Lead Poisoning - Florida Health CHARTS - Florida Department of Health

Lead Poisoning

Blood lead levels above 5 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood is the reference level at which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends public health actions be initiated. Lead poisoning can affect nearly every system in the body. Because lead poisoning often occurs with no obvious symptoms, it frequently goes unrecognized. Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and, at very high levels, seizures, coma, and even death. No safe blood lead level has been identified. The major sources of lead exposure among U.S. children are lead based paint and lead-contaminated dust found in deteriorating buildings.

Blood lead levels are monitored to prevent and mitigate lead exposure

In 2022, the rate per 100,000 of Lead Poisoning in Alachua County was 3.8 compared to Florida at 12.2. The line graph shows change over time when there are at least three years of data.

Alachua County is in the second quartile for this measure. This means that relative to other counties in Florida, there are more Lead Poisoning in about half of the counties, and less in about one quarter of the counties.

The map illustrates county data by quartile. A quartile map is presented when there are at least 51 counties with data for this measure.

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Measure Type
10 Year Report
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Alachua County

Florida

CountyYearCount/Rate

Year

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FLHealthCharts.gov is provided by the Florida Department of Health, Division of Public Health Statistics and Performance Management.
Data Source:Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology

4/19/2024 12:10:01 AM

Data Note(s)

In 2017, Florida lowered the blood lead level (BLL) for lead poisoning from >=10 to >=5 µg/dL to align with current national guidelines based on the adverse health effects caused by BLLs <10 µg/dL. The dramatic increase in lead poisoning cases between 2016 and 2017 can be attributed, in part, to this change.
Data presented here are from Merlin, Florida's web-based reportable disease surveillance system. Note that any data prior to 1992 are not maintained in Merlin and should be interpreted with caution.
Reports for reportable disease data are produced weekly, monthly, and annually. To access these reports, visit <a href="http://www.FloridaHealth.gov/SurveillancePublications" target="_blank">http://www.FloridaHealth.gov/SurveillancePublications</a>. More detailed information on interpreting data can be found in the introduction section of the annual reports (<a href="http://www.Floridahealth.gov/MorbidityStatisticsReport" target="_blank">http://www.Floridahealth.gov/MorbidityStatisticsReport</a>). For questions, please contact the Bureau of Epidemiology at (850) 245-4401.
Prior to 2010, lead poisoning case data were primarily stored outside of Merlin. The first complete year of data collection in Merlin is 2010. This disease does not have a probable case classification. Counts and rates include confirmed cases of Lead Poisoning (Merlin code 94890).
Rates based on less than 20 cases are not reliable and should be interpreted with caution.
Data in this report are aggregated by the date the case was reported to the Bureau of Epidemiology, Florida Department of Health. Cases are assigned to Florida counties based on the county of residence at the time of the disease identification, regardless of where they became ill or were hospitalized, diagnosed, or exposed.
All population-based rates are calculated using July 1 Florida population estimates from the Florida Legislature, Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
This is primary, quantitative data.

Chart will display if there are at least three years of data.
Multi-year counts are a sum of the selected years, not an average.
Quartiles are calculated when data are available for at least 51 counties.

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Lead Poisoning, Rate Per 100,000 Population, 2022

Mouseover map to see county name and value. Click a legend category to hide or show that category.

4/19/2024 12:10:03 AM

Data Note(s)

In 2017, Florida lowered the blood lead level (BLL) for lead poisoning from >=10 to >=5 µg/dL to align with current national guidelines based on the adverse health effects caused by BLLs <10 µg/dL. The dramatic increase in lead poisoning cases between 2016 and 2017 can be attributed, in part, to this change.
Data presented here are from Merlin, Florida's web-based reportable disease surveillance system. Note that any data prior to 1992 are not maintained in Merlin and should be interpreted with caution.
Reports for reportable disease data are produced weekly, monthly, and annually. To access these reports, visit <a href="http://www.FloridaHealth.gov/SurveillancePublications" target="_blank">http://www.FloridaHealth.gov/SurveillancePublications</a>. More detailed information on interpreting data can be found in the introduction section of the annual reports (<a href="http://www.Floridahealth.gov/MorbidityStatisticsReport" target="_blank">http://www.Floridahealth.gov/MorbidityStatisticsReport</a>). For questions, please contact the Bureau of Epidemiology at (850) 245-4401.
Prior to 2010, lead poisoning case data were primarily stored outside of Merlin. The first complete year of data collection in Merlin is 2010. This disease does not have a probable case classification. Counts and rates include confirmed cases of Lead Poisoning (Merlin code 94890).
Rates based on less than 20 cases are not reliable and should be interpreted with caution.
Data in this report are aggregated by the date the case was reported to the Bureau of Epidemiology, Florida Department of Health. Cases are assigned to Florida counties based on the county of residence at the time of the disease identification, regardless of where they became ill or were hospitalized, diagnosed, or exposed.
All population-based rates are calculated using July 1 Florida population estimates from the Florida Legislature, Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
This is primary, quantitative data.

Multi-year counts are a sum of the selected years, not an average.
Quartiles are calculated when data are available for at least 51 counties.

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Lead Poisoning, Rate Per 100,000 Population, Single Year
	Alachua				Florida
Data Year	Count	Denom	Rate	MOV	Count	Denom	Rate	MOV
2022	11	290,623	3.8^*	2.2	2,717	22,329,178	12.2	0.5
2021	8	275,435	2.9^*	2.0	1,151	22,005,587	5.2	0.3
2020	7	270,405	2.6^*	1.9	1,046	21,640,766	4.8	0.3
2019	8	266,649	3.0^*	2.1	1,254	21,268,553	5.9	0.3
2018	10	263,753	3.8^*	2.3	2,124	20,957,705	10.1	0.4
2017	11	259,349	4.2^*	2.5	2,152	20,555,728	10.5	0.4
2016	1	257,478	0.4		667	20,231,092	3.3	0.3
2015	3	255,631	1.2		719	19,897,762	3.6	0.3
2014	3	251,760	1.2		667	19,579,871	3.4	0.3
2013	5	248,526	2.0	1.8	608	19,314,396	3.1	0.3
2012	4	246,893	1.6		852	19,118,938	4.5	0.3
2011	1	247,151	0.4		742	18,941,742	3.9	0.3
2010	4	247,669	1.6		916	18,820,280	4.9	0.3

4/19/2024 12:10:05 AM

Data Note(s)

In 2017, Florida lowered the blood lead level (BLL) for lead poisoning from >=10 to >=5 µg/dL to align with current national guidelines based on the adverse health effects caused by BLLs <10 µg/dL. The dramatic increase in lead poisoning cases between 2016 and 2017 can be attributed, in part, to this change.
Data presented here are from Merlin, Florida's web-based reportable disease surveillance system. Note that any data prior to 1992 are not maintained in Merlin and should be interpreted with caution.
Reports for reportable disease data are produced weekly, monthly, and annually. To access these reports, visit <a href="http://www.FloridaHealth.gov/SurveillancePublications" target="_blank">http://www.FloridaHealth.gov/SurveillancePublications</a>. More detailed information on interpreting data can be found in the introduction section of the annual reports (<a href="http://www.Floridahealth.gov/MorbidityStatisticsReport" target="_blank">http://www.Floridahealth.gov/MorbidityStatisticsReport</a>). For questions, please contact the Bureau of Epidemiology at (850) 245-4401.
Prior to 2010, lead poisoning case data were primarily stored outside of Merlin. The first complete year of data collection in Merlin is 2010. This disease does not have a probable case classification. Counts and rates include confirmed cases of Lead Poisoning (Merlin code 94890).
Rates based on less than 20 cases are not reliable and should be interpreted with caution.
Data in this report are aggregated by the date the case was reported to the Bureau of Epidemiology, Florida Department of Health. Cases are assigned to Florida counties based on the county of residence at the time of the disease identification, regardless of where they became ill or were hospitalized, diagnosed, or exposed.
All population-based rates are calculated using July 1 Florida population estimates from the Florida Legislature, Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
This is primary, quantitative data.

Chart will display if there are at least three years of data.
Multi-year counts are a sum of the selected years, not an average.
Quartiles are calculated when data are available for at least 51 counties.
MOV - Measure of Variability: Probable range of values resulting from random fluctuations in the number of events. Not calculated when numerator is below 5 or denominator is below 20, or count or rate is suppressed. The MOV is useful for comparing rates to a goal or standard. For example, if the absolute difference between the county rate and the statewide rate is less than the MOV, the county rate is not significantly different from the statewide rate (alpha level = 0.05). When the absolute difference between the county rate and the statewide rate is greater than the MOV, the county rate is significantly different from the statewide rate. MOV should not be used to determine if the rates of two different counties, or the county rates for two different years, are statistically significantly different.
Denom - abbreviated for denominator.
Population estimates are not available for persons whose county of residence is unknown. Given this, the denominator and associated rate are not available.
* - Indicates the county rate is statistically significantly different from the statewide rate.

FLHealthCharts.gov is provided by the Florida Department of Health, Division of Public Health Statistics and Performance Management.
Data Source: Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology

4/19/2024 12:10:01 AM

Data Note(s)

In 2017, Florida lowered the blood lead level (BLL) for lead poisoning from >=10 to >=5 µg/dL to align with current national guidelines based on the adverse health effects caused by BLLs <10 µg/dL. The dramatic increase in lead poisoning cases between 2016 and 2017 can be attributed, in part, to this change.
Data presented here are from Merlin, Florida's web-based reportable disease surveillance system. Note that any data prior to 1992 are not maintained in Merlin and should be interpreted with caution.
Reports for reportable disease data are produced weekly, monthly, and annually. To access these reports, visit http://www.FloridaHealth.gov/SurveillancePublications. More detailed information on interpreting data can be found in the introduction section of the annual reports (http://www.Floridahealth.gov/MorbidityStatisticsReport). For questions, please contact the Bureau of Epidemiology at (850) 245-4401.
Prior to 2010, lead poisoning case data were primarily stored outside of Merlin. The first complete year of data collection in Merlin is 2010. This disease does not have a probable case classification. Counts and rates include confirmed cases of Lead Poisoning (Merlin code 94890).
Rates based on less than 20 cases are not reliable and should be interpreted with caution.
Data in this report are aggregated by the date the case was reported to the Bureau of Epidemiology, Florida Department of Health. Cases are assigned to Florida counties based on the county of residence at the time of the disease identification, regardless of where they became ill or were hospitalized, diagnosed, or exposed.
All population-based rates are calculated using July 1 Florida population estimates from the Florida Legislature, Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
This is primary, quantitative data.

Chart will display if there are at least three years of data.
Multi-year counts are a sum of the selected years, not an average.
Quartiles are calculated when data are available for at least 51 counties.
MOV - Measure of Variability: Probable range of values resulting from random fluctuations in the number of events. Not calculated when numerator is below 5 or denominator is below 20, or count or rate is suppressed. The MOV is useful for comparing rates to a goal or standard. For example, if the absolute difference between the county rate and the statewide rate is less than the MOV, the county rate is not significantly different from the statewide rate (alpha level = 0.05). When the absolute difference between the county rate and the statewide rate is greater than the MOV, the county rate is significantly different from the statewide rate. MOV should not be used to determine if the rates of two different counties, or the county rates for two different years, are statistically significantly different.
Denom - abbreviated for denominator.
Population estimates are not available for persons whose county of residence is unknown. Given this, the denominator and associated rate are not available.
* - Indicates the county rate is statistically significantly different from the statewide rate.