About

Amanda V. Bakian, PhD, is a Research Associate Professor, environmental and psychiatric epidemiologist, biostatistician, and Director of the Utah Registry of Autism and Developmental Disabilities (URADD). Her research aims to identify environmental, geographical, and familial contributors to the risk of psychiatric conditions including autism spectrum disorder and suicide. She is particularly interested in how environmental exposures such as ambient air pollution interact with individual- and neighborhood-level characteristics to increase vulnerability to psychiatric conditions. As URADD Director, she oversees the operation of a public health surveillance system for autism and other developmental disabilities. Dr. Bakian is also the Principal Investigator of the Utah Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring project, which estimates the prevalence of autism and cerebral palsy in Utah and tracks changes in characteristics of individuals with autism across the lifespan. Additionally, she is a member of the Utah Suicide Genetic Risk Study and leads a five-year NIH-funded study investigating how mixtures of air pollution and weather exposures influence suicide risk.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Gerontology
• Biology
• Pediatrics
• Demography
• Genetics
• Computer Science
• Medical emergency
• World Wide Web
• Internal medicine
• Endocrinology
• Multimedia
• Environmental health
• Clinical psychology
• Medical education
• Applied psychology
• Internet privacy

Selected publications

• Independent and interactive effects of wet bulb globe temperature and air pollution exposures on suicide mortality

  Environment International · 2026-02-21

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  BACKGROUND: ) on suicide mortality. METHODS: on suicide. For exposure windows, we considered single days preceding suicide (lag 0 to 6) and their averages across preceding days (lag 0-1, 0-3, and 0-6). Analyses were stratified by season. RESULTS: levels. CONCLUSIONS: on suicide in the warm season, emphasizing the need for considering the combined effects of heat stress and air pollution in suicide prevention strategies.

  PublisherDOI

• Clinical and Genetic Evaluation of Suicide Death with and without Interpersonal Trauma Exposure

  medRxiv · 2026-04-16

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Importance Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States with risk strongly influenced by Interpersonal trauma, contributing to treatment resistance and clinical complexity. Objective To assess clinical and genetic factors in individuals who died from suicide, with and without interpersonal trauma exposure. Design Individuals who died from suicide with and without trauma were compared in a retrospective case-case design. Prevalence of 19 broad clinical categories was assessed between groups. Results directed selection of 42 clinical subcategories, and 40 polygenic scores (PGS) for further assessment. Multivariable logistic regression models, adjusted for critical covariates and multiple tests, were formulated. Models were also stratified by age group (<26yo and ≥26yo), sex, and age/sex. Setting A population-based evaluation of comorbidity and polygenic scoring in two suicide death subgroups. Participants A total of 8 738 Utah Suicide Mortality Research Study individuals (23.9% female, average age = 42.6 yo) who died from suicide were evaluated, divided into trauma ( N = 1 091) and non-trauma exposed ( N = 7 647) individuals. A subset of unrelated European genotyped individuals was also assessed in PGS analyses (Trauma N = 491; Non-trauma N = 3 233). Exposures “Trauma” is here defined as interpersonal trauma exposure, including abuse, assault, and neglect from International Classification of Disease coding. Main Outcomes and Measures Prevalence of comorbid clinical sub/categories and PGS enrichment in trauma versus non-trauma exposed suicide deaths. Results Overall, trauma-exposed individuals died from suicide earlier (mean age of 38.1 yo versus 43.3 yo; P <0.0001) and were disproportionately female (38% versus 21%, OR = 3.3, CI = 2.9-3.8). Prevalence of asphyxiation and overdose methods, prior suicidality, psychiatric diagnoses, and substance use (OR range = 1.3-3.7) were elevated in trauma exposed individuals who died from suicide. Genetic PGS were also elevated in trauma-exposed individuals who died from suicide for depression, bipolar disorder, cannabis use, PTSD, insomnia, and schizophrenia (OR range = 1.1-1.4) with ADHD and opioid use showing uniquely elevated PGS in trauma exposed males (OR range = 1.2-1.4). Conclusions and Relevance Results demonstrated multiple convergent lines of age- and sex-specific evidence differentiating trauma-exposed from non-trauma exposed suicide death. Such findings suggest unique biological backgrounds and may refine identification and treatment of this high-risk group.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Genetic risk of chronic pain conditions associated with risk of suicide death through an integrative analysis of EHR and genomics data

