Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance – United States, 2005–2007

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
• Personal Author:
  Alarcon, Walter A. ; Roscoe, Robert J. ; Calvert, Geoffrey M. ; Graydon, Janet R.
• Description:
  Overexposure to inorganic lead continues to be an important health problem worldwide. Furthermore, recent research has caused increased concerns about the toxicity of lead at low doses (1,2). Lead can cause acute and chronic adverse effects in multiple organ systems, ranging from subclinical changes in function to symptomatic, life-threatening intoxication. Since 1992, CDC's state-based Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program has tracked laboratory-reported elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in U.S. adults. The vast majority (95%) of reported elevated BLLs have been work related. One of the Healthy People 2010 national public health objectives is to reduce to zero the prevalence of BLLs >25 µg/dL among adults (objective 20-7) (3). ABLES surveillance results through 2004 have been published previously (4-6). This report summarizes results for the period 2005-2007. An overall decline in national rates of elevated BLLs among state residents plus nonresidents from 14.0 in 1994 to 7.8 in 2007 has been observed. The national rate of state resident adults with BLLs >25 µg/dL was 7.2 per 100,000 employed adults in 2005 and 7.4 in 2006 and 2007. Industry subsectors with the highest numbers of lead-exposed workers were manufacturing of storage batteries, mining of lead and zinc ores, and painting and paper hanging. The most common nonoccupational exposures were shooting firearms; remodeling, renovating, or painting; retained bullets (gunshot wounds); and eating food containing lead. These findings indicate a need for increased preventive interventions to promote healthier workplaces and help move toward the Healthy People 2010 objective. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Blood Epidemiology Hematologic Tests Lead Lead Poisoning Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Blood-samples; Blood-tests; Surveillance-programs; Epidemiology; Analytical-processes; Lead-absorption; Lead-compounds; Lead-poisoning; Region-1; Region-2; Region-3; Region-4; Region-5; Region-6; Region-7; Region-8; Region-9; Region-10; Occupational-exposure; Occupational-hazards; Work-environment; Worker-health; Medical-examinations
• Source:
  MMWR 2009 Apr; 58(14):365-369
• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• ISSN:
  0149-2195
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  8 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Li, J.
• Volume:
  58
• Issue:
  14
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20035237
• Citation:
  MMWR 2009 Apr; 58(14):365-369
• CAS Registry Number:
  Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2f4e9febde39dee52458d6bec4ef7005f50d14375cc3e5ab73e519d6c7a35c41177133390ae051e226c33781b030619a2b3cb022c59e1c29f9958202c9d50946
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/182991/cdc_182991_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 441.11 KB ]