Immigrant Children At Higher Risk Of Lead Poisoning

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Hypertension
Article Date: 29 Nov 2007 - 16:00 PDT

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Foreign-born children were five times more likely to have elevated blood lead levels than were U.S.-born children.

Researchers conducted a study among children in New York City to investigate associations of childhood lead poisoning with birth and residence in a foreign country. After controlling for housing characteristics and child behaviors such as eating non-food items, data suggested that foreign-born children were five times more likely than were U.S.-born children to have elevated blood lead levels. In addition, children living abroad within 6 months of their blood test had a 10-times increased risk for lead poisoning relative to U.S.-born children with no history of foreign residence.

"These results suggest a need for considering recent immigration as a risk factor for childhood lead poisoning and allocating resources to identify and remove lead exposure sources in the immigrant communities at greater risk," said the study's authors. "Equally important is educating immigrant families about methods of reducing children's exposure to lead paint hazards, given that paint may be an unfamiliar source for many immigrant families." [From: "Immigration and Risk of Childhood Lead Poisoning: Findings From a Case-Control Study of New York City Children." Contact: Parisa Tehranifar, DrPH, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, pt140@columbia.edu .]

The American Journal of Public Health is the monthly journal of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the oldest organization of public health professionals in the world. APHA is a leading publisher of books and periodicals promoting sound scientific standards, action programs and public policy to enhance health.

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