Table 2. Comparison of Potential Environmental Mechanisms That May Affect Hair Total PBDE Levels.
| Variable | No. (%) | P Value | Median Total PBDE Level, pg/mg (n = 154) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hypospadias (n = 89) | Control (n = 54) | |||
| Diet Consumption | ||||
| Meat | ||||
| Daily | 67 (75.3) | 32 (59.3) | .11 | 63.4 |
| Weekly | 18 (20.2) | 18 (33.3) | 44.7 | |
| Rarely/never | 4 (4.5) | 4 (7.4) | NA | |
| Dairy | ||||
| Daily | 69 (77.5) | 40 (74.1) | .84 | 54.6 |
| Weekly | 15 (16.9) | 10 (18.5) | 52.5 | |
| Rarely/never | 4 (4.5) | 4 (7.4) | NA | |
| Fish | ||||
| Daily | 7 (7.9) | 1 (1.9) | .82 | NA |
| Weekly | 62 (69.7) | 38 (70.4) | 54.7 | |
| Rarely/never | 20 (22.5) | 14 (25.9) | 46.5 | |
| No response | 0 | 1 (1.9) | NA | NA |
| Hair Treatments | ||||
| Coloring agents | 44 (49.4) | 22 (40.7) | .03 | 38.8 |
| Permanent wave solutions | 0 | 0 | NA | NA |
| Straighteners/relaxers | 4 (4.5) | 1 (1.9) | .32 | 69.6 |
| Highlighting agents | 18 (20.2) | 10 (18.5) | .78 | 54.8 |
| Sprays/gels | 49 (55.1) | 38 (70.4) | .34 | 50.8 |
| No response | 0 | 1 (1.9) | NA | NA |
| Site of Residence | ||||
| City | 38 (42.7) | 22 (40.7) | .94 | 53.3 |
| Urban | 29 (32.6) | 21 (38.9) | 54.7 | |
| Rural | 18 (20.2) | 11 (20.4) | 53.9 | |
| No response | 4 (4.5) | 0 | NA | NA |
Abbreviations: NA, not applicable; PBDE, polybrominated diphenyl ether.