Disability Weights for Chronic Mercury Intoxication Resulting from Gold Mining Activities: Results from an Online Pairwise Comparisons Survey

Nadine Steckling, Brecht Devleesschauwer, Julia Winkelnkemper, Florian Fischer, Bret Ericson, Alexander Krämer, Claudia Hornberg, Richard Fuller, Dietrich Plass and Stephan Bose-O’Reilly
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Nadine Steckling: Unit Paediatric Environmental Epidemiology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health, Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Munich, Ziemssenstr. 1, Munich 80336, Germany
Brecht Devleesschauwer: Department of Public Health and Surveillance, Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP), Rue Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, Brussels 1050, Belgium
Julia Winkelnkemper: Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
Florian Fischer: Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
Bret Ericson: Pure Earth, Formerly Blacksmith Institute, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 860, New York, NY 10115, USA
Alexander Krämer: Department of Public Health Medicine, School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
Claudia Hornberg: Department of Environment & Health, School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
Richard Fuller: Pure Earth, Formerly Blacksmith Institute, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 860, New York, NY 10115, USA
Dietrich Plass: Section Exposure Assessment and Environmental Health Indicators, German Environment Agency, Corrensplatz 1, Berlin 14195, Germany
Stephan Bose-O’Reilly: Unit Paediatric Environmental Epidemiology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health, Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Munich, Ziemssenstr. 1, Munich 80336, Germany

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: In artisanal small-scale gold mining, mercury is used for gold-extraction, putting miners and nearby residents at risk of chronic metallic mercury vapor intoxication (CMMVI). Burden of disease (BoD) analyses allow the estimation of the public health relevance of CMMVI, but until now there have been no specific CMMVI disability weights (DWs). The objective is to derive DWs for moderate and severe CMMVI. Disease-specific and generic health state descriptions of 18 diseases were used in a pairwise comparison survey. Mercury and BoD experts were invited to participate in an online survey. Data were analyzed using probit regression. Local regression was used to make the DWs comparable to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. Alternative survey (visual analogue scale) and data analyses approaches (linear interpolation) were evaluated in scenario analyses. A total of 105 participants completed the questionnaire. DWs for moderate and severe CMMVI were 0.368 (0.261–0.484) and 0.588 (0.193–0.907), respectively. Scenario analyses resulted in higher mean values. The results are limited by the sample size, group of interviewees, questionnaire extent, and lack of generally accepted health state descriptions. DWs were derived to improve the data basis of mercury-related BoD estimates, providing useful information for policy-making. Integration of the results into the GBD DWs enhances comparability.

Keywords: mercury; artisanal small-scale gold mining; chronic metallic mercury vapor intoxication; burden of disease; disability weights; pairwise comparison; visual analogue scale (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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