Managing environmental lead in Broken Hill: a public health success.
OBJECTIVE
To describe locality-specific changes in blood lead levels of 1-4-year-old children in Broken Hill, NSW between 1991 and 2007.


METHODS
Annual age-sex standardised mean blood lead levels, blood lead screening clinic attendance rates and lead-dust levels for five lead-risk zones were calculated from routinely collected data.


RESULTS
Blood lead levels were similar in all localities in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006, after having been consistently higher in localities with highest environmental lead since 1991.


CONCLUSIONS
Combining health promotion with a targeted clean-up has reduced the effect of locality on blood lead levels. Results are consistent with reduced contamination due to effective soil stabilisation and storm-water control.
Boreland
Frances
F
Broken Hill Centre for Remote Health Research, Joint Initiative of the University of Sydney and Greater Western Area Health Service. fboreland@gwahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Lesjak
Margaret S
MS
Lyle
David M
DM
D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004782:Environmental Health; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D040241:Social Marketing
D007854:Lead