US EPA

2279042 

Journal Article 

Statistical analysis of causes of death (2005-2010) in villages of Simav Plain, Turkey, with high arsenic levels in drinking water supplies 

Gunduz, O; Bakar, C; Simsek, C; Baba, A; Elci, A; Gurleyuk, H; Mutlu, M; Cakir, A 

2015 

1 

Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health
ISSN: 1933-8244
EISSN: 2154-4700 

70 

1 

35-46 

English 

24455995 

10.1080/19338244.2013.872076 

WOS:000346196600006 

The purpose of this research was to compare the causes of death in five villages situated in Simav Plain, Turkey during 2005-2010 where different arsenic levels were detected in drinking water supplies. Since groundwater in Simav plain had arsenic concentrations that ranged between 7.1 and 833.9 ppb, a two phase research was formulated. In the first phase, public health surveys were conducted with 1003 villagers to determine the distribution of diseases. In the second phase, verbal autopsy surveys and official death records were used to investigate the causes of death. Totally, 402 death cases were found in the study area where cardiovascular system diseases (44%) and cancers (15.2%) were major causes. Cancers of lung (44.3%), prostate (9.8%), colon (9.8%) and stomach (8.2%) were comparably higher in villages with high arsenic levels in drinking water supplies. Furthermore, the majority of cases of liver, bladder and stomach cancers were observed in villages with high arsenic levels. 

verbal autopsy; Turkey; Simav; arsenic; groundwater; public health