Lead Exposure in Low and Middle-Income Countries: Perspectives and Lessons on Patterns, Injustices, Economics, and Politics

Katarzyna Kordas, Julia Ravenscroft, Ying Cao and Elena V. McLean
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Katarzyna Kordas: Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
Julia Ravenscroft: Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
Ying Cao: Division of Health Services Policy and Practice, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
Elena V. McLean: Department of Political Science, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-18

Abstract: Lead exposure is a legacy issue that continues to affect vulnerable population groups globally, but particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICS). We take a multi-disciplinary approach to examine the patterns of lead exposure in these countries, discuss the underlying injustices and socio-political causes, and the economic costs that are associated with exposure. We conclude with some lessons we drew from our discussion of lead across the disciplines and advocate for a number of approaches to solving this ongoing issue. These include (i) biomonitoring that could be integrated into existing health surveys or public health programs targeting young children; (ii) greater civic engagement to push for solutions; and, (iii) environmental control policies that represent a continuum of local, context-specific to broad, national-level, and even global approaches.

Keywords: lead; low and middle-income country (LMIC); economic burden; environmental injustice; politics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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