Is There a Relationship between Lead Exposure and Aggressive Behavior in Shooters?

Nisha Naicker, Pieter De Jager, Shan Naidoo and Angela Mathee
Additional contact information
Nisha Naicker: Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, P.O. Box 87373, Houghton, Johannesburg 2041, South Africa
Pieter De Jager: School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
Shan Naidoo: School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
Angela Mathee: Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, P.O. Box 87373, Houghton, Johannesburg 2041, South Africa

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-10

Abstract: Lead exposure has been associated with psycho-neurological disorders. Elevated blood lead levels have been found in shooters. This study assesses the association between the blood lead levels of shooters and their levels of aggression. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in Gauteng, South Africa. Participants were recruited from four randomly selected shooting ranges with three randomly selected archery ranges used as a comparison group. A total of 118 (87 shooters and 31 archers) participants were included in the analysis. Aggressiveness was measured using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Shooters had significantly higher blood lead levels (BLL) compared to archers with 79.8% of shooters versus 22.6% of archers found to have a BLL ≥ 5 μg/dL ( p < 0.001). Aggression scores were significantly higher in shooters ( p < 0.05) except for verbal aggression. In the bivariate and regression analyses, shooters with BLLs ≥ 10 μg/dL were significantly associated with the hostility sub-scale ( p = 0.03, adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.103–7.261). Shooters have a significantly higher BLL and aggressiveness compared to archers. However, elevated blood lead levels were significantly associated with hostility only. Interventions need to be put in place to prevent continued exposure and routine screening of populations at risk should be implemented.

Keywords: shooting ranges; aggression; Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire; blood lead levels; South Africa (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 (1)

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