California Blood Lead Data, 2023

Page Contents:​

Number of Individual Children Screened for Lead, by California Local Health Jurisdiction and Highest Level, 2023 (Table)

Blood Lead Maps and Data

• Map 1. Percent of Children Under 6 Years Old with a Blood Lead Level of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) or Greater, by California Local Health Jurisdiction, 2023
• Table 1. California Local Health Jurisdictions, by Percent of Children Under 6 Years Old with a Blood Lead Level of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) or Greater, in Descending Order, 2023​​
  

Number of Individual Children Screened for Lead, by California Local Health Jurisdiction and ​​​Highest Level, 20​23 (Table)​​

• Data are from the RASSCLE surveillance database archive of 01/02/2025.
• As of October 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses a blood lead reference value (BLRV) of 3.5 µg/dL to identify children with blood lead levels that are higher than most children's levels.
• Each individual is counted only once, using their highest BLL during 2023.
• Measures are in µg/dL of whole blood and include arterial, cord, venous, capillary, and unknown samples. Not all elevated capillary samples are confirmed by a follow-up venous sample.
• Results later determined to be false positives or errors have been excluded.
• All results of blood lead analyses are reportable under California law, and the State works to ensure complete reporting. Results that are not submitted to the State, however, would not be included here.
• Patient jurisdiction is determined by geocoding the address associated with the child's highest BLL using Esri's StreetMap Premium North America locator.
• Data are suppressed for local health jurisdictions that did not have enough blood lead tests greater than or equal to 3.5 µg/dL in 2023 to meet the California Health and Human Services Agency's Data De-Identification Guidelines for public release.​
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Blood Lead Maps and Data​

Map 1. Percent of Children Under 6 Years Old with a Blood Lead Level of 3.5 micro​​grams per deciliter (µg/dL) or Greater, by California​ Local Health Jurisdiction, 2023​

Table 1. California Local Health Jurisdictions, by Percent of Children Under 6 Years Old with a Blood Lead Level of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) or Greater, in Descending Order, 2023

• Data are from the RASSCLE surveillance database archive of 01/02/2025.
• Each individual is counted only once, using their highest blood lead level (BLL) during 2023.
• Measures are in micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) of whole blood and include arterial, cord, venous, capillary, and unknown samples. Not all elevated capillary samples are confirmed by a follow-up venous sample.
• Results later determined to be false positives or errors have been excluded.
• All results of blood lead analyses are reportable under California law, and the State works to ensure complete reporting. Results that are not submitted to the State, however , would not be included here.
• Patient jurisdiction is determined by geocoding the address associated with the child's highest BLL using Esri's StreetMap Premium North America locator.
• Data are suppressed for local health jurisdictions that did not have enough blood lead tests greater than or equal to 3.5 µg/dL in 2023 to meet the California Health and Human Services Agency's Data De-Identification Guidelines for public release. Therefore, not all jurisdictions are shown in this table individually. They are presented as one row labeled “Suppressed Jurisdictions". Suppressed jurisdictions include Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Inyo, Lassen, Mariposa, Modