Blood Lead Level Testing and Retesting Among Newly Arriving Refugee Children, Pennsylvania, 2015-2019.

Abstract

Objectives. To (1) determine the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs; ≥ 5 µg/dL) among newly arrived refugee children, (2) understand the demographic characteristics of refugee children with EBLLs, and (3) assess health care providers' compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for retesting. Methods. We matched refugee demographic data (2015-2019) from the CDC's Electronic Disease Notification (EDN) system with lead-testing laboratory report data from the Pennsylvania National Electronic Disease Surveillance System using Match*Pro software. Results. Of 3833 refugee children 16 years or younger in the EDN system, matching identified 3142 children with blood lead level data. Among children with blood lead level data, 578 (18.4%) had EBLLs. Among children with EBLLs, 341 (59.0%) were male. Of the 1370 children aged 6 years or younger with blood level test results, 335 (24.5%) had initial EBLLs, and only 78 (5.7%) were retested within 3 to 6 months. Of the 335 children 6 years or younger with an initial EBLL, only 44 (13.1%) were retested within 3 to 6 months. Conclusions. Following up on refugee children with EBLLs is necessary to ensure that they do not have continued lead exposure. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(S7):S706-S714. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306856).