PARKERSBURG - As part of a continuing effort to study the neurological effects of metals, particularly manganese, on children, the Communities Actively Researching Exposure Study (CARES), is expanding recruitment efforts into Wood County.
The study initially limited enrollment to residents of Marietta and Cambridge, Ohio, and is now extending enrollment to include Wood County residents.
The study is a collaboration between Marietta/Washington County Neighbors for Clean Air initiative, Marietta and Cambridge schools and health department officials. The study is in its second year of research in Marietta. Since October 2008 air samples have been used to track levels of metals, including manganese, in the cities' air. These samples were collected from air monitors installed at a Marietta College science building and Cambridge's South Elementary school. According to preliminary air sampling data, Marietta manganese concentrations are five times higher than Cambridge concentrations.
The team is recruiting Wood County area participants for environmental air and soil samples and biological measurements to study the neurodevelopmental outcomes of childhood exposure to manganese. To date, there have been 140 participants from Washington County and 43 participants from Guernsey County recruited. The study intends to recruit 300 Washington County/Wood County area children and 100 Guernsey County area children. Recruitment is nearing the 50 percent mark.
To be eligible for participation, children must be 7, 8 or 9 years of age, have lived in the Wood County area their whole life and the child's mother must have resided within the community while pregnant with the child. The research, which will take place at the Marietta College Center for Families and Children in Marietta involves several fun activities to test the child's ability to learn and coordinate movements. Participating children will receive $100 and families will be reimbursed for their travel.
"The study initially wasn't expanded because part of it involved comparing standardized school tests, and that is problematic using different states. But there are a lot of other measures to compare, and they decided the need for additional participation was more important," said Dick Wittberg, director with the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department.
Fact Box
To join the study:
As part of an ongoing effort to study the neurological effects of metals, particularly manganese, on children, the Communities Actively Researching Exposure Study is expanding recruitment efforts into Wood County.
To be eligible for participation, children must be 7, 8 or 9 years of age, have lived in the Wood County area their whole life and the child's mother must have resided within the community while pregnant with the child.
The research, which will take place at the Marietta College Center for Families and Children in Marietta, Ohio, involves several fun activities to test the child's ability to learn and coordinate movements. Participating children will receive $100 and families will be reimbursed for their travel.
Interested Wood County residents can contact study coordinator Jody Alden by calling toll-free 1-866-AIR-3305.
Wittberg noted there have been higher than anticipated readings found in places like Vienna, and Boaz.
"That has been some cause for concern, to try and determine why that would be," Wittberg said.
"Manganese is a neurotoxin and there is concern about how it might affect childrens' development, so the study is attempting to show if there is a health effect from this exposure, You have susceptible populations and all sorts of factors, and there have been very limited studies done with varying exposures, so we need to determine if the levels set by the EPA and other agencies are correct," Wittberg noted.
In a national ranking, USA Today put area schools like Warren Elementary and Belpre Elementary in the first percentile in poor air quality.
For more information or to participate, contact study coordinator Jody Alden at 1-866-AIR-3305.
