title: Are children still at risk for lead poisoning?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) has decreased nationally, creating challenges in identifying children at risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a community known to have lead hazards, we screened children with a field-administered capillary blood lead test and asked parents to complete a questionnaire about lead risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 77 child-parent pairs screened with a blood lead test and a parental questionnaire, 4 had finger stick blood lead levels of ≥10 µg/dL. Of these, one child had a confirmatory venous blood lead level >10 µg/dL (1.3%; 95% CI = 0.0%-4.7%), which is near the US prevalence but less than the historic prevalence for this region. A median of 2 risk factors for each of the environmental, behavioral, and knowledge/awareness domains were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite a low prevalence of children with EBLL, parental report suggested that approximately 29% of children had lead-based paint in their home environment.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. robertsj@musc.edu
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Cindy L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ligon
authors.forename: J Routt
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Reigart
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007854:Lead