Table 1.
Characteristics of the study sample.
| Sample size (n) | Mean ± SD or Proportion | Range | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child characteristics | |||
| Child age (months) | 180 | 19.8 ± 8.1 | 6 – 36.6 |
| Sex (female) | 180 | 48.9% | |
| Weight (kg) | 180 | 10.8 ± 2.1 | 6.4 – 16.0 |
| Height (cm) | 180 | 80.0 ± 8.5 | 60 – 105 |
| Hemoglobin (g/dL) | 180 | 10.6 ± 1.4 | 6.4 – 15.3 |
| Anemia (< 10.5 g/dL) | 42.8% | ||
| Capillary blood lead (μg/dL) | 180 | 9.3 ± 6.0 | 1.0 – 35.6 |
| Elevated (≥ 10 μg/dL) | 33.9% | ||
| Hair lead (μg/g) | 180 | 17.64 ± 17.43 | 0.44 – 161.70 |
| Median | 13.69 | ||
| Hair manganese (μg/g) | 180 | 2.16 ± 2.25 | <0.03 – 18.31 |
| Median | 1.45 | ||
| Hair cadmium (μg/g) | 1761 | 0.28 ± 0.53 | <0.2–6.24 |
| Median | 0.17 | ||
| Below LOD2 | 2.8% | ||
| Hair arsenic (μg/g) | 1741 | 0.13 ± 0.14 | <0.014 – 1.00 |
| Median | 0.09 | ||
| Below LOD2 | 21.3% | ||
| Family/household characteristics | |||
| Mother’s age (years) | 179 | 27.8 ± 7.4 | 15 – 47 |
| Mother’s education | 179 | ||
| Any primary school | 45.8% | ||
| Any secondary school | 48.6% | ||
| Any post-secondary school | 5.6% | ||
| Marital status | 171 | ||
| Married or living with partner | 76.6% | ||
| Divorced or separated | 23.4% | ||
| Mother’s employment (none) | 179 | 77.1% | |
| Hair lead (μg/g) | 1423 | 7.32 ± 9.58 | 0.25 – 71.90 |
| Median | 4.27 | ||
| Hair manganese (μg/g) | 1423 | 2.25 ± 2.66 | <0.03 – 21.18 |
| Median | 1.42 | ||
| Below LOD2 | 1.4% | ||
| Hair cadmium (μg/g) | 1384 | 0.12 ± 0.15 | <0.02 – 1.35 |
| Median | 0.08 | ||
| Below LOD2 | 2.9% | ||
| Hair arsenic (μg/g) | 1354 | 0.04 ± 0.05 | <0.014 – 0.38 |
| Median | 0.02 | ||
| Below LOD2 | 38.5% | ||
| Family possessions | 171 | 5.9 ± 2.5 | |
| Crowding in home (>3 persons/bedroom) | 173 | 31.8% | |
1
Sample sizes for Cd and As levels in children are 176 and 174, respectively. This is because 4 and 6 children, respectively, had insufficient sample volume for the determination of these two metals;
2
LOD—Limit of Detection.
3
Number of samples for maternal hair analysis is smaller because sample was not collected or lost in shipment (n=31), child did not come to study visits with mother (n=7).
4
Four and seven maternal samples did not have sufficient sample volume for the determination of cadmium and arsenic levels, respectively.