ArticleJournal of health & pollution2020
Mercury Exposure Among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Four Regions in Uganda.
Article in Journal of health & pollution, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Mercury Exposure and Its Health Effects in Workers in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) Sector-A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Access to healthcare amongst adolescent girls and young women in Ugandan artisanal and small-scale mining communities.International journal for equity in health · 2026Article
- Health Screening Strategies for Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners for Tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Silicosis: A Case of the USAID-Supported Kunda Nqob'iTB Project in Zimbabwe.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Documenting Environmental Contamination in Vulnerable Populations.Journal of health & pollution · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundArtisanal and small-scale gold mining is a human health concern, especially in low-income countries like Uganda due to the use of mercury (Hg) in the mining process.
objectiveThe aim of the present study was to assess Hg exposure among artisanal and small-scale gold miners in Uganda through biologic monitoring parameters and Hg-related clinical manifestations.
methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from June to July 2018 among 183 miners from Ibanda (Western region), Mubende (Central region), Amudat (Karamoja region) and Busia (Eastern region) in Uganda. An interviewer-administered questionnaire and health assessment were used to collect socio-demographic, exposure and self-reported Hg poisoning symptoms. In addition, 41 urine, 41 blood and 26 environment samples were assessed. Descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test for comparison of Hg levels in urine and blood among miners were performed while logistic regression was used to assess associations between exposure and Hg poisoning-related symptoms.
resultsThe miners ranged from 15 to 65 years old and were primarily male (72.6%). The majority (73.3%) had worked directly with Hg for an average duration of 5.3 years. Symptoms associated with working directly with Hg included chest pain (odds ratio (OR)=9.0, confidence interval (CI)=3.3 to 24.6), numbness (OR=8.5, CI=2.1 to 34.4), back pain (OR=6.2, CI= 2.2 to 17.5), fatigue and stress (OR=5.4, 2.0 to CI=14.9), headache (OR=4.7, CI=1.9 to 11.3), dizziness (OR=3.8, CI=1.5 to 9.7) joint pain (OR=3.2, CI=1.3 to 8.3) and respiratory problems (3.2, 1.0 to 10.1). Statistically significant differences in Hg levels with p-values less than 0.05 were observed across district, gender and type of work. Mubende had the highest blood and urine levels (136 μg/l and 105.5 μg/l) in comparison with Busia (60 μg/l and 70.6 μg/l) and Ibanda (43 μg/l and 58 μg/l). Females (84.7 μg/l), panners (109 μg/l) and those with knowledge of occupational health and safety measures (95.6 μg/l) reported higher levels of Hg in urine. The average levels of Hg in water and soil samples were 23.79 μg/l and 0.21 μg/l, respectively.
conclusionsVariation in Hg levels were attributed to varied duration of exposure across geographical sites. There was considerable exposure to Hg as indicated by both clinical manifestations and biologic parameters among miners in Uganda with Hg in urine exceeding the recommended thresholds. PARTICIPANT CONSENT: Obtained. ETHICS APPROVAL: Ethical approval was obtained from the Makerere University School of Health Science Institutional Review Board (reference number SHSREC REF 2018-2019) and Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (reference number SS 4577). COMPETING INTERESTS: The authors declare no competing financial interests.
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