National Office
CSTE
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Atlanta, GA 30341
770-458-3811
770-458-8516
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Indicator 13: Elevated Blood Lead Levels among Adults |
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| • Annual numbers and rates (prevalence and incidence) of persons age 16 or older with blood lead levels greater than or equal to 25 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) and greater than or equal to 40 µg/dL |
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| Data Source: Numbers of cases with elevated blood lead levels: Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology Surveillance (ABLES) program. Employment estimates used to calculate rates: Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey |
Lead poisoning among adults is primarily due to occupational exposure. Lead adversely affects multiple organ systems and can cause permanent damage. Exposure to lead in adults can cause anemia, nervous system dysfunction, kidney damage, hypertension, decreased fertility, and miscarriage. Workers bringing lead dust home on their clothing can expose their children to lead.
The blood lead level (BLL) is the best biological indicator of recent lead exposure. A BLL of 25 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) or greater for adults is considered "elevated," and the Healthy People 2010 goal is to eliminate BLLs above this level.1 The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers regularly monitor the BLLs of workers where airborne lead in the workplace exceeds certain levels. When a worker's BLL is 40 µg/dL or greater, the employer is required to offer an annual medical exam and other medical interventions depending on the BLL. However, adverse health effects have been found with cumulative exposure at BLLs lower than 40 µg/dL2 and 25 µg/dL.3 The average BLL for the general population is less than 2 µg/dL.4
Many states, accounting for more than half of the U.S. population, participate in compiling data on laboratory reports of BLLs(1) in adults for the national Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance (ABLES) program.5,6 Reporting by clinical laboratories is mandatory in these states. ABLES programs are not always able to determine whether reported cases were exposed to lead at work or exposed in a non-occupational setting; several states have determined that occupational exposures account for approximately 90% of all reported cases.
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| Data |
| • 2000 click here to view table |
| • 2001 click here to view table |
| • 2002 click here to view table |
| • 2003 click here to view table |
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1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010. 2nd edition. Washington DC. US Government Printing Office. November 2000. Objective 20-7.
2 Rosenman KD, Sims A, Luo Z, Gardiner J. Occurrence of lead-related symptoms below the current Occupational Safety and Health Act allowable blood lead levels. J Occup Environ Med. 2003; 45:546-555
3 Schwartz J. Lead, blood pressure and cardiovascular disease in men. Arch Environ Health. 1995; 50:31-37.
4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Second National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Atlanta, Ga: U.S Department of Health and Human Services. NCEH Pub. No. 03-0022, Lead CAS No. 7439-92-1. 2003. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport
5 Roscoe RJ, Ball W, Curran JJ, et al. Adult blood lead epidemiology and surveillance -- United States, 1998 - 2001. MMWR December 13, 2002; 51(No. SS11);1-10.
6 CDC. Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance – United States, 2003-2004. MMWR August 18, 2006; 55(32):876-879.
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