How Does Low Socioeconomic Status Increase Blood Lead Levelsin KoreanChildren?

Eunjung Kim,Myung Lim,Ki Paik,Ji-Ae Lim,Mina Ha,Ho-Jang Kwon,Seung-Jin Yoo

doi:10.3390/ijerph15071488

Eunjung Kim, Myung Lim + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15071488

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Abstract

Although studies have shown that a low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with high blood lead levels (BLLs) in children, the mechanism underlying this observation is not well known. To determine how SES influences BLLs via environmental factors in Korean children, we conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of 4744 children aged 5–13 years. Questionnaires on sociodemographic information, environmental factors, and food consumption were administered to the children’s parents. BLLs in the study subjects were measured.The complete set of hypothesized associations was assessed using regression analysis and structural equation modeling. SES was associated with high BLLs. The total effects of nutritional factors, lead in the air and total length of nearby roads, and agriculture on BLLs were −0.062 (p < 0.001), 0.068 (p = 0.005), and 0.038 (p = 0.035), respectively. The direct effects of playing outdoors and SES on BLLs were 0.113 (p < 0.001) and −0.111 (p < 0.001), respectively. Although playing outdoors had a greater direct effect on BLLs than did SES, the total effect of SES (standardized β = −0.132, p < 0.001) was greater than that of other sources owing to indirect effects (β = −0.020, p = 0.004). A low SES was a major risk factor for elevated BLLs via environmental factors.

Highlights

The harmful health effects of lead exposure are well known [1]
This study aimed to examine the direct and indirect effects of socioeconomic status (SES) on blood lead levels (BLLs) in a community-based sample of children through social contextual multilevel analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM)
SEM suggested that low SES is a major risk factor for high BLLs and that low SES is indirectly affected by other sources

Summary

Introduction

The harmful health effects of lead exposure are well known [1]. The neurodevelopmental systems of children are vulnerable to lead toxicity, which causes developmental delays and behavioral disorders at low levels and seizures and in rare instances, death at very high levels [2]. Because the efficiency of intestinal absorption of lead in youths is greater than that in adults, children are more vulnerable to lead exposure [3,4]. Assessing blood lead levels (BLLs) and identifying sources of lead exposure in children are important owing to the fragility of children. BLLs of Korean children are similar to those of German children According to a German environmental survey, BLLs of Germans aged 6–8years (1.79 μg/dL) and those aged 9–11 years (1.56 μg/dL) 2003–2006 [5]

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