标题：Trends in Blood Lead Levels Among Children Enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children From 1996 to 2000
摘要：We analyzed data from the Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program to examine the distribution of and trends in elevated blood lead levels among WIC-enrolled children from 1996 until 2000. Higher blood lead levels were seen among WIC-enrolled children, and although not statistically significant, the rate of blood lead level decline among WIC-enrolled children was greater than among non-WIC-enrolled children. Elevated blood lead levels are associated with adverse effects in children, such as abnormal cognitive development, behavior problems, decreased intelligence, and poor school performance. 1– 5 Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicate that the prevalence of blood lead levels of 10 μg/dL or greater in children aged 1 to 5 years has continued to decline from an estimated 88.2% during the 1976 to 1980 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey II to 2.2% during 1999 to 2000. 6 The blood lead level decline represents an environmental public health success story. However, vulnerable populations remain in which lead poisoning continues to present significant public health problems. Unfortunately, the communities in which children are most at risk for elevated blood lead levels are communities that are poor and underserved. In an effort to target blood lead level reduction in children in these vulnerable populations, the Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program has developed a unique partnership with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to provide screening for lead as part of the required examination for WIC enrollees. WIC is a state-based, federally funded program administered by the Food and Nutrition Service of the US Department of Agriculture. WIC provides supplement foods, nutrition education, and heath care referrals to pregnant and postpartum women, their infants, and their children aged younger than 6 years who are income eligible and at nutritional risk. In general, WIC guidelines require that during a free health screening, blood samples be taken, analyzed, and recorded as one method of determining nutritional risk. The Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and WIC determined that such existing blood sampling provides a perfect opportunity to expand blood testing to include collection for lead testing. The objective of this study was to examine the distribution of and trends in elevated blood lead levels among WIC-enrolled children from 1996 until 2000, as a measure of success at increasing screening and prevention efforts in this population.
