Citation

Ahmad SA, Sayed MH, Faruquee MH, Khan MH, Jalil MA, Ahmed R, Razzaque MA, Moyeen-us-safa. J. Prev. Soc. Med. 1999; 18(1): 35-40.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12179653

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to identify sex differentials in the occurrence of arsenicosis, with particular reference to women in Nilkanda, an arsenic-affected village in Bangladesh. Data were collected from 200 respondents (90 females and 110 males over 10 years of age) who were categorized into arsenic exposed (n = 167) and unexposed (n = 33) groups. The first group was composed of subjects who had been drinking water with arsenic levels 0.05 mg/l for at least 2 years; the second group comprised subjects who had been drinking water with arsenic levels 0.01 mg/l. The exposed group was further divided into arsenicosis (n = 111) and non-arsenicosis (n = 56) subgroups. The mean weight of the unexposed subjects (51.9 kg), the non-arsenicosis subjects (49.4 kg), and the arsenicosis subjects (46.1 kg) was found to be in decreasing order. The amount of daily water intake was significantly higher in both male (3.8 l) and female (3.1 l) arsenicosis subjects compared with the non-arsenicosis group (2.9 l). The female arsenicosis patients were found to be associated with comparatively low concentration of arsenic in tube well water. The majority of female arsenicosis patients was illiterate and their body weight (43.2 kg) was significantly lower compared to the unexposed group (48.9 kg). A significantly low dose (1.321 mg) of arsenic intake was found among exposed female subjects compared to exposed male subjects (1.734 mg). These findings indicate that females are more susceptible to toxic effects of chronic arsenic exposure and are thus likely to suffer from adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Language: en