Disability Weights for Chronic Mercury Intoxication Resulting from Gold Mining Activities

Results from an Online Pairwise Comparisons Survey

Bibliographic Data

ID15474288
AuthorsNadine Steckling (Bielefeld University, corresponding author), Brecht Devleesschauwer (0000-0002-2867-6892, Institut Scientifique de Santé Publique), Julia Winkelnkemper (0000-0003-1178-8545, Bielefeld University), Florian Fischer (0000-0002-4388-1245, Bielefeld University), Bret Ericson (0000-0002-2674-4628, Pure Earth), Alexander Krämer (0000-0002-2286-0170, Bielefeld University), Claudia Hornberg (0009-0001-8203-9018, Bielefeld University), Richard Fuller (0000-0001-7965-4864, Pure Earth, Formerly Blacksmith Institute, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 860, New York, NY 10115, USA), Dietrich Plaß (0000-0002-8058-1399, German Environment Agency), Stephan Böse‐o’reilly (0000-0003-0204-3103, München Klinik), Stephan Böse-O’Reilly (Unit Paediatric Environmental Epidemiology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health, Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Munich, Ziemssenstr. 1, Munich 80336, Germany)
Year2017
Volume14
Issue1
Pages57-57
Publication date2017-01-10
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph14010057
PMID28075395
OpenAlexW2569163187
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited23

In artisanal small-scale gold mining, mercury is used for gold-extraction, putting miners and nearby residents at risk of chronic metallic mercury vapor intoxication (CMMVI). Burden of disease (BoD) analyses allow the estimation of the public health relevance of CMMVI, but until now there have been no specific CMMVI disability weights (DWs). The objective is to derive DWs for moderate and severe CMMVI. Disease-specific and generic health state descriptions of 18 diseases were used in a pairwise comparison survey. Mercury and BoD experts were invited to participate in an online survey. Data were analyzed using probit regression. Local regression was used to make the DWs comparable to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. Alternative survey (visual analogue scale) and data analyses approaches (linear interpolation) were evaluated in scenario analyses. A total of 105 participants completed the questionnaire. DWs for moderate and severe CMMVI were 0.368 (0.261-0.484) and 0.588 (0.193-0.907), respectively. Scenario analyses resulted in higher mean values. The results are limited by the sample size, group of interviewees, questionnaire extent, and lack of generally accepted health state descriptions. DWs were derived to improve the data basis of mercury-related BoD estimates, providing useful information for policy-making. Integration of the results into the GBD DWs enhances comparability

Comparability · Econometrics · Environmental health · Geography · Mercury (programming language · Pairwise comparison · Public health · Statistics · Air Quality and Health Impacts · Computer Science · Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity · Mathematics · Medicine · Mercury impact and mitigation studies

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Open DOISci-HubOpen Access