Health Impacts Associated with Community Exposure to Animal Feeding Operations: A Protocol for a Systematic Review

Background: Meat, milk, and egg production is increasingly taking place in intensive animal feeding operations. Although these operations generate chemical, biological, and other hazardous agents in the surrounding environment, the health risks to people living in adjacent communities are unclear. Objective: To conduct a systematic review to determine whether a relationship exists between human health and community exposure to operations where animals are produced for food. Methods: A comprehensive search strategy was developed to retrieve relevant studies from Medline (Ovid), Global Health (Ovid), Embase.com, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Title/abstract and full-text screening by two independent reviewers will be conducted to identify relevant studies. We will include primary research studies focused on humans who live near animal feeding operations. Details regarding study design, study population, and health outcomes will be extracted. The Navigation Guide methodology will be used to conduct a risk of bias assessment. Meta-analysis for selected outcomes will be conducted if possible; other quantitative or qualitative approaches will also be utilized to summarize the outcome data. Discussion: This systematic review will provide an updated assessment of the association between community exposure to animal feeding operations and the health of people living in adjacent communities. Key words: animal feeding operations, community health, environmental health, epidemiology, intensive animal production, livestock, systematic review