Table 2:
Adjusted cumulative incidence ratios (CIR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between PFAS drinking water contamination and U.S. county-level COVID-19 cumulative mortality (1/20/2020–12/11/2020)
| Model | Primary independent variable | Sample size | CIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| [95% CI] | |||
|
| |||
| Statewide sampling dataa | Detection above 5 ng/L | 621 | 1.12 [1.04, 1.19] |
| Detection above lowest state-level MCLb | 621 | 1.15 [1.07, 1.23] | |
|
| |||
| UCMR 3c | Detection above UCMR 3 reporting limits | 1677 | 1.13 [1.08, 1.19] |
Results are from quasi-Poisson regressions that included an offset for total population and random intercepts for state, county-level sociodemographic factors (% non-Hispanic Black residents, % Hispanic residents, % non-Hispanic White residents, % residents over age 65, % residents with less than a high school education, % homeowners, log of median household income, log of median owner-occupied household value), total hospital beds, the number of days since the first case in the county, and population density.
The statewide sampling dataset comprises sampling campaigns from 18 states with PFAS samples collected between 2017–2020.
This refers to concentrations above the lowest state-level Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL) as of October 2022.
The UCMR 3 was a nationwide survey of unregulated contaminants (including PFAS) conducted by the US EPA in 2013–2015.