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India: Childhood Lead Exposure and Source Identification Study, Patna

India:  Childhood Lead Exposure and Source Identification Study, Patna
the details…
Funders
USAID
Project Partners

The Indian National Centre for Disease Control,  The Institute for Environment and Eco Development,  The Bihar Pollution Control Board. the  Patna-based Mahavir Cancer Institute and Research Centre.

The Patna Childhood Lead Exposure and Source Identification Study was carried out over a two-week period in February 2020.

It was a representative, cross-sectional population-based cluster design survey, with the aim of evaluating the blood lead levels in children less than 6 years old in areas considered to be impacted by ULAB (Used lead-acid battery) operations (within 300 m of assembly, repair, recycling or lead smelting sites) and control areas considered to not be impacted by such operations (more than 5 km away). Random households were selected from within the designated study areas. The three main components of the study were an environmental assessment of each participating child’s household, a demographic and behavioral questionnaire, and a venous blood sample.

A total of 136 children under the age of 6 years participated in the study.

In coordination with the study’s partner organizations, we will endeavor to publish major findings in a peer-reviewed journal. Once further analysis is completed, we look forward to generating and disseminating public health recommendations.