Browsing by Author "Essumang, D.K."
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Item Association of Arsenic and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes/Infant Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.(Open Access, 2015-05) Quansah, R.; Armah, F.A.; Essumang, D.K.; Luginaah, I.; Clarke, E.; Marfoh, K.; Cobbina, S.J.; Nketiah-Amponsah, E.; Namujju, P.B.; Obiri, S.; Dzodzomenyo, M.Background Exposure to arsenic is one of the major global health problems, affecting > 300 million people worldwide, but arsenic’s effects on human reproduction are uncertain. Objectives We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the association between arsenic and adverse pregnancy outcomes/infant mortality. Methods We searched PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE (from 1946 through July 2013) and EMBASE (from 1988 through July 2013) databases and the reference lists of reviews and relevant articles. Studies satisfying our a priori eligibility criteria were evaluated independently by two authors. Results Our systematic search yielded 888 articles; of these, 23 were included in the systematic review. Sixteen provided sufficient data for our quantitative analysis. Arsenic in groundwater (≥ 50 μg/L) was associated with increased risk of spontaneous abortion (6 studies: OR = 1.98; 95% CI: 1.27, 3.10), stillbirth (9 studies: OR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.32, 2.36), moderate risk of neonatal mortality (5 studies: OR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.28, 1.78), and infant mortality (7 studies: OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.62). Exposure to environmental arsenic was associated with a significant reduction in birth weight (4 studies: β = –53.2 g; 95% CI: –94.9, –11.4). There was paucity of evidence for low-to-moderate arsenic dose. Conclusions Arsenic is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and infant mortality. The interpretation of the causal association is hampered by methodological challenges and limited number of studies on dose response. Exposure to arsenic continues to be a major global health issue, and we therefore advocate for high-quality prospective studies that include individual-level data to quantify the impact of arsenic on adverse pregnancy outcomes/infant mortality.Item PAHs contamination levels in the breast milk of Ghanaian women from an e-waste recycling site and a residential area(Science of the Total Environment, 2019-02-13) Asamoah, A.; Fini, M.N.; Essumang, D.K.; Muff, J.; Søgaard, E.G.Breast milk samples from 128 primipararae and multiparae Ghanaian women were screened for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from 2014 and 2016. These were breast milk from women residing or working around an electronic waste recycling site and a reference area (a residential area). This research is aimed at assessing PAHs levels in human milk samples from some Ghanaian mothers, prediction of the sources of these PAHs and the probable carcinogenic and mutagenic risks to infants. PAHs in the breast milk were analyzed using a gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC–MS/MS). A total of 18 PAH congeners were identified in the human milk samples with a total range betweenItem Respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms associated with pesticide management practices among farmers in Ghana's most important vegetable hub.(Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2019-11-04) Quansah, R.; Bend, J.R.; Armah, F.A.; Bonney, F.; Aseidu, J.; Yawson, D.O.; Adu, M.O.; Luginaah, I.; Essumang, D.K.; Abdul-Rahaman, A.; Cobbina, S.; Iddi, S.; Tersigni, M.; Afful, S.; Osei-Fosu, P.; Nketiah-Amponsah, E.The data presented here are from the Offinso North District Farm Health Study (ONFAHS), a population-based cross-sectional study among vegetable farmers in Ghana. The paper addresses knowledge, pesticide handling practices, and protective measures related to pesticide use by self-reported symptoms for 310 adult farmers who completed a comprehensive questionnaire on pesticide management practices and health. In addition, an inventory was prepared using information supplied by pesticide sellers/dealers in this district. We report that cough and wheezing (but not breathlessness) are positively associated with stirring pesticide preparations with bare hands/drinking water while mixing/applying pesticides, and stirring pesticide preparations with bare hands/drinking water/smoking cigarettes while mixing/applying pesticides. There is a significant exposure-response association between the number of precautionary measures practiced while handling pesticides and cough and wheezing but not with breathlessness. We also found unsafe practices to be associated with sexual dysfunction, nervousness, and lack of concentration. The results also suggest a negative association between practice of any precautionary measure when mixing/applying pesticides and sexual dysfunction, nervousness, and lack of concentration. We found that in spite of the fact that farmers have adequate knowledge about the environment and health effects of pesticides, several unhygienic practices are in widespread use, indicating that knowledge is not necessarily always translated in action. Further action is necessary to promote the safe use of pesticides and to replace existing poor management practices among these and other farmers in Ghana.Item Urinary Pesticide Residual Levels and Acute Respiratory Infections in Children Under 5 Years of Age: Findings From the Offinso North Farm Health Study(SAGE, 2022) Akyeampong, E.; Bend, J.R.; Luginaah, I.; Yawson, D.O.; Cobbina, S.J.; Armah, F.A.; Adu, M.O.; Essumang, D.K.; Iddi, S.; Botwe, P.K.; Quansah, R.Background: Several environmental factors are associated with the risk of acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) and upper respiratory infections (URIs) in children under 5 years of age (YOA). Evidence implicating chemical pesticides remains equivocal. There are also no data on this subject in these children in Ghana. This study investigated the association between urinary pesticide residual levels and the risk for ALRIs/URIs in children under 5 YOA. Methods: The participants for this study were from the Offinso North Farm Health Study, a population-based cross-sectional study. Two hundred and fifty four parents/guardians who had answered affirmatively to the question “Has your child ever accompanied you to the farm?” were interviewed on household socio-demographic and environmental factors, being breastfed, child education, age, gender, and respiratory infection. One hundred fifty children were randomly selected to provide the first void urine. Results : The proportion of children with ALRI was 22.1% and those with URI was 35.8%. We observed a statistically significant exposureresponse relation of p,p′-DDE (tertile) with ALRI (1.7-3.2 μg/L urine: prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.22 [1.05-1.70], ⩾3.2 μg/L urine: 1.50 [1.07-3.53] [P-for trend = .0297]). This observation was in children older than two YOA (P-for trend = .0404). Delta-HCH and beta-HCH (2-levels) were significantly associated with ALRI but not URI. The risk of ALRI increased with deltamethrin levels in an exposure-response manner (2.5- 9.5 μg/L urine: 2.10 [1.37-3.24], ⩾9.5 μg/L urine: 4.38 [1.87-10.32] [P-for trend = .0011]) and this was also observed in children older than two YOA. Similar observation was noted for URI. Bifenthrin (>0.5 μg/L urine) was positively associated with ALRI and URI whereas permethrin (⩾1.2 μg/L urine) was not associated only with URI. Conclusions : The present study supports the hypothesis that exposure to chemical pesticides is associated with respiratory infections in children under 5 YOA.