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Prevalence
Studies in the
US indicate the prevalence of people “especially or
unusually sensitive to everyday chemicals” or who “get
sick after smelling chemical odours” ranged from 16
to 33 percent, while those diagnosed
with ES/MCS ranged from 2 to 6 percent.
Who’s
at Risk?
In their 1998 book Chemical
Exposures, Low Levels and High Stakes, Ashford and Miller reviewed
the literature on exposure to low levels of chemicals and found
there were four groups of people with heightened reactivity:
- Industrial workers—
mostly males in blue-collar occupations, aged 20-65.
- Occupants of
“tight buildings”. This group had a higher percentage
of females than males, and was comprised mostly of white-collar
office workers and professionals aged 20 to 65, as well
as schoolchildren.
- Residents of
communities with chemically contaminated air or water —
this affects males and females equally, all ages, predominately
in the middle to lower classes. Fetuses, infants and children
may be affected first or most.
Please see the page on Hidden
Exposures in the Healthy Environments section for a
detailed account of how to protect yourself and your baby.
- Individuals
who have had unique exposures to various chemicals (e.g.
pesticides in air, food or water; drugs; consumer products;
or in indoor air during renovations or while doing certain
hobbies).The breakdown in this category is 70 to 80 percent
female, with 50 percent aged 30 to 50. It is comprised
mostly
of middle to upper middle class professionals. The reasons
why individuals affected by unique personal exposures
are
more commonly women are not clear, but may be hormonally
or lifestyle related. For example, one lifestyle factor
may be the increased stress often experienced by women
in their multiple roles as workers and caregivers. Women
may
also be more likely than men to report symptoms to their
physicians that they link to exposures.
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