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Title: Heavy metal toxicity in the Ayanfuri cluster of mining communities, Ghana
Authors and Affiliations: Eric Odei1, Edith Clarke2 1Department of Child Health, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital 2Occupational and Environmental Health Unit, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Abstract: To determine the prevalence of heavy metal toxicity among inhabitants of Ayanfuri cluster of mining communities, and to identify the associated socio-demographic risk factors. The study will be cross-sectional in design utilizing secondary data from a Health Baseline Study that was conducted in the area during the period Dec 2010-Jan 2011. The study population will comprise five communities in the area deemed to come under direct influence of mining activities in the area, both artisanal and large-scale. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses will be conducted on the data after permission has been sought from the relevant stakeholders. Simple and multiple logistic regression analysis will be conducted to determine significant socio-demographic predictors of heavy metal toxicity in the study population. All analyses will be done using Stata version 11. |