  Translational Psychiatry · 2026-02-16

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Chronic pain represents heritable conditions linked to suicide death. It has been suggested that a shared genetic predisposition may contribute to this relationship, but there has not yet been a comprehensive assessment of genetic and clinical overlaps of different types of chronic pain with suicide death. Here, we integrated whole-genome sequencing and electronic health records from 986 unrelated individuals of European ancestry who died by suicide in the Utah Suicide Mortality Research Study and 415 ancestrally-matched population controls selected for absence of disease. Polygenic scores (PGSs) for seven distinct types of chronic pain were calculated and tested in the suicide cohort. We observed significant positive associations of PGSs for multisite chronic pain (PGS MCP ) and chronic widespread pain (PGS CWP ) with suicide mortality. Sex-stratified analyses showed elevations in both males and females. Pain diagnosis-stratified analyses revealed associations with suicide death regardless of chronic pain diagnoses. Follow-up tests of PGSs for more specific pain conditions showed additional associations with suicide death for: 1) monoarticular arthritis, 2) back pain, and 3) chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy across all suicide death individuals, and 4) irritable bowel syndrome within males only. In a multiple logistic regression test of all chronic pain PGSs associating suicide death status, four types of pain remained uniquely associated with suicide death, highlighting distinct subgroups within suicide death: some attributed to MCP and CWP, and others associated with monoarticular arthritis or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. This cohort study reports associations between suicide death and PGSs from various pain conditions, regardless of sex or chronic pain diagnosis, suggesting that combining genetic and clinical risk factors may better identify genetic overlap, causal directions, and/or specific gene pathways.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mortality Among Youth and Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, or Cerebral Palsy

  JAMA Pediatrics · 2026-02-09 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Importance: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), and cerebral palsy (CP) are lifelong neurodevelopmental conditions accompanied by varying impairments. US mortality data for these groups are limited. Objective: To compare mortality and causes of death among a multisite cohort identified at age 8 years with ASD, ID, or CP with the general population through youth or young adulthood. Design, Setting, and Participants: Nine US sites identified 32 787 individuals who met case definitions for ASD, ID, and/or CP at age 8 years during active population-based cross-sectional surveillance conducted biennially from 2000 through 2016 by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. Individuals were linked to death certificates through 2021. Cases with multiple conditions (18.9%) were included in each case group. General population data from the National Vital Statistics System were matched to ADDM Network sites and years of participation. Analyses were completed in 2024. Exposure(s): ASD, ID, or CP. Main Outcomes and Measures: Death and International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) causes from death certificate linkage. Results: There were 145 deaths among 23 393 people with ASD, 285 deaths among 14 031 people with ID, and 123 deaths among 1612 people with CP. Increased mortality compared with the general population was seen for ASD (hazard ratio [HR], 1.35; 95% CI, 1.15-1.59), ID (HR, 4.35; 95% CI, 3.87-4.88), and CP (HR, 9.62; 95% CI, 8.06-11.48). Further stratified by sex and co-occurring ID, mortality for ASD was higher only for females with co-occurring ID (HR, 5.04; 95% CI,3.21-7.91) compared with females in the general population. The distribution of causes of death varied across groups. The most common underlying cause of death ICD-10 chapters were external causes of morbidity and mortality (V01-Y98) for the general population and ASD case group, and diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99) for CP and ID case groups. The only ICD-10 chapter hazard of death that was not elevated for ID and CP compared with the general population was external causes as underlying cause of death. Mortality from external causes was also not elevated as underlying or any cause of death for ASD. There were also notable subchapter mortality differences with important clinical and public health implications. Only 11% of those with ASD, 1% of those with ID, and 49% of those with CP had an ICD-10 code for the respective disability on their death certificate. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, individuals with ASD, ID, or CP experienced higher mortality from a range of causes compared with the general population in youth and young adulthood. Mortality among these groups is difficult to ascertain using death certificates alone, since ICD-10 codes for these disabilities were rarely listed. These findings can inform public health and health care strategies to understand and prevent health disparities and excess mortality associated with developmental disabilities.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Association of short-term ambient environmental exposures with suicide and drug overdose deaths among U.S. veterans

