Factors Related to Short-Term Memory Dysfunction in Children Residing Near a Petrochemical Industrial Estate
Piraya Aungudornpukdee MSc*, Nuntavarn Vichit-Vadakan Dr.PH**, Surasak Taneepanichskul MD*
Affiliation : * College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand ** Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the factors that affect short-term memory dysfunction among children, 6 to 13 years of age, residing near the Petrochemical Industrial Estate, Map Ta Phut sub-district, Rayong province. A population-based cross-sectional study was employed for collecting data on neurobehavioral effects using the Digit Span Test. The present study found one-third of 2,158 children presented with short-term memory dysfunction. It was found an inverse association between short-term memory dysfunction with 2 out of 25 communities; Islam (adjusted OR 0.382) and Taladmabtaput (adjusted OR 0.297). In addition, short-term memory dysfunction was also found an inverse association with distance from residential areas to the industrial park (adjusted OR 0.871). It was also found that an association between short-term memory dysfunction and length of living period in study areas was not clear. The finding on short-term memory dysfunction indicated that children with short-term memory dysfunction were affected by the distance from residential areas to source of pollution and community.
Keywords : Short-term memory dysfunction, Children, Petrochemical industrial estate, Rayong, Thailand
