title: An estimation of the global burden of disease due to skin lesions caused by arsenic in drinking water.
abstract: The global burden of disease due to skin lesions caused by arsenic in drinking water was estimated by combining country-based exposure data with selected exposure-response relationships derived from the literature. Populations were considered to be exposed to elevated arsenic levels if their drinking water contained arsenic concentrations of 50 microg I(-1) or greater. Elevated arsenic concentrations in drinking water result in a significant global burden of disease, even when confining the health outcome to skin lesions. The burden of disease was particularly marked in the World Health Organization (WHO) comparative risk assessment (CRA) 'Sear D' region, which includes Bangladesh, India and Nepal. Unsurprisingly, Bangladesh was the worst affected country with 143 disability adjusted life years (DALYs) per 1,000 population. Although this initial estimate is subject to a large degree of uncertainty, it does represent an important first step in allowing the comparison of the problem relating to elevated arsenic in drinking water to other environmental health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research into Environment and Health, 5 Quakers Coppice, Crewe Gates Farm, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 6FA, UK. Lorna@creh.demon.co.uk
authors.forename: Lorna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fewtrell
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fuge
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001151:Arsenic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005618:Fresh Water; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic