Objective peripheral neuropathy and protective-equipment use in a farming community in a lead-zinc mining district of south-eastern Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

The study examined the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in 285 adults in a Nigerian farming community in a lead-zinc mining district. Using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument, 134 individuals (47.0%) showed signs of neuropathy. Personal protective equipment use was nearly absent, with 89.1% of respondents never wearing gloves. Surprisingly, protective equipment use was not associated with lower neuropathy risk. Men used protective equipment more than twice as often as women (55.1% versus 24.5%), yet neuropathy prevalence did not differ between sexes. Age was the only factor showing association with neuropathy. The researchers concluded that neuropathy occurs community-wide, not only among those directly handling agrochemicals, and that personal protective equipment is ineffective without reducing overall toxic exposure.