Detroit Evening Report: Michigan health department announces expansion of childhood blood lead data
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Over 3,400 children had elevated blood levels in 2021, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced. The agency released new data about blood levels and children. This comes after the department updated its definition of elevated blood lead level in May 2022.
Following in the footsteps of the CDC, the new definition includes lower blood lead levels than before. This information helps identify more children who need public health services. Children can become exposed to lead from the paint in homes built before 1978, such as in many homes in Detroit.
Information can be found using the Michigan Environmental Health Tracking Program (MiTracking) at michigan.gov/mitracking.
Data on Michigan children with a blood lead level of 3.5 µg/dL and higher is available through MiTracking. Prior to this expansion, data was available for blood lead levels of 5 µg/dL and higher.
“MDHHS is committed to preventing Michigan children from being exposed to lead,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive, in a news release. “Public health officials, health care providers and the general public can access data to learn about prevalence of childhood blood lead levels in their communities and make informed decisions about prevention efforts for exposure to lead in children.”
Michigan residents can visit Michigan.gov/MiLeadSafe for more information about lead hazards, blood lead testing, and lead services.
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