Malek, Angela
(2012)
Environmental, Occupational, and Personal Lifestyle Risk Factors for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease is the most common motor neuron disease (MND) in adults. Male sex and age are the only known risk factors for ALS; however, an environmental etiology for ALS has been supported by epidemiologic studies and is suggested by the gender discrepancy. The objectives of this dissertation are to: 1) explore the relationship between pesticide exposure and risk of ALS through meta-analysis; 2) validate an ALS questionnaire to measure important risk factors in an ALS specific population; 3) examine the association of sociodemographic characteristics, personal risk factors, and occupational and environmental exposures and ALS; and to 4) evaluate the association of hazardous air toxics and risk of ALS by linkage to an existing database. Through this dissertation, a case-control study was conducted of 66 ALS cases and 66 matched controls from 2008-2011 to investigate risk factors for ALS. Existing data from the Environmental Protection Agency National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment was also analyzed in relation to residence of cases and controls.
The results showed exposure to pesticides, solvents, and metals may increase the risk of ALS. In conclusion, several environmental and occupational exposures are suggested to play a role in the risk of ALS as well as other neurological diseases. This dissertation is of public health significance as it fills an important gap in ALS research and proposes a new direction of investigation for ALS, that of hazardous air pollutants.
Share
| Citation/Export: |
|
| Social Networking: |
|
Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
|
| Date: |
30 January 2012 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Defense Date: |
25 August 2011 |
| Approval Date: |
30 January 2012 |
| Submission Date: |
10 November 2011 |
| Access Restriction: |
2 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 2 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
165 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Epidemiology |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epidemiology, pesticides, air pollutants |
| Date Deposited: |
30 Jan 2012 19:08 |
| Last Modified: |
19 Jul 2024 18:20 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/10465 |
Metrics
Monthly Views for the past 3 years
Plum Analytics
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
![[feed]](/images/feed-icon-32x32.png){kind=icon}