Economic evaluation of health consequences of prenatal methylmercury exposure in France.
Environ Health
; 11: 53, 2012 Aug 10.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22883022
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Evidence of a dose-response relationship between prenatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) and neurodevelopmental consequences in terms of IQ reduction, makes it possible to evaluate the economic consequences of MeHg exposures.OBJECTIVE:
To perform an economic evaluation of annual national benefits of reduction of the prenatal MeHg exposure in France.METHODS:
We used data on hair-Hg concentrations in French women of childbearing age (18-45 years) from a national sample of 126 women and from two studies conducted in coastal regions (n = 161and n = 503). A linear dose response function with a slope of 0.465 IQ point reduction per µg/g increase in hair-Hg concentration was used, along with a log transformation of the exposure scale, where a doubling of exposure was associated with a loss of 1.5 IQ points. The costs calculations utilized an updated estimate of 2008 17,363 per IQ point decrement, with three hypothetical exposure cut-off points (hair-Hg of 0.58, 1.0, and 2.5 µg/g).RESULTS:
Because of higher exposure levels of women in coastal communities, the annual economic impacts based on these data were greater than those using the national data, i.e., 1.62 billion (national), and 3.02 billion and 2.51 billion (regional), respectively, with the linear model, and 5.46 billion (national), and 9.13 billion and 8.17 billion (regional), with the log model, for exposures above 0.58 µg/g.CONCLUSIONS:
These results emphasize that efforts to reduce MeHg exposures would have high social benefits by preventing the serious and lifelong consequences of neurodevelopmental deficits in children.
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales
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Contaminantes Ambientales
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Cabello
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Pruebas de Inteligencia
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Compuestos de Metilmercurio
Tipo de estudio:
Health_economic_evaluation
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Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Middle aged
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Pregnancy
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Environ Health
Asunto de la revista:
SAUDE AMBIENTAL
Año:
2012
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Francia