Recent Immigrants Working in Renovation and Construction Businesses and their Families are at Increased Risk of Lead Poisoning

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

4301.0: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 - 5:15 PM

Abstract #158097

Thomas Plant, MS, Leon Bethune, MPH, Bellanna Borde, RN, MSN, Triniese Polk, Paul A. Shoemaker, MPH, Euridice Leite, CHW, Jose R. Diaz, and Angelo Nogueira Sanca, CHW. Environmental Health Office, Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Ave, 2nd floor, Boston, MA 02118, 617-534-2644, tplant@bphc.org

Investigation of illegal deleading by renovation contractors found high numbers of Brazilian immigrants scraping lead paint and conducting demolition and construction work unaware of the dangers of lead poisoning posed by these activities. Short-term exposure was stopped by issuing cease work orders to contractors for violation of the Massachusetts Lead Law, but education for the laborers was difficult because of the language barrier and enforcement environment. Additionally, the risk to workers' children from lead dust taken home on clothing had to be addressed. The Boston Lead Case Management System was used to identify Brazilian children with elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs). A majority lived in Allston-Brighton – neighborhoods where Census 2000 and Health of Boston Report 2006 data indicated children under six were under-screened for EBLL. The Boston Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (BCLPPP) partnered with the Joseph Smith Community Health Center, the Brazilian Immigrant Center, and the Boston Public Commission Health Van to conduct targeted outreach and screening for children and adults. Occupational and environmental health and safety workshops for these workers were held at the Brazilian Immigrant Center in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Occupational Safety. Onsite screening, provided by BCLPPP, indicated that 11% of these adult workers had EBLLs above 40 µg/DL and 14% had EBLLs between 25-44µg/DL. Adult immigrants working in painting, demolition, and contracting industries are at high risk and should be routinely screened. This can serve as a model for other areas where under-served immigrant populations might be at high risk for lead exposure.

Learning Objectives:

1.Participants will learn and recognize how recent immigrants often work in industries that place them and their families at significant risk for lead poisoning.
2.The use of Surveillance and GIS can assist health professionals to prioritize and target specific high risk populations for community health education outreach, screening, and training.
3.Developing collaborative partnerships with key stakeholders such as Community Health Centers, Immigrant Advocate Groups, City, and State Health agencies can provide an effective targeted primary preventative health education and training program to the must vulnerable high risk immigrant populations.
4.Adult Blood Lead Screening is a significant tool to track and analyze new immigrant populations for exposure to lead poisoning.

Keywords: Environmental Health, Lead

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Environmental Justice: Partnerships, Communication and Public Health

The 135th APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 3-7, 2007) of APHA