RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this pilot study were to determine the blood lead levels in children in Belize and to try to relate these findings to demographic variables. METHODS: With permission from parents, capillary blood was collected from the fingers of 164 children with an age range of 2 to 8 years, living and attending school in the spring of 2002 in four towns: Belize City, San Pedro, Orange Walk, and Benque Viejo. The sample represents 0.4% of all children in Belize in that age range. Lead levels were analyzed by the method of anodic stripping voltammetry using the ESA LeadCare analyzer. RESULTS: The mean blood lead level for the children in the sample was 4.94 micrograms per deciliter (microg/dL) with a standard deviation of 2.46. However, 11 children (7%) had blood lead in the range of 10.1-13.8 microg/dL, which is the level of concern according to guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children living in the large urban centers of Belize City and Orange Walk town had higher lead levels (mean 5.80 and 5.74 microg/dL) than children living in the smaller towns of Benque Viejo and San Pedro (mean 4.17 and 4.63 microg/dL). There were no statistically significant differences between male and female children. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that children in Belize are being exposed to lead and suggest that this pilot study be followed up with a comprehensive study with a larger sample and correlation of the findings to socioeconomic characteristics, to children's behavior, and to the home and school environment.
Assuntos
Exposição Ambiental/análise , Chumbo/sangue , Belize , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Programas de Rastreamento , Projetos PilotoRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this pilot study were to determine the blood lead levels in children in Belize and to try to relate these findings to demographic variables. METHODS: With permission from parents, capillary blood was collected from the fingers of 164 children with an age range of 2 to 8 years, living and attending school in the spring of 2002 in four towns: Belize City, San Pedro, Orange Walk, and Benque Viejo. The sample represents 0.4 percent of all children in Belize in that age range. Lead levels were analyzed by the method of anodic stripping voltammetry using the ESA LeadCare analyzer. RESULTS: The mean blood lead level for the children in the sample was 4.94 micrograms per deciliter (mg/dL) with a standard deviation of 2.46. However, 11 children (7 percent) had blood lead in the range of 10.1-13.8 mg/dL, which is the level of concern according to guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children living in the large urban centers of Belize City and Orange Walk town had higher lead levels (mean 5.80 and 5.74 mg/dL) than children living in the smaller towns of Benque Viejo and San Pedro (mean 4.17 and 4.63 mg/dL). There were no statistically significant differences between male and female children. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that children in Belize are being exposed to lead and suggest that this pilot study be followed up with a comprehensive study with a larger sample and correlation of the findings to socioeconomic characteristics, to children's behavior, and to the home and school environment.
Assuntos
Criança , Chumbo/toxicidade , Programas de Rastreamento/tendências , Programas de Rastreamento , BelizeRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this pilot study were to determine the blood lead levels in children in Belize and to try to relate these findings to demographic variables. METHODS: With permission from parents, capillary blood was collected from the fingers of 164 children with an age range of 2 to 8 years, living and attending school in the spring of 2002 in four towns: Belize City, San Pedro, Orange Walk, and Benque Viejo. The sample represents 0.4 percent of all children in Belize in that age range. Lead levels were analyzed by the method of anodic stripping voltammetry using the ESA LeadCare analyzer. RESULTS: The mean blood lead level for the children in the sample was 4.94 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) with a standard deviation of 2.46. However, 11 children (7 percent) had blood lead in the range of 10.1-13.8 µg/dL, which is the level of concern according to guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children living in the large urban centers of Belize City and Orange Walk town had higher lead levels (mean 5.80 and 5.74 µg/dL) than children living in the smaller towns of Benque Viejo and San Pedro (mean 4.17 and 4.63 µg/dL). There were no statistically significant differences between male and female children. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that children in Belize are being exposed to lead and suggest that this pilot study be followed up with a comprehensive study with a larger sample and correlation of the findings to socioeconomic characteristics, to children's behavior, and to the home and school environment.
OBJETIVOS: Estudio piloto para determinar los niveles de plomo en la sangre en niños de Belice y relacionar estos valores con algunas variables demográficas. MÉTODOS: Con el consentimiento de los padres, se tomaron muestras de sangre capilar del dedo a 164 niños de 2 a 8 años que en la primavera de 2002 vivían y asistían a la escuela en cuatro localidades: Belice, San Pedro, Orange Walk y Benque Viejo. La muestra representa 0,4 por cento de los niños de ese grupo de edad en el país. Los niveles de plomo se analizaron mediante voltametría de redisolución anódica con un analizador ESA LeadCare. RESULTADOS: El nivel promedio de plomo en la sangre de los niños estudiados fue de 4,94 µg/dL (desviación estándar: 2,46). No obstante, 11 niños (7 por cento) tenían entre 10,1 y 13,8 µg/dL de plomo en la sangre, nivel de preocupación según los Centros de Control y Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) de los Estados Unidos de América. Los niños que vivían en los centros urbanos grandes Belice y Orange Walk presentaron mayores niveles de plomo (valores medios: 5,80 µg/dL y 5,74 µg/dL, respectivamente) que los niños de las poblaciones más pequeñas Benque Viejo y San Pedro (4,17 µg/dL y 4,63 µg/dL, respectivamente). No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los niños y las niñas. CONCLUSIONES: Estos resultados indican que los niños de Belice están expuestos al plomo y que a este estudio piloto debe seguir una investigación integral basada en una muestra mayor que correlacione los hallazgos con las características socioeconómicas, el comportamiento de los niños y el medio ambiente del hogar y la escuela.