ABSTRACT
This article presents processed data from an analysis of cross-sectional data from Cycle 1 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) to examine the potential association between urinary concentrations of BPA and phthalate metabolites and child learning and behavioral problems, considering important covariates such as gender, blood lead and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). These processed data are related to the research on a subset of the children (Arbuckle et al., 2016) [1]. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) outcomes of interest were emotional symptoms, hyperactivity/inattention, and a total difficulties SDQ score, with borderline and abnormal scores grouped together and compared with children with normal scores. Other outcomes studied included reported learning disability, ADD/ADHD (attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and use of psychotropic medications to treat behavioral disorders in the past month. Data are presented for all children 6-19 years of age combined. Weighted simple logistic regression estimates for important covariates of each of the outcomes from CHMS Cycle 1 children are reported. Odds ratios based on weighted multiple logistic regression estimates for urinary BPA and phthalate metabolites (including specific gravity as a covariate) and blood lead are presented for the reported outcomes ADD/ADHD, learning disability and psychotropic medications, as well as the SDQ outcomes emotional symptoms, hyperactivity/inattention and total difficulties.
ABSTRACT
Childhood developmental disorders and related problems such as learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) account for a growing burden on the family, education and health care systems. Exposure to environmental chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates may play a role in the development of child behavioral problems. Using cross-sectional data from Cycle 1 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), we examined the potential association between urinary concentrations of BPA and various phthalate metabolites and child learning and behavioral problems, considering important covariates such as gender, blood lead and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) outcomes of interest were emotional symptoms, hyperactivity/inattention, and a total difficulties score with borderline and abnormal scores grouped together and compared with children with normal scores. Other outcomes studied included any reported learning disability, a subset of learning disabilities reported as ADD/ADHD (attention deficit disorder) and use of psychotropic medications in the past month. Among children ages 6-11 years, the prevalences of any learning disability, ADD, and ADHD were 8.7%, 1.5% and 2.8%, respectively. Estimated prevalences for SDQ hyperactivity/inattention, emotional symptoms and total difficulties scores were 16.9%, 15.0%, and 13.0%, respectively. Child's urinary BPA was associated with taking psychotropic medications (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.05-2.40). Urinary MBzP concentration was significantly associated with emotional symptoms in girls (OR 1.38 95% CI 1.09-1.75) but not in boys (OR 1.05 95% CI 0.82-1.36).) Blood lead was significantly associated with several of the outcomes examined, with a significant interaction observed between prenatal smoking and blood lead for the total difficulties score (OR=10.57; 95% CI 2.81-39.69 vs. OR=1.98; 95% CI 1.41-2.79 if mother did not smoke during pregnancy). Although limited by the cross-sectional nature of the study which precludes examining causation, the results suggest that although some indicators of child behavior were significantly associated with their urinary BPA and phthalate concentrations, the major chemical associated with adverse behavioral indicators was lead.
