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Factors Associated with Arsenicosis and Arsenic Exposure Status in Nepal: Implications from Community Based Study

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Abstract

A significant public health problem due to exposure to arsenic via groundwater in communities of lowland Terai region of Nepal has issued forth need to assess the exposure status and factors associated with arsenicosis. We observed arsenical dermal manifestations and collected and assessed total arsenic content in tubewell water, urine, and hair samples of study subjects at arsenic affected communities in Nawalparasi district of Nepal. The explanatory variables associated with arsenicosis were elevated arsenic in tubewell, male gender and increased age (P < 0.05). 67% (73/109) and 66% (77/117) of subjects exceeded the normal urinary and hair arsenic levels respectively. Among them 52% (57/109) and 47% (55/117) exceeded normal urinary and hair arsenic levels having no arsenical dermal manifestations. Males and symptomatic cases had significantly higher hair arsenic levels (P < 0.05). We also observed significant positive correlation of both urine and hair arsenic levels to tubewell arsenic levels (r = 0.27, 0.37, P < 0.01) and negative correlation of urine arsenic levels with the age of the subjects (r = −0.18, P = 0.06). We conclude that elucidating factors associated with arsenicosis could be of prime importance in intervention and preventive measures. In arsenic affected communities of Nepal exposure to arsenic is still a major problem despite mitigation efforts and the potential for sub-clinical effects in exposed population is high.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to International Foundation for Science (IFS), Sweden for funding. We owe our gratitude to all people of Nawalparasi district who participated in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, P. O. Box No.: 24494, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Narendra Maden, Anjana Singh & Shreekrishna Shrestha

  2. D2HawkeyeServices Pvt Ltd, Hattisar, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Narendra Maden

  3. Filters for Families, Arsenic Mitigation and Research in Nepal, Bakhundole, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Linda S. Smith

  4. Department of Geology, University of Texas at Dallas, 75038 Richardson, Dallas, TX, USA

    Linda S. Smith

  5. Environment and Public Health Organization, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Makhan Maharjan

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  1. Narendra Maden
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  2. Anjana Singh
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  5. Shreekrishna Shrestha
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Correspondence to Narendra Maden.

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Maden, N., Singh, A., Smith, L.S. et al. Factors Associated with Arsenicosis and Arsenic Exposure Status in Nepal: Implications from Community Based Study. J Community Health 36, 76–82 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-010-9282-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-010-9282-1

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