The Fremantle Lead Study.
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain blood lead levels in a sample of preschool children from Framantle, Western Australia, and to correlate these with possible risk factors.


METHODS
The study was a cross-sectional prevalence survey of 120 children from day-care centres and 44 hospital inpatients. Blood lead and ferritin levels were determined and a risk factor questionnaire was completed by parents.


RESULTS
Of the 164 children 25.6% had lead levels above the NH&MRC goal (< 10 micrograms/dL). Nine of 133 (6.7%) had ferritin levels below 10 micrograms/L suggesting iron deficiency. Excessive blood lead concentrations as defined by the NH & MRC (> 9 micrograms/dL) related to: child's presence during house renovation (OR 3.35, P = 0.007, 95% CI 1.39-8.81); Aboriginality (OR 6.4, P = 0.008, 95% CI 1.6-24.9), and, in the 9-24 month age group, inversely to distance between home and a road carrying > 7000 vehicles/day (r -0.56, P = 0.009, n = 24).


CONCLUSIONS
A group of Fremantle children with unacceptably high blood lead levels has been identified. Renovation of older housing and Aboriginality are important risk factors.
Willis
F R
FR
Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Australia.
Rossi
E
E
Bulsara
M
M
Slattery
M J
MJ
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010150:Paint / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology
D007854:Lead; D005293:Ferritins