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A pilot study of take-home lead exposure in New Jersey
M Czachur1, M Stanbury, B Gerwel
1University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey's Occupational and Environmental Health Clinic Center Graduate Program in Public Health, Piscataway, USA.
Insights
Elevated lead exposure in workers poses a significant risk to their children. A pilot study found 32% of children of lead-exposed workers had concerning blood lead levels, far exceeding general population rates.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Occupational Health
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Worker lead exposure is linked to elevated blood lead levels in children.
- The extent of this public health issue remains largely uncharacterized.
- Laboratory reports to health departments identify potential cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels in children of lead-exposed workers.
- To characterize the magnitude of secondary lead exposure in a vulnerable pediatric population.
- To compare findings with national population-based data.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study involving 15 families and 28 children of lead-exposed workers.
- Blood lead levels (BLLs) were measured in participating children.
- Data were compared to the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) prevalence.
Main Results:
- 32% of children studied had blood lead levels greater than or equal to 10 micrograms/dL.
- This prevalence is significantly higher than the 4.5% observed in the general population (NHANES).
- Indicates a substantial risk of lead exposure for children with occupationally exposed parents.
Conclusions:
- Children of lead-exposed workers are at a considerably higher risk for elevated blood lead levels.
- Public health interventions are needed to address this occupational-to-child lead exposure pathway.
- Further research is warranted to confirm these findings in larger cohorts.
Abstract:
Studies in various industries have found an association between worker exposure to lead and elevated blood lead levels in workers' children, but the magnitude of this problem is unknown. In an effort to characterize this problem further, a pilot study was undertaken to obtain blood lead levels of children of lead-exposed workers with elevated blood lead levels who had been reported by laboratories to the New Jersey Department of Health. Fifteen workers' families participated in this study, including 28 children. Thirty-two percent of the children were found to have blood lead levels > or = 10 micrograms/dl, the level of concern set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for medical monitoring. This finding is in contrast to population-based data collected from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey, where the overall prevalence of blood lead levels > or = 10 micrograms/dl was only 4.5%.