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- Title
Elevated Blood Lead in California Adults, 1987: Results of a Statewide Surveillance Program Based on Labratory Reports.
- Authors
Maizlish, Neil; Rudolph, Linda; Sutton, Patrice; Jones, Jeffrey R.; Kizer, Kenneth W.
- Abstract
California medical laboratories that test for blood lead are required to report results exceeding 1.21 μmol/L (25 μg/dl). Between April and December 1987. the California Department of Health Services received 3,017 blood lead reports from 34 laboratories for 1,293 civilian, non-institutionalized adults. Approximately 1 percent of all reports exceeded 3.87 μmol/L (80 μg/dl), 7 percent exceeded 2.42 μmol/L (50μg/dl), and 21 percent exceeded 1.93 μmol/L (40 μg/dl). Individuals tested were over-whelmingly male (94 percent), disproportionately Hispanic surnamed (44 percent), and most often residents of Los Angeles County (81 percent). Workers in lead smelting, battery manufacturing, and brass foundries accounted for nearly 80 percent of reports. Construction, radiator repair, pottery and ceramics manufacturing, and gun firing ranges, accounted for the remainder. All adults with reports of ≥2.90μmol/L who were contacted reported an occupational exposure. Approximately half were not in routine medical monitoring programs. Despite OSHA standards, elevated blood lead with the potential for serious acute arid chronic lead poisoning in California adults remains a significant public health and major occupational health concern.
- Subjects
LEAD poisoning; HEALTH risk assessment; OCCUPATIONAL hazards; BLOOD testing; INDUSTRIAL safety; HEALTH of adults; PUBLIC health; LABORATORIES; METALWORKING industries
- Publication
American Journal of Public Health, 1990, Vol 80, Issue 8, p931
- ISSN
0090-0036
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2105/AJPH.80.8.931