It is generally well-known that pollution in the environment can have negative effects on our health. However, not all negative health outcomes are treated equally in the medical and academic fields when it comes to researching these effects. Despite likely having a direct environmental cause among other contributors, reproductive diseases I like to call “traditionally women’s issues” such as ovarian dysfunction like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and ovarian cancer are not well studied or understood by the health community. In fact, in one study women reported going to the doctor three times before being diagnosed with PCOS. While it is known that ovarian dysfunction like PCOS and ovarian cancer have genetic as well as lifestyle risks, less is known about the environmental causes of these conditions. What we do know is that both ovarian dysfunction and ovarian cancer are risk factors of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals or EDCs.
After learning how prevalent EDCs are in the environment, I was surprised to find not many people discussing this important issue. I wanted to know specifically what environmental factors may be contributing to incidence of ovarian cancer and dysfunction. I hypothesized that proximity to Superfund sites, industry releases of solvents and metals into the land, water, and air, and air emissions of pollutants like VOC and particulate matter would be positively correlated with ovarian cancer and ovarian dysfunction incidence at the county level in Indiana.
Using regression models, I analyzed the relationship between environmental variables reported by the Environmental Protection Agency and Indiana Department of Environmental Management and reproductive health outcomes in order to determine which, if any, had a statistically significant effect on reproductive health. From my analyses, I found that Superfund sites, industry releases of metals, and air emissions of VOC were the most significant environmental factors positively related to ovarian cancer and ovarian dysfunction.
Alongside my analyses of environmental factors and their relationship to reproductive health, I also wanted to know how other confounding health factors influenced incidence of ovarian cancer and dysfunction. Using County Health Rankings, I ran similar regression models on variables from three categories: income, healthcare access, and behavior. While several variables were statistically significant, income and access to healthcare had the strongest negative relationship to ovarian cancer and ovarian dysfunction incidence at the county level.
Overall, it is hard to separate environmental factors like Superfund sites and air emissions and socioeconomic factors like income and access to healthcare because pollution in the United States is disproportionately located in low-income and minority communities. However, from my results, environmental factors do seem to play a role in ovarian cancer and ovarian dysfunction incidence at the county level in Indiana. More research should be conducted in order to learn more about the impact our environment has on traditionally women’s health issues.
Grace Brautigam is a senior in the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs double majoring in Environmental Management and Law and Public Policy.
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