An estimation of the global burden of disease due to skin lesions caused by arsenic in drinking water

The global burden of disease due to skin lesions caused by arsenic in drinking water was estimated by combining country-based exposure data with selected exposure–response relationships derived from the literature. Populations were considered to be exposed to elevated arsenic levels if their drinking water contained arsenic concentrations of 50 μg l⁻¹ or greater. Elevated arsenic concentrations in drinking water result in a significant global burden of disease, even when confining the health outcome to skin lesions. The burden of disease was particularly marked in the World Health Organization (WHO) comparative risk assessment (CRA) ‘Sear D' region, which includes Bangladesh, India and Nepal. Unsurprisingly, Bangladesh was the worst affected country with 143 disability adjusted life years (DALYs) per 1,000 population. Although this initial estimate is subject to a large degree of uncertainty, it does represent an important first step in allowing the comparison of the problem relating to elevated arsenic in drinking water to other environmental health outcomes.