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Investigation of Intelligence Levels of Children of 8 to 12 Years of Age in Coal Burning-Related Endemic Fluorosis Areas.Abstract
Objective: To investigate the relationship between age, dental fluorosis and intelligence in children aged 8-12 in coal-burning fluorosis (CBF) area, Guizhou province.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of dental fluorosis and intellectual level in 284 children (n=167 for CBF area, n=120 for control are) aged 8- 12 in Mar., 2015. The difference of intelligence level with different levels of dental fluorosis were analyzed.
Results: The prevalence rate of dental fluorosis of children in the endemic fluorosis area was 53.9%, which was significantly higher than that in the control (P<0.011), the dental fluorosis index was 0.59, which meant the area was an edge of epidemic area of endemic fluorosis. The standard score of Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) of children in endemic area was lower than that in the control (Z=3.124, P=0.002). The intelligence level in endemic area was lower compared with the control and showed a significant difference in 12- year old group (Z=3.244 , P=0.001), no signif1cant relationship between intelligence level and levels of dental fluorosis was seen (H=5.057, P=0.281) . However, the degree of intelligence level negatively c0rrelated with age (r=-0.232, P=0.003).
Conclusion: The intelligence level of children livng in the endemic fluorosis area is lower and more further research need to be done to show the reason.