Alcohol Consumption, Blood Lead Levels and Aggressive Behaviour Among Adults Living Near Gold Mine Tailings in Gauteng, South Africa.

Tahira Kootbodien, Renee Street, Yonela Mkunyana, Tanya Haman, Nisha Naicker, Angela Mathee

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Exposure and health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Tahira KootbodienEnvironment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zyl Road, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-6454-9380

Renee StreetEnvironment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zyl Road, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa.

Yonela MkunyanaEnvironment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zyl Road, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa.

Tanya HamanEnvironment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zyl Road, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa.

Nisha NaickerDivision of the National Health Laboratory Service, National Institute of Occupational Health, 25 Hospital St, Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, 2000 South Africa.

Angela MatheeEnvironment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Francie van Zyl Road, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Lead (Pb) is a neurotoxin linked to aggression, while alcohol consumption, a major public health concern in South Africa, may also increase aggressive behaviour. This study examined associations between blood Pb levels and aggression in adults, and whether alcohol modified this relationship. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 199 adults, living at varying distances from gold mine tailings in Gauteng. Blood Pb were log-transformed and examined in relation to environmental exposures (proximity to roads and mine tailings), behavioural factors (smoking, soil ingestion), and soil Pb levels. Alcohol consumption was categorised as none, 1-4 drinks and ≥ 5 drinks per occasion (heavy episodic drinking). Aggression was measured using the 29-item Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), including anger, hostility, verbal, and physical aggression. Linear regression models were estimated for each aggression outcome, adjusting for age, alcohol use, blood Pb, and interactions between blood Pb and alcohol. Mean blood Pb was 2.4 ± 1.8 µg/dL (range 0.5-12.2 µg/dL), with 9.7% exceeding 5 µg/dL and 18.7% exceeding 3.5 µg/dL. Higher blood Pb was associated with soil ingestion (β = 0.29,

Indexed as

AggressionAlcohol useBlood lead levelsHeavy episodic drinkingMine tailings

Identifiers

PMID42712483

DOI10.1007/s12403-026-00807-7

PMCPMC13550054

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.