Factors associated with lead exposure in Oaxaca, Mexico

Lead intoxication risks were studied in a community of ceramic folk art workers in Oaxaca, a southern state of Mexico, where the manufacture of low-temperature lead ceramic ware is a family tradition and often the only source of income. Variables such as household characteristics, occupation, and lead exposure risk factors were explored. Study participants' mean blood lead concentration was 43.8 μ g/dl (range=8.4–99.6 μ g/dl), which is over the WHO guideline of 40 μ g/dl for removing workers from exposure and is the concentration over which renal damage is accelerated. Best predictors for high blood lead concentrations by multivariable regression analysis were: occupation ( P