  American Journal of Epidemiology · 2026-05-09

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  This study examined associations between short-term ambient environmental exposures and suicide (n = 3210) and overdose mortality (n = 4293; 2226 opioid-related) among U.S. Veterans from 2018-2019. Daily exposure to 24-hour maximum temperature, average atmospheric pressure, average PM2.5, 1-hour maximum NO2, and 8-hour maximum O3 was assessed at the decedent's county of residence on the day of death and up to six days prior. A national bi-directional, time-stratified case-crossover design was applied. Conditional logistic regression models estimated associations between each exposure and suicide or overdose deaths, overall, and stratified by season, region, elevation, and urbanicity. Over lag days 0-1, an interquartile range increase in maximum temperature was associated with increased suicide (19%) and overdose (27%) mortality, with stronger summer effects for suicide (55%) and overdose (71%). In winter, interquartile range increases in atmospheric pressure, PM2.5, and NO2 were associated with 104%, 15%, and 19% increases in suicide mortality. Maximum temperature was associated with a 22% increase in suicide risk in metropolitan areas and 57% in the Western U.S., while NO2 was associated with a 26% increase in overdose mortality in nonmetropolitan areas. Findings suggest environmental stressors contribute to suicide and overdose mortality among Veterans, supporting environmentally informed prevention efforts.

  PublisherDOI

• Abstract 1245: Suicide Risk in Oncology: Sex and Cancer Type Differences in a Case-Control Study.

  Cancer Research · 2026-04-03

  articleSenior author

  Abstract Background: Suicide risk among people with cancer may vary by sex and cancer site, reflecting different biological, psychosocial, and care-system pathways. We used statewide linked mortality and clinical data to examine whether cancer history and sex-specific cancer types differentially relate to pre-death suicidality and suicide mortality. Methods: We conducted a two-step study using population-level data from Utah linking suicide mortality, cancer, and electronic health records. First, we compared suicide decedents with versus without a prior cancer diagnosis (n=14,644) on suicidal ideation (SI), self-injurious behavior (SI), prior suicide attempts (SA), psychiatric and medical comorbidities. Second, we performed an age-and sex-matched case-control analysis of suicide decedents (cases; n=1,015) and living controls (n=9,173) to estimate adjusted odds of suicide death associated with any cancer history and specific cancer types, stratified by sex. Logistic regression models adjusted for prior suicidality, diagnosed mental and substance use disorders (SUD), and chronic medical morbidity. We also characterized the temporal sequencing of first-recorded encounter types (mental health, SUD, chronic medical, or cancer-related). Results: Among suicide decedents, those with any history of a cancer diagnosis had higher odds of pre-death SA (OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.09-1.49), SII (OR=1.34, 1.12-1.60), and SI (OR=1.29, 1.07-1.56) than decedents without cancer. Mental-health burden was substantially greater among female than male decedents (OR=7.90 vs 2.07). In case-control analyses, a history of any cancer was associated with lower overall odds of suicide death, but this aggregate effect masked heterogeneity by sex and cancer type. Among women, cervical cancer/dysplasia was over-represented in cases compared to controls (OR=1.53, 1.13-2.06), suggesting elevated risk in sex-specific, identity-salient cancers. Among men, prostate cancer was inversely associated with suicide death (OR=0.73, 0.59-0.91). First encounters for mental health and substance use were over-represented among cases of both sexes, while chronic-condition encounters suggest additional risk in men. Conclusions: In this study, any history of a cancer diagnosis was linked to greater pre-death suicidality but lower overall odds of suicide death, with important sex-and cancer-type specific differences. Patterns may support a dual-pathway model in which psychosocial/identity-related mechanisms may predominate among women with sex-specific cancers, whereas functional or disease-burden pathways may predominate among men with high-burden cancers. Tailored, sex-and cancer-type-specific suicide risk screening that leverages mental health and substance use encounter history may improve prevention in oncology settings. Citation Format: Brandy M. Byrwa-Hill, Eric T. Monson, Emily DiBlasi, Hilary Coon, Danli Chen, Michael J. Staley, Amanda V. Bakian. Suicide Risk in Oncology: Sex and Cancer Type Differences in a Case-Control Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 1245.

  PublisherDOI

• DISTRIBUTED LAG MODELS FOR ESTIMATING ACUTE EFFECTS OF MIXED ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES IN THE CASE-CROSSOVER DESIGN

  medRxiv · 2025-11-02

  preprintOpen access

  We present a Bayesian modeling framework designed to estimate the immediate effects of combined environmental exposures on suicide risk within a case-crossover design. Our method addresses a limitation observed in current distributed lag modeling approaches for multiple environmental exposures, which primarily focus on cohort or case-control data rather than casecrossover design. We utilize sparsity-enforcing spike-and-slab priors for variable selection, allowing the identification of significant exposures linked to the health outcome. To address clustered observations, we integrate random effects into the model. Additionally, we enhance computational efficiency and reduce dimensionality by implementing cubic polynomial reduction on the distributed lag surface. In a simulation study comparing our dimension reduction approach with a method estimating full model parameters without dimension reduction, we evaluated two referent schemes (unidirectional and bidirectional). The results demonstrate that our strategy, incorporating dimension reduction, outperforms full model parameter estimation in terms of false discovery rate, power, and mean squared error. We applied our framework to real-world data examining the association between a mixture of ambient environmental exposures and suicide risk in Utah.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Genetic Liabilities to Neuropsychiatric Conditions in Suicide Deaths With No Prior Suicidality

  JAMA Network Open · 2025-10-20 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Importance: Although suicide attempt is the most robust estimator of suicide death, few individuals who attempt it go on to die by suicide (<10%), and approximately 50% of suicide deaths occur in the absence of evidence of prior attempts. The risks are particularly poorly understood in this group. Objective: To study underlying polygenic liabilities among suicide deaths without evidence of prior nonfatal suicidality (SD-N) compared with suicide deaths with prior suicidality (SD-S), testing prior results showing significantly lower clinical risks of neuropsychiatric traits in SD-N vs SD-S. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this cohort study, polygenic scores (PGS) were computed using summary statistics from 12 published source studies, then compared across SD-N and SD-S groups taken from the Utah Suicide Mortality Research Study (cases accrued between December 1998 and October 2022). PGS from the suicide death cohorts were also compared to unselected population controls. Evidence of prior suicidality was determined from diagnoses and clinical notes. Main Outcomes and Measures: Cohort differences in PGS reflecting neuropsychiatric conditions were tested using analysis of covariance, adjusting for sex, age, and genetic ancestry, followed by additional analyses within sex and within subgroups defined by age at death (50 years or younger vs older than 50 years). PGS spanned 12 neuropsychiatric conditions. Data were analyzed between July 2024 and July 2025. Results: The SD-N cohort (n = 1337) had significantly more male suicide deaths (1105 [82.65%] vs 974 [67.95%]), with an older mean (SD) age at death (47.5 [18.9] vs 41.4 [15.6] years) than the SD-S cohort (n = 1432). The control cohort (n = 19 499) had significantly fewer males (8597 [44.09%]) than both suicide death subsets. Genetic ancestry was similar across the SD-N and SD-S groups (96.77% and 96.81% European ancestry), and control (97.38% European ancestry) groups. Socioeconomic status was not significantly different across suicide cohorts adjusted for age and sex (occupation ranking SD-N mean [SD], 57.16 [24.54]; SD-S mean [SD], 54.72 [25.29]; t = 1.30; P = .70; maximum education SD-N mean [SD], 2.70 [1.12]; SD-S mean [SD], 2.67 [1.13]; Fisher exact test P = .38). Comparing SD-N to SD-S revealed significantly lower (false discovery rate P < .05) PGS in the SD-N group for major depressive disorder (adjusted mean difference, 0.085 [95% CI, 0.018-0.152]; P = .01), depressed affect (adjusted mean difference, 0.081 [95% CI, 0.012-0.149]; P = .02), anxiety (adjusted mean difference, 0.091 [95% CI, 0.021-0.161]; P = .01), neuroticism (adjusted mean difference, 0.102 [95% CI, 0.033-0.171]; P = .004), and Alzheimer disease (adjusted mean difference, 0.090 [95% CI, 0.021-0.1658]; P = .01), and lower (false discovery rate P < .10) PGS in SD-N for posttraumatic stress disorder (adjusted mean difference, 0.070 [95% CI, 0.001-0.139]; P = .04). Of note, SD-N PGS were not significantly different from controls for depressed affect (adjusted mean difference, 0.037 [95% CI, -0.019 to 0.093]), neuroticism (adjusted mean difference, -0.001 [95% CI, -0.057 to 0.055]), or Alzheimer disease (adjusted mean difference, -0.027 [95% CI, -0.083 to 0.029]). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, SD-N showed significantly different genetic liabilities to neuropsychiatric conditions from SD-S. Results have implications for future suicide research and prevention for persons at risk of mortality.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Prevalence and Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 and 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 16 Sites, United States, 2022

  MMWR Surveillance Summaries · 2025-04-15 · 492 citations

  articleOpen access

  Problem/Condition: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Period Covered: 2022. Description of System: The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network is an active surveillance program that estimates prevalence and characteristics of ASD and monitors timing of ASD identification among children aged 4 and 8 years. In 2022, a total of 16 sites (located in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Texas [two sites: Austin and Laredo], Utah, and Wisconsin) conducted surveillance for ASD among children aged 4 and 8 years and suspected ASD among children aged 4 years. Surveillance included children who lived in the surveillance area at any time during 2022. Children were classified as having ASD if they ever received 1) an ASD diagnostic statement in a comprehensive developmental evaluation, 2) autism special education eligibility, or 3) an ASD International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code in the 299 range or International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code of F84.0, F84.3, F84.5, F84.8, or F84.9. Children aged 4 years were classified as having suspected ASD if they did not meet the case definition for ASD but had an evaluator's suspicion of ASD documented in a comprehensive developmental evaluation. Results: Among children aged 8 years in 2022, ASD prevalence was 32.2 per 1,000 children (one in 31) across the 16 sites, ranging from 9.7 in Texas (Laredo) to 53.1 in California. The overall observed prevalence estimate was similar to estimates calculated using Bayesian hierarchical and random effects models. ASD was 3.4 times as prevalent among boys (49.2) than girls (14.3). Overall, ASD prevalence was lower among non-Hispanic White (White) children (27.7) than among Asian or Pacific Islander (A/PI) (38.2), American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) (37.5), non-Hispanic Black or African American (Black) (36.6), Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) (33.0), and multiracial children (31.9). No association was observed between ASD prevalence and neighborhood median household income (MHI) at 11 sites; higher ASD prevalence was associated with lower neighborhood MHI at five sites.Record abstraction was completed for 15 of the 16 sites for 8,613 children aged 8 years who met the ASD case definition. Of these 8,613 children, 68.4% had a documented diagnostic statement of ASD, 67.3% had a documented autism special education eligibility, and 68.9% had a documented ASD ICD-9 or ICD-10 code. All three elements of the ASD case definition were present for 34.6% of children aged 8 years with ASD.Among 5,292 (61.4% of 8,613) children aged 8 years with ASD with information on cognitive ability, 39.6% were classified as having an intellectual disability. Intellectual disability was present among 52.8% of Black, 50.0% of AI/AN, 43.9% of A/PI, 38.8% of Hispanic, 32.7% of White, and 31.2% of multiracial children with ASD. The median age of earliest known ASD diagnosis was 47 months and ranged from 36 months in California to 69.5 months in Texas (Laredo).Cumulative incidence of ASD diagnosis or eligibility by age 48 months was higher among children born in 2018 (aged 4 years in 2022) than children born in 2014 (aged 8 years in 2022) at 13 of the 15 sites that were able to abstract records. Overall cumulative incidence of ASD diagnosis or eligibility by age 48 months was 1.7 times as high among those born in 2018 compared with those born in 2014 and ranged from 1.4 times as high in Arizona and Georgia to 3.1 times as high in Puerto Rico. Among children aged 4 years, for every 10 children meeting the case definition of ASD, one child met the definition of suspected ASD.Children with ASD who were born in 2018 had more evaluations and identification during ages 0-4 years than children with ASD who were born in 2014 during the 0-4 years age window, with an interruption in the pattern in early 2020 coinciding with onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.Overall, 66.5% of children aged 8 years with ASD had a documented autism test. Use of autism tests varied widely across sites: 24.7% (New Jersey) to 93.5% (Puerto Rico) of children aged 8 years with ASD had a documented autism test in their records. The most common tests documented for children aged 8 years were the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Autism Spectrum Rating Scales, Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, and Social Responsiveness Scale. Interpretation: Prevalence of ASD among children aged 8 years was higher in 2022 than previous years. ASD prevalence was higher among A/PI, Black, and Hispanic children aged 8 years than White children aged 8 years, continuing a pattern first observed in 2020. A/PI, Black, and Hispanic children aged 8 years with ASD were also more likely than White or multiracial children with ASD to have a co-occurring intellectual disability. Identification by age 48 months was higher among children born in 2018 compared with children born in 2014, suggesting increased early identification consistent with historical patterns. Public Health Action: Increased identification of autism, particularly among very young children and previously underidentified groups, underscores the increased demand and ongoing need for enhanced planning to provide equitable diagnostic, treatment, and support services for all children with ASD. The substantial variability in ASD identification across sites suggests opportunities to identify and implement successful strategies and practices in communities to ensure all children with ASD reach their potential.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Multigenerational exposures to polluting industries and developmental disabilities

  The Science of The Total Environment · 2025-06-13

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Animal models suggest that environmental exposures can impact future generations of offspring. Yet, there are limited human epidemiological studies of multigenerational environmental exposures, and even fewer such studies of maternal and paternal exposures. Leveraging a unique data resource in Utah (USA), we examine if offspring (F2, n = 6380) are at increased risk of intellectual disability (ID) if the mother or father (F1) were exposed to polluting industrial facilities while their own mothers (F0) were pregnant. We obtained historical data on polluting industry locations and calculated facility densities within 3 km and 5 km of each child's (F2) grandmothers' (F0) residential addresses at time of their mothers' and fathers' (F1) births as well as their mother's address at the time of their birth. We weighted those counts by pairing industry codes with national Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators health risk scores. One standard deviation (SD) increase in the density of facilities near the pregnant maternal grandmother was associated with 1.12 (1.03–1.22) and 1.09 (1.003–1.19) times greater odds of ID at 3 km and 5 km, respectively. Weighing these facility densities by risk, odds ratios associated with SD increases were 1.12 (1.04–1.20, 3 km) and 1.08 (1.003–1.17, 5 km). Associations with facility densities near the pregnant paternal grandmother were positive but weak. Associations with risk-weighted facility density near the pregnant paternal grandmother were stronger at 5 km (1.12, 1.02–1.22) than at 3 km. Results indicated that ancestral exposures, particularly when the maternal grandmother (F0) was pregnant with the mother (F1), may increase risks of developmental disabilities in the next generation (F2). • Research on multigenerational environmental exposures in humans is rare. • We examined intellectual disability (ID) in children using the Utah Population Database. • Maternal grandmothers' industrial exposures were positively related to ID risk. • There is a stronger signal for maternal vs. paternal grandmothers' exposures. • Results suggest that environmental exposures can impact multiple human generations.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• The influence of multiple environmental exposures on suicide risk

  NIH · $3.1M · 2021–2026

Frequent coauthors

• Hilary Coon

  Huntsman Cancer Institute

  107 shared

• Anna R. Docherty

  97 shared

• Brooks Keeshin

  73 shared

• Andrey A. Shabalin

  73 shared

• Emily DiBlasi

  Huntsman Cancer Institute

  64 shared

• Eric T. Monson

  63 shared

• Douglas Gray

  Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis

  51 shared

• Deborah A. Bilder

  Huntsman Cancer Institute

  49 shared