Adult blood lead reporting in New York State, 1994-2006.
OBJECTIVE
Laboratories that test New York State (NYS) employees and adult residents for lead exposure are required to report blood lead test results to the NYS Department of Health's Heavy Metals Registry. This registry is used to monitor exposures and to identify new high-risk occupational and nonoccupational activities.


METHODS
We used interviews conducted with people having blood lead levels of > or = 25 micrograms/deciliter (microg/dL) reported to the Heavy Metals Registry to determine the primary source of lead exposure. We reviewed this information, together with demographic information, for the years 1994 through 2006.


RESULTS
While overall there has been an increase in the number of tests being conducted on NYS residents since 1994, the vast majority of the increase is among those with the lowest blood lead levels (<10 microg/dL). Conversely, there has been a decline in the number of adults tested with blood lead levels of > or = 25 microg/dL in NYS due primarily to occupational exposures. However, nonoccupational exposures do represent a relatively large percentage of the individuals with severely elevated blood lead levels (> or = 60 microg/dL).


CONCLUSIONS
Although a surveillance system based on blood lead levels cannot identify the true magnitude of adult lead poisoning, the NYS Heavy Metals Registry has proven to be an important tool for identifying situations in which adult lead poisoning is occurring, and assists in guiding lead poisoning prevention among adults.
Gelberg
Kitty H
KH
New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Occupational Health, 547 River St., Room 230, Troy, NY 12180-2216, USA. khg01@health.state.ny.us
Fletcher
Alicia
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012042:Registries; D055815:Young Adult
D007854:Lead
J Occup Environ Hyg. 2009 May;6(5):D18-21
19288299
Am J Public Health. 1993 Mar;83(3):402-5
8438980
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006 Aug 18;55(32):876-9
16915221
Am J Public Health. 1990 Aug;80(8):921-5
2368850
Am J Public Health. 1983 Sep;73(9):1054-62
6881402
Am J Ind Med. 2004 Jun;45(6):558-72
15164400