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Table 1 Descriptive statistics by communities and for the total sample, 2013

From: Risk factors for children’s blood lead levels in metal mining and smelting communities in Armenia: a cross-sectional study

Variables

%, mean, range, SD

Alaverdi (SSa = 69)

Akhtala (SS = 37)

Yerevan (SS = 53)

Total (SS = 159)

Children involved in the study

%

43.4

23.3

33.3

100.0

BLL above 5 μg/dl

%

72.5

83.8

52.8

68.6

GM of BLL

Mean ± SD

6.4 ± 3.1

6.8 ± 3.2

5.1 ± 2.4

6.0 ± 3.0

Range

3.5–24.0

3.6–15.5

1.6–11.7

1.6–24.0

Caregivers’ age

Mean ± SD

31.8 ± 8.43

32.14 ± 7.23

33.06 ± 8.17

32.3 ± 8.1

Caregiver’s education: higher versus lower

Higher %

18.8

24.3

35.85

25.8

Caregivers’ marital status: married versus widowed

Married %

97.1

94.6

96.2

96.2

Caregivers’ employment status

Employed %

21.7

10.8

35.6

23.9

Children’s sex

Female %

46.4

48.6

48.1

47.5

Child’s age in years

Mean ± SD

5.2 ± 0.76

5.51 ± 0.83

5.35 ± 0.99

5.3 ± 0.9

Child nutrition % score

Mean ± SD

50.96 ± 15.64

49.22 ± 13.75

49.53 ± 15.56

50.0 ± 15.1

Stunting in children

Yes %

9.4

19.4

10.6

12.2

Child plays with soil in yards, play grounds or gardens in warm seasons

Yes %

79.1

75.7

69.2

75.0

Hours spent in yards, playgrounds or gardens daily in warm season

Mean ± SD

3.3 ± 2.8

4.1 ± 2.9

2.6 ± 2.8

3.3 ± 2.8

Frequency of child washing hands after coming home: always versus not always

Always %

89.9

66.7

90.4

84.7

Frequency of child washing hands before eating: always versus not always

Always %

67.6

56.8

63.5

63.7

Child’s behavior of biting nails

Yes %

17.4

21.6

13.5

17.1

Child’s hygiene score

Mean ± SD

1.74 ± 0.68

1.44 ± 0.84

1.67 ± 0.59

1.7 ± 0.7

Household living standard % score

Mean ± SD

35.9 ± 13.3

30.4

40.7 ± 14.3

36.3 ± 14.3

Household size

Mean ± SD

4.97 ± 1.14

5.03 ± 1.46

5.51 ± 1.40

5.2 ± 1.3

Housing typeb: flat or house

Flat %

89.9

70.3

45.3

70.4

Housing floorb: first versus higher floor

First floor %

34.8

56.8

58.5

47.8

Type of windows: new versus old

New %

13.0

18.9

41.5

23.9

Daily mean duration of opening the windows in summer -in hours

Mean ± SD

14.80 ± 6.11

17.76 ± 7.35

19.12 ± 7.50

16.9 ± 7.1

Having carpet on the floor

Always %

56.5

54.1

50.9

54.1

Seasonal %

34.8

29.7

34

33.3

Never %

8.7

16.2

15.1

12.6

Duration of occupying the current flat/house in years

Mean ± SD

8.7 ± 8.6

7.9 ± 7.4

9.5 ± 8.5

8.8 ± 8.3

Number of current smokers in the family

Mean ± SD

1.1 ± 0.6

0.9 ± 0.6

1.3 ± 0.8

1.1 ± 0.7

Smoking in the presence of the child

Yes %

55.9

85.7

76.1

69.2

Having a family member working in a processing facility, mine or smelter compared to not having any

Yes %

29.0

58.3

0

25.9

Number of family members working in a processing facility, mine or smelter

Mean ± SD

0.4 ± 0.6

0.6 ± 0.6

0 ± 0

0.3 ± 0.5

Caregiver’s knowledge % score

Mean ± SD

53.6 ± 17.7

58.8 ± 19.1

42.2 ± 18.1

52.3 ± 18.6

Frequency of parents changing clothes/shoes before coming from processing facility, mine or smelter

Always %

85.0

71.4

100

78.0

Not always %

15.0

28.6

0

22.0

Household hygiene % score

Mean ± SD

67.4 ± 13.1

68.4 ± 13.7

74.6 ± 12.9

70.4 ± 13.5

Frequency of furniture dustingc: daily versus less than daily

Daily %

92.6

83.8

98.1

92.4

Housing distance from the toxic source(s)

Closer %

59.4

56.8

64.2

60.4

Farther %

40.6

43.2

35.8

39.6

Midpoint distance from the toxic source

Closer

640

846

3 516

 

(meters)

Farther

1 318d

849d

5 493

 
  1. a Sample size
  2. b House is defined as a stand-alone building that consists of one or two floors. A total of 12 out of 47 houses had two floors. Flats are apartments in multi-floor buildings. When calculating the variable of living on the first floor or higher floors the houses with second floor were included in the category of first floor
  3. c When the individual questions of the Household protective hygiene % score were analyzed only the variable of dusting furniture was statistically significantly associated with BLL. Therefore, it is presented in descriptive statistics and regression analysis
  4. d This section was considered to have less exposure because apart from being located slightly farther from the toxic sources it was also located above the gorge on top of the hill as opposed to the closer section which was in the gorge