Field Study of Gallbladder Diseases in Rural Gangetic Basin of North India, Impact of Environmental and Life Style Risk Factors

Sayeed Unisa, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Tarun K. Roy, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

In this paper an attempt is made to study the prevalence of gallbladder diseases (GBD) including Gall bladder cancer (GBC) and gall stones in villages in the Gangetic basin in Northern India and to evaluate lifestyle and environment as potential risk factors. An ultrasonography of the abdomen was done for those with symptoms, 5,100 (2,078 men and 3,022 women) along with an asymptomatic group of 1,448 (547 Men and 901 women) as controls. Heavy metal and organochloride pesticide content was estimated in soil and water, Ultrasonography revealed GBD in 3.7% males and 6.3% females. GBD is 1.8 times more in females> 50 years age. The relative risk of GBD was higher in multiparous females, persons with blood relations suffering from GBD. Cluster analysis points to a correlation with pollutants – Nickel, Cadmium and chromium in water and higher incidence of villages of GBD in the Vaishali district where a cluster of 10 villages account for 75% of GBD.