Developing methods for assessing neurotoxic effects in Hispanic non-English speaking children

Rohlman, DS; Bodner, T; Arcury, TA; Quandt, SA; Mccauley, L; ,

HERO ID

6794080

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2007

Language

English

PMID

16759705

HERO ID 6794080
In Press No
Year 2007
Title Developing methods for assessing neurotoxic effects in Hispanic non-English speaking children
Authors Rohlman, DS; Bodner, T; Arcury, TA; Quandt, SA; Mccauley, L; ,
Journal NeuroToxicology
Volume 28
Issue 2
Page Numbers 240-244
Abstract Many factors affect the growth and development of children, including chemicals in the environment. Children have greater exposure to toxicants than adults due to both behavior and their increased food: body-mass ratio. Furthermore, the developing brain and organ systems of infants and children and their immature metabolism also make them more vulnerable to environmental toxins. Children from all cultures and backgrounds are at risk. However, minorities may be at greatest risk. In order to evaluate the impact of environmental exposures on neurodevelopment it is necessary to have effective methods that will allow accurate conclusions to be drawn. We have developed a battery to assess neurobehavioral performance in non-English speaking Hispanic children ages 4 years and older. This paper will examine the associations between age and performance and present test-retest correlations. Two hundred and forty one Hispanic children between the ages of 4 and 9 years completed a neurobehavioral test battery twice, approximately I month apart. The battery consists of computerized tests from the Behavioral Assessment and Research System, tests selected from the Pediatric Environmental Neurobehavioral Test Battery, and the Object Memory Test. Multiple regression was used to examine the association between age, gender and mother's education on performance. All of the tests, except for Continuous Performance, showed that performance improved as the child gets older. Gender differences were found on several tests with females generally performing worse than males. Correlation coefficients on performance retest measures ranged from .51 to.88. This study has demonstrated the utility of using this test battery to assess cognitive and motor performance in non-English speaking Hispanic children. Tests in the battery assess a range of functions and the measures are sensitive to differences in ages. Test-retest correlations show the reliability of the battery. These support the use of this battery in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Doi 10.1016/j.neuro.2006.03.021
Pmid 16759705
Wosid WOS:000247644000009
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Conference Location Gyeongju, SOUTH KOREA
Conference Name 9th International Symposium on Neurobehavioral Methods and Effects in Occupational and Environmental Health
Is Public Yes
Language Text English