Associação entre queima de biomassa e baixo peso ao nascer: Uma análise de tendência espacial e temporal

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between exposure to biomass burning and low birth weight (LBW). This condition can have long-lasting consequences for child development and health. Given the frequency of wildfires in Brazil, especially in the Cerrado biome, a deeper understanding of this association is crucial for developing maternal and child health policies and environmental mitigation strategies that can protect pregnant women and their fetuses from the harmful effects of air pollution resulting from forest fires. Data from the Live Birth Information System (SINASC) were used to assess the association between exposure to biomass burning in Mato Grosso from 2010 to 2021 and low birth weight (LBW) at the municipal level. During the study period, 660,795 live births were recorded in Mato Grosso. The wildfires were monitored by Landsat 7 and 8 satellite images. A longitudinal binomial mixed model was employed to estimate the risk of LBW per gestation trimester due to biomass burning exposure. A descriptive spatial analysis was performed using the Local Moran Index (LISA) among the burned areas, which showed the formation of clusters. Mixed models were proposed for burned areas of 450 km², 400 km², and 350 km² by the municipality of the pregnant woman's residence, adjusted for confounders (covariates) available in SINASC and month and year. A significant association was found only in the first trimester of gestation, with an odds ratio (OR) for LBW of 1.063 (95% CI 1.006;1.123) for the 400 km² model and 1.061 (95% CI 1.001;1.123) for the 450 km² model. The model for the burned area of 350 km² showed an odds ratio of 1.044 (95% CI 0.991; 1.100), which was not statistically significant. For the random intercept at the municipal level, the highest estimated risk was 0.375 (95% CI 0.215;0.535). The analysis of spatial autocorrelation using the Moran Index did not show significance for standardized LBW rates in the years 2010, 2015, and 2021, with values of -0.015 (p-value 0.472), 0.138 (p-value 0.05), and 0.023 (p-value 0.275), respectively. For the burned area (exposure), the spatial correlation was 0.492 (p-value 0.001) in 2010, 0.387 (p-value 0.001) in 2015, and 0.263 (p-value 0.001) in 2021. The results of this study indicate the understanding of the effects of biomass burning on low birth weight (LBW), highlighting a correlation between exposure to burning in the first trimester of gestation and an increased risk of LBW. The results underscore the importance of air quality for neonatal health. They can serve as a basis for more effective maternal and environmental health public policies, aiming to reduce exposure to pollutants during critical gestation periods