Neurobehavioral Effects of Low Level Lead-exposed Workers at CRT(Cathode Ray Tube) Manufacturing Factory .
- Author:
Jong Young LEE
1
;
Chae Yong LEE
;
Ji Suk KIM
;
Sang Jae LEE
;
Wan Seoup PARK
;
Kuck Hyeun WOO
Author Information
1. Department of Preventive medicine, School of medicine, Kyungpook National University, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- MeSH:
Adult;
Anxiety;
Hostility;
Humans;
Intelligence;
Masks;
Mass Screening;
Memory;
Reaction Time
- From:Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
1997;9(2):208-216
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
To assess neurobehavioral effects of 48 low level lead-exposed workers in CRT manufacturing factory, simple and choice reaction time test with NTOS (Neurobehavioral Tests for Occupational Screening), digit symbol and digit span with K-WAIS (Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale), and SCL-90-R (Symptom Check List 90 revised) was examined. These screening test battery reflect 3 psychological domain; psychomotor, short term memory, and symptom. Average blood lead level was 17.7 microgram/dl and mean exposure duration was 5.6 years. Nobody exceeded blood lead level over 40 microgram/dl, the guideline. We divided workers to two group, shorts-term exposed group(< or = 5 years) and long-term exposed groups 5 years) for analysis. ANCOVA model of simple reaction time, hostility, phobic anxiety, somatization were statistically significant and coefficient of independent variable of exposure duration was also significant. MANCOVA model of SCL-90-R was significant, too. The results of this study were consistent with previous study; symptoms were early neurobehavioral effects of low level lead exposure. And this study showed that current blood lead level as independent variable was able to mask the early neurobehavioral effects.
