Teen Exposure to Air Pollution Could Reduce IQ Levels Long Term

Living in a polluted area as a pre-teen and teenager may have long-lasting, detrimental effects on a person’s ability to reason and problem solve, a new study suggests.

Researchers at the University of Southern California and UCLA Center for Health Policy Research tracked more than 1,300 pre-teens living in neighborhoods across Los Angeles and surrounding counties over a 12-year period.

How Postpartum Depression Affects Mothers and Babies

As Sofia’s pediatrician, I couldn’t miss her mother’s overwhelming signs of postpartum depression. It’s a threat to the wellbeing of babies, their mothers and families.

Nationwide, depression affects 10 to 25 percent of all pregnant women during the perinatal period, defined as three months before pregnancy to one year after giving birth. Across California, the rate is about 20 percent, and in Los Angeles County, it’s 26 percent.

Infant Mortality Rates Remain High in Some Counties

The infant mortality rate has consistently decreased in California in the last two decades, but a handful of counties in the state have rates that remain higher than average.

Mendocino and Fresno counties had infant mortality rates that were nearly twice the statewide average in 2013-15, the latest years for which data is available.

New Pesticide Rule a Step Forward but Still Inadequate, Advocates Say

New state rules about the application of  pesticides on farms near rural schools and daycare facilities will take effect Jan 1., following  years of campaigning by groups advocating for teachers, the environment and public health. Yet these advocates argue that the rules still don’t do enough to protect children, teachers and caregivers from potentially dangerous chemicals.  

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