Environmental Exposures to Metals in Native Communities and Implications for Child Development: Basis for the Navajo Birth Cohort Study

Abstract

Two disparate statistics often cited for the Western United States raise concern about risks for developmental disabilities in Native American children. First, 13 of the states with the highest percentage of Native American population are located in the Western United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Second, more than 161,000 abandoned hard-rock mines are located in 12 Western states (General Accounting Office, 2014). Moreover, numerous studies have linked low-level metals exposure with birth defects and developmental delays. Concern has emerged among tribal populations that metals exposure from abandoned mines might threaten development of future generations.

KEYWORDS:

• birth defects
• children
• developmental delay
• disabilities
• exposure
• health promotion
• metals
• Native American

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Our research on Navajo Nation is regularly reviewed and approved by the Navajo Nation Human Research Review Board. The authors acknowledge contributions of Chris Shuey, MPH, and Research Field Staff from Southwest Research and Information Center; Mae-Gilene Begay and Anna Rondon and the Community Health and Environment Research Specialists from the Navajo Department of Health; Doug Peter, MD, and the Cohort Clinical Liaisons from Navajo Area Indian Health Service; Angela Ragin-Wilson, PhD, Candis Hunter, MPH, and Elizabeth Irvin-Barnwell, PhD, from the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry for their work on the NBCS. We would also like to acknowledge the support and participation of the hundreds of Navajo community members, agency staff, and tribal leadership participating in this effort, without whose help these questions would remain unanswered.