Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Approximately one in four Canadian children are considered to have deficiencies in early development prior to entering primary education. Vulnerabilities in early development are of great concern, as early childhood development is an important predictor for physical, mental, and social health through the life course. While the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) is well-researched, the potential influence of environmental exposures on children's early development is poorly understood. The primary aim of this project is to study the associations between various environmental exposures on children's early development in Metro Vancouver, Canada. The project will focus on environmental exposures during early life - prenatally up to the age of five. The project will specifically investigate the impacts of beneficial (natural environments) and harmful (air pollution and noise) environmental exposures on childhood development, including whether the beneficial effects of natural environments have a moderating effect on harmful exposures. A secondary aim of this project is to evaluate if exposure to natural environments can contribute to mitigating the adverse effects of children living in poor socioeconomic conditions. This project is of high significance as it addresses rising Canadian concerns, including children's early development, disparities in public health, and the environmental effects of an urbanizing society. Knowledge from this project may contribute to preventative strategies aimed towards improving health outcomes across the life course.