Blood lead levels of refugee children resettled in Massachusetts, 2000 to 2007.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

We described elevated blood lead level (BLL; ≥ 10 μg/dL) prevalence among newly arrived refugee children in Massachusetts. We also investigated the incidence of BLL increases and BLLs newly elevated to 20 μg/dL or higher in the year following initial testing, along with associated factors.

Methods

We merged data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Refugee and Immigrant Health Program and the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program on 1148 refugee children younger than 7 years who arrived in Massachusetts from 2000 to 2007.

Results

Elevated BLL prevalence was 16% among newly arrived refugee children. The rate ratio for BLL elevation to 20 μg/dL or higher after arrival was 12.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.2, 24.5) compared with chil

SUBMITTER: Eisenberg KW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3000732 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature