Blood Lead Levels and Associated Sociodemographic Factors among Children Aged 3 to 14 Years Living near Zinc and Lead Mines in Two Provinces in Vietnam

Lead poisoning in children is a major public health concern worldwide, especially in developing countries. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 403 children aged from 3 to 14 years living nearly zinc-lead mining areas in two provinces in Vietnam (Bac Kan and Thai Nguyen) from 06/2016 to 10/2016 to identify risk factors for lead contamination. Results. The proportion of children with blood lead levels (BLLs) >= 10 mu g/dL was 80.51% in Bac Kan and 50% in Thai Nguyen; the mean blood lead level for children was 14.41 +/- 9.42 mu g/dL. In linear regression analyses, the body mass index was negatively associated with elevated BLLs with r=-0.404, p<0.05 (95% CI: -0.801, -0.006). In multivariable regression analysis, several risk factors were associated with lead contamination including male sex (aOR=2.44, 95% CI: 1.13-5.24, p=0.02), play areas in Bac Kan (aOR=2.3 (1.02-5.17), p=0.04), proximity of children's home of less than 2 kilometers from the mine (aOR=2.90 (1.54-5.44), p=0.001), and inattentive symptoms in Thai Nguyen (aOR=7.85, 95% CI 3.49-17.69, p=0.001). Environmental factors, including lead concentrations in the soil and ambient air samples in both locations, are many times higher than Vietnamese standards.

Automated summary

The study revealed high levels of lead poisoning in children living near zinc-lead mining areas in two provinces in Vietnam, with factors such as gender, proximity to the mine, and symptoms being associated with lead contamination. Environmental factors including lead concentrations in soil and ambient air exceeded Vietnamese standards.