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A Cross-Sectional Study of the Association between Infant Hepatitis B Vaccine Exposure in Boys and the Risk of Adverse Effects as Measured by Receipt of Special Education Services
- Source :
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol 15, Iss 1, p 123 (2018), International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health; Volume 15; Issue 1; Pages: 123
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- MDPI, 2018.
-
Abstract
- The National Center for Education Statistics reported that between 1990–2005 the number of children receiving special education services (SES) rose significantly, and then, from 2004–2012, the number declined significantly. This coincided with the introduction of Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccine in 1991, and the subsequent introduction of Thimerosal-reduced hepatitis B vaccine in the early 2000s. This study examined the potential relationship between infant exposure to mercury from three doses of Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccine and the risk of boys being adversely affected (as measured by receipt of SES). This cross-sectional study examined 1192 boys (weighted n = 24,537,123) 7–8 years of age (born: 1994–2007) from the combined 2001–2014 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). Survey logistic regression modeling revealed that an exposed population receiving three doses of infant Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccine (weighted n = 11,186,579), in comparison to an unexposed population (weighted n = 704,254), were at an increased risk of receipt of SES. This association was robust (crude odds ratio = 10.143, p = 0.0232), even when considering covariates, such as race and socioeconomic status (adjusted odds ratio = 9.234, p = 0.0259). Survey frequency modeling revealed that receipt of SES for the population that was exposed to three doses of Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccine in infancy (12.91%) was significantly higher than the unexposed population (1.44%) (prevalence ratio = 8.96, p = 0.006, prevalence attributable rate = 0.1147). Despite the limitation of this cross-sectional study not being able to ascribe a direct cause-and-effect relationship between exposure and outcome, it is estimated that an additional 1.2 million boys received SES with excess education costs of about United States (US) $180 billion associated with exposure to Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccine. By contrast, exposure to Thimerosal-reduced hepatitis B vaccine was not associated with an increased risk of receiving SES. Therefore, routine childhood vaccination is important to reduce the morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases, but every effort should be made to eliminate Thimerosal from all vaccines.
- Subjects :
- Male
Hepatitis B vaccine
Exposed Population
Cross-sectional study
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Population
lcsh:Medicine
autism
010501 environmental sciences
01 natural sciences
Article
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Thiomersal
Odds Ratio
Medicine
learning disabilities
Humans
Hepatitis B Vaccines
education
Adverse effect
Child
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
education.field_of_study
business.industry
Thimerosal
lcsh:R
Preservatives, Pharmaceutical
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Infant exposure
special education services
developmental delay
ethylmercury
Merthiolate
Odds ratio
Mercury
Nutrition Surveys
United States
Cross-Sectional Studies
Logistic Models
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Education, Special
Immunization
Unexposed Population
business
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Demography
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 16604601 and 16617827
- Volume :
- 15
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....2f3328e96d25e522c810dae1ae992029