Article Sidebar
Published:
Sep 19, 2007Article Details
Copyright remains in the Author’s name. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Works License. Authors are required to complete and sign an Author Agreement form that outlines Author and Publisher rights and terms of publication. The Agreement form should be uploaded along with other submissions files and any submission will be considered incomplete without it [forthcoming].
Material submitted for publication in the SAMJ is accepted provided it has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Please inform the editorial team if the main findings of your paper have been presented at a conference and published in abstract form, to avoid copyright infringement. The SAMJ does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.
Previously published images
If an image/figure has been previously published, permission to reproduce or alter it must be obtained by the authors from the original publisher and the figure legend must give full credit to the original source. This credit should be accompanied by a letter indicating that permission to reproduce the image has been granted to the author/s. This letter should be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.
Main Article Content
Estimating the burden of disease attributable to lead exposure in South Africa in 2000
Abstract
Objectives. To estimate the burden of disease attributable to lead
exposure in South Africa in 2000.
Design. World Health Organization comparative risk
assessment (CRA) methodology was followed. Recent
community studies were used to derive mean blood lead
concentrations in adults and children in urban and rural areas.
Population-attributable fractions were calculated and applied
to revised burden of disease estimates for the relevant disease
categories for South Africa in the year 2000. Monte Carlo
simulation-modelling techniques were used for the uncertainty
analysis.
Setting. South Africa.
Subjects. Children under 5 and adults 30 years and older.
Outcome measures. Cardiovascular mortality and disabilityadjusted
life years (DALYs) in adults 30 years and older and
mild mental disability DALYs in children under 5 years.
Results. Lead exposure was estimated to cause 1 428 deaths
(95% uncertainty interval 1 086-1 772) or 0.27% (95%
uncertainty interval: 0.21 - 0.34%) of all deaths in South
Africa in 2000. Burden of disease attributed to lead exposure
was dominated by mild mental disability in young children,
accounting for 75% of the total 58 939 (95% uncertainty interval
55 413 - 62 500) attributable DALYs. Cardiovascular disease in
adults accounted for the remainder of the burden.
Conclusions. Even with the phasing out of leaded petrol,
exposure to lead from its ongoing addition to paint, paraoccupational
exposure and its use in backyard ‘cottage
industries' will continue to be an important public health
hazard in South Africa for decades. Young children, especially
those from disadvantaged communities, remain particularly
vulnerable to lead exposure and poisoning.
South African Medical Journal Vol. 97 (8) Part 2 2007: pp. 773-780
