Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37013628›Full record

ArticleJournal of health, population, and nutrition2023

Health risk management framework for heavy metals and cyanide in Kwekwe city of Zimbabwe: a mixed-method study protocol.

Sheunesu Ngwenya, Ntsieni S Mashau, Emmanuel S Mhlongo, Afsatou N Traoré, Azwinndini G Mudau

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of health, population, and nutrition, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.4field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Sheunesu NgwenyaDepartment of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Venda, P Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, South Africa. ngwenyasheunesu@yahoo.com.
Ntsieni S MashauDepartment of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Venda, P Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, South Africa.
Emmanuel S MhlongoDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa.
Afsatou N TraoréDepartment of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa.
Azwinndini G MudauDepartment of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Venda, P Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, South Africa.
University of Venda · ZA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAccording to WHO, in 2015, over 35% of ischaemic heart disease, the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and about 42% of strokes, the second largest contributor to global mortality, could have been prevented by reducing or removing exposure to chemical pollutants. Heavy metal and cyanide pollution are prevalent in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where the effects of industrial pollutants are more severe, partly due to poor regulation. In Zimbabwe, the mining industry alone contributed to 25% of occupational conditions and injuries in 2020. Therefore, to mitigate these problems, this study seeks to develop a health risk management framework for heavy metals and cyanide pollution in the industrial city of Kwekwe.

methodsThe convergent parallel mixed-method study design will be utilised. Qualitative and quantitative data will be collected, analysed, and merged in order to inform the development of the risk framework. An analytical cross-sectional survey would be used to determine levels of heavy metals in surface water, soil, and vegetables. Free cyanide will be determined in surface water samples only. The phenomenological qualitative inquiry will be used to investigate health events and risks associated with potentially toxic pollutants (heavy metals and cyanide) to describe or interpret participants' lived experiences. The qualitative and quantitative results will be used to develop and validate the framework to manage identified health risks. For data analysis, statistical analysis will be used in the quantitative study, while thematic analysis will be used in the qualitative study. The study was approved by the University of Venda Ethics Committee (Registration Number FHS/22/PH/05/2306) and the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe (Approval Number MRCZ/A/2944). All ethical principles will be adhered to throughout the study in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration. DISCUSSION: While existing risk management frameworks have significantly contributed to human and environmental health protection, novel and comprehensive frameworks need to be developed to counter the ever-dynamic and evolving risks associated with chemical pollutants. If the management framework is successfully developed, it could offer an opportunity for the prevention and control of potentially toxic elements.

Indexed as

Environmental PollutantsMetals, HeavyChinaCross-Sectional StudiesCyanidesEnvironmental MonitoringHumansRisk AssessmentRisk ManagementZimbabweCyanidesEnvironmental PollutantsMetals, HeavyCancer riskDelphi techniqueHealth riskKwekweMixed-method studyPotentially toxic metalPurposive sampling

Identifiers

PMID37013628
PMCPMC10069024
OpenAlexW4362523163

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.