York, PA – the number of lead poisoning cases in York might increase because of cuts to an eradication program’s budget, said Dr. David Hawk, medical director for the York City Bureau of Health.
Funding for York City’s childhood lead poisoning prevention program fell from $172,905 in 2009-10 to $146,635 in 2010-11, coordinator Marilou Yingling said. the program receives its allocation from the state, Yingling said.
In July, budget cuts required the city to eliminate one of its screeners, she said.
The loss of personnel required the health bureau to abandon door-to-door screening. in the summer months, two screeners hit selected neighborhoods and checked residents’ lead levels. It’s a blood test — more than 10 micrograms of lead in the blood is considered dangerous.
The two remaining screeners still check about 2,000 kids a year at places like head-start programs and by appointment, Yingling said.
The funding cuts are already having an effect. There were 37 reported cases of lead poisoning in York in 2010, down from 69 the previous year, according to the bureau’s annual reportable conditions summary for 2010. That doesn’t mean York’s lead poisoning problem is going away — it means more cases of lead poisoning aren’t detected, Hawk said.
Lead-based paint was banned in 1978, but it’s still in many homes IN York. in places where the lead-based paint is still on the surface, there’s a danger that children will eat paint chips, attracted by lead’s sweet taste.
“The days of mortality from lead poisoning are pretty much gone,” he said.
The lower-level cases health care workers confront today can affect bone and muscle growth, speech and language problems and delays in child development.
The disease can affect a person’s aptitude, ultimately lowering expectations, Hawk said.
That’s why funding cuts to York City’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program worry Hawk — the toll poisoning takes on a patient’s quality of life.
Lead poisoning “doesn’t just create a medical problem,” Hawk said, “it creates a social problem.”
2010 whooping cough outbreak on decline
The outbreak of pertussis, or whooping cough, saw 12 confirmed cases of the disease in 2010, according to the York City Bureau of Health. in 2009, there were none.
“Twelve pertussis cases were the tip of the iceberg in terms of what was happening here in the city,” Medical Director Dr. David Hawk said. “We had a lot more unconfirmed pertussis cases going on.”
To qualify as a reported case, symptoms have to meet strict guidelines set by the federal Centers for Disease Control. so far, there has been one confirmed case of the illness in 2011, Hawk said.
The outbreak resulted in no pediatric deaths to date, Hawk said. the disease can be fatal.
Swine flu, which saw 62 confirmed cases in 2009, is still lingering, Hawk said. however, no confirmed cases were reported in 2010.
STDs
York saw decreases in gonorrhea and syphilis in 2010, according the York City Bureau of Health.
The decrease is part of a recent national trend for sexually transmitted diseases, Medical Director Dr. David Hawk said. Recent advancements in single-dose therapies — where patients can opt for a single shot instead of a regimen of pills — deserves at least some of the credit for the decrease.
Also in 2010, there were 22 reported cases of HIV in York, Hawk said. It was the first year medical employees compiled statistics for HIV patients by where they live. in the past, HIV patients were listed only where they were diagnosed or received treatment, which led to inaccurate readings, Hawk said.
Lead paint safety
For more on lead paint, including safety tips, visit cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5054.html.