scholarly journals Blood Lead Levels in children 2 through 59 months old in Bhutan

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-14
Author(s):  
Phillip Erbele ◽  
Deki Pem ◽  
Phensum Tobgay ◽  
Sonam Pelden ◽  
Mongal S. Gurung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Two Cities ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood Lead Levels

Introduction: Pediatric lead exposure has long-term health, public health, and economic consequences; however, it is an underrecognized problem in low and middle-income countries. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) (greater than or equal to 5mg/dL) and evaluate risk factors for EBLLs in infants and children in two cities in Bhutan. Methods: A cross-sectional study of children 2 through 59 months old was conducted in Thimphu and Phuentsholing, Bhutan during 2018. Blood was obtained by finger-stick and tested using a LeadCare II analyzer (Meridian Bioscience). Data were double entered in EpiData 3.1 and validated. Excel, Prism8, and STATA/IC 15.1 were used for analysis. Results: Among 531 participants, the prevalence of EBLLs was 43.88%. The prevalence of EBLLs in girls and boys was 37.40% (n=262) and 50.19% (n=269), respectively (p= 0.004). The prevalence in Thimphu was 52.35% (n=361), compared to 25.88% (n=170) in Phuentsholing (p less than 0.001). In Thimphu, 70.47% (n=149) of 1 - 4 year old children tested in spring had EBLLs, compared to 51.45% (n=138) in autumn (p=0.001). Of the risk factors assessed, only regularly eating with fingers or hands was significantly associated with EBLLs (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Nearly half of participants in two cities in Bhutan had elevated blood lead levels. Seasonal exposure to lead appears to be present. The high prevalence in this study is alarming. Further studies are urgently needed to both characterize the sources of lead and validate these findings on a larger scale.

Identification of Children At Risk for Lead Poisoning: An Evaluation of Routine Pediatric Blood Lead Screening in an HMO-Insured Population

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary N. Haan ◽  
Marianne Gerson ◽  
B. Anne Zishka
Keyword(s):  
Health Maintenance Organization ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Care Program ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Maintenance ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood Lead Levels

Objectives. To estimate the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels in children receiving well-care checkups; and to evaluate the effectiveness of certain key risk factors in detecting children at higher risk for elevated blood lead levels. Design. Cross-sectional study. Setting. Two facilities of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program (KPMCP) health maintenance organization (HMO), northern California region. Patients. Six hundred thirty-six children, aged 12 to 60 months, who were seen at four KPMCP facilities in two subregions for a well-care checkup from September 1991 through August 1992. Interventions. Blood samples were collected from each child and analyzed for lead content. Participating parents completed a questionnaire that included questions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the child's and the parents' lead exposure via home, workplace, and hobbies. Results. Ninety-six percent of the children had blood lead levels under 10 µ/dL. Blood lead levels declined with increasing age and were higher for black children compared with whites. Age of residential housing, mother's education, and residence in an old house with peeling paint had low sensitivity and positive predictive value for identifying children with blood lead levels over 10 µ/dL. Conclusion. Universal routine screening for elevated blood lead levels in children in an employed, HMO-insured population is not warranted on grounds of prevalence. Responses to CDC questions do not effectively identify high-risk children in this population.

Risk factors for elevated blood lead levels among African refugee children in New Hampshire, 2004

2008 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
pp. 404-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel N. Plotinsky ◽  
Masja Straetemans ◽  
Lee-Yang Wong ◽  
Mary Jean Brown ◽  
Timothy Dignam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
New Hampshire ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
African Refugee ◽  
Elevated Blood Lead Levels

A Case-Control Study to Determine Risk Factors for Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children, Idaho

1997 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mildred Maisonet ◽  
Frank J. Bove ◽  
Wendy E. Kaye
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Case Control Study ◽  
Lead Level ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Control Study

Objective: A pair-matched, case-control study was conducted to identify if risk factors or behaviors suspected to affect childhood blood lead levels, were more prevalent among children with elevated blood lead levels living in the vicinity of a defunct mining and smelting facility. Methods: Study individuals were recruited from the 1992 Silver Valley blood lead screening participants. The cases were children with a blood lead level >10 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL). The controls were children with a blood lead level <10 μg/dL, who were matched to cases by age and sex. Data on risk factors were obtained through personal interviews. Results: Of the variables examined, yard soil remediation showed the strongest association with changes in blood lead levels. This variable was found to be a protective factor for elevated blood lead levels in children (odds ratio, 0.28; confidence interval, 0.08–0.92). Conclusion: The results suggest that removal of lead contaminated soil from residential yards was effective in reducing blood lead levels in children.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Elevated Blood Lead Levels and Risk Factors Among Residents Younger Than 6 Years, Puerto Rico—2010

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. E22-E35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Dignam ◽  
Brenda Rivera García ◽  
Maridali De León ◽  
Gerald Curtis ◽  
Andreea A. Creanga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood Lead Levels

Risk factors for elevated blood lead levels among children aged 6-36 months living in Greece

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 1199-1206 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Kapitsinou ◽  
A. Soldatou ◽  
A. Tsitsika ◽  
L. Kossiva ◽  
Ch. Tsentidis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood Lead Levels

scholarly journals Risk factors for children’s blood lead levels in metal mining and smelting communities in Armenia: a cross-sectional study

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruzanna Grigoryan ◽  
Varduhi Petrosyan ◽  
Dzovinar Melkom Melkomian ◽  
Vahe Khachadourian ◽  
Andrew McCartor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Metal Mining ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Mining And Smelting

scholarly journals Comparative Assessment of Blood Lead Levels of Automobile Technicians in Organised and Roadside Garages in Lagos, Nigeria

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulsalam Saliu ◽  
Onajole Adebayo ◽  
Odeyemi Kofoworola ◽  
Ogunowo Babatunde ◽  
Abdussalam Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Blood Lead ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Engineering Controls ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Physical Examinations ◽  
Elevated Blood Lead Levels

Occupational exposure to lead is common among automobile technicians and constitutes 0.9% of total global health burden with a majority of cases in developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the blood lead levels of automobile technicians in roadside and organised garages in Lagos State, Nigeria. This was a comparative cross-sectional study. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Physical examinations were conducted and blood was analysed for lead using atomic spectrophotometery. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the median blood lead levels of each group using the independent sample (Mann-WhitneyU) test. Seventy-three (40.3%) of the organised compared to 59 (34.3%) of the roadside groups had high blood lead levels. The organised group had statistically significant higher median blood lead levels of, 66.0 µg/dL than the roadside 43.5 µg/dL (P< 0.05). There was also statistically significant association between high blood lead levels and abnormal discolouration of the mucosa of the mouth in the organised group. Automobile technicians in organised garages in Lagos have higher prevalence of elevated blood lead levels and higher median levels than the roadside group. Preventive strategies against lead exposures should be instituted by the employers and further actions should be taken to minimize exposures, improve work practices, implement engineering controls (e.g., proper ventilation), and ensure the use of personal protective equipment.

scholarly journals Lead Poisoning among Male Juveniles Due to Illegal Mining: A Case Series from South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6838
Author(s):  
Thokozani Patrick Mbonane ◽  
Angela Mathee ◽  
André Swart ◽  
Nisha Naicker
Keyword(s):  
Lead Poisoning ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood ◽  
Violent Behaviour ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Illegal Mining ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Elevated Blood Lead Levels

Illegal mining is a major public health and societal concern. Recent scientific evidence indicates elevated blood–lead levels in illegal gold miners and associated communities. Yet, there is little research in this regard from low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), where illegal mining is growing. This case series is extracted from a cross-sectional study of lead exposure in incarcerated juveniles in greater Johannesburg. From survey records (blood–lead levels and questionnaires), three males had elevated blood–lead levels and presented with health conditions and behavioural problems putatively linked with lead poisoning. Based on the record review, all three juveniles were in a secure facility due to illegal mining-related activities. All three cases had high blood–lead levels and demonstrated a tendency toward aggressive or violent behaviour. They also presented with conditions associated with lead poisoning, such as anaemia, respiratory illness, abdominal disorders, and musculoskeletal conditions. Juveniles involved in illegal mining are at risk of exposure to heavy metals such as lead, and there is a need for relevant preventative action and health care programmes in this group.

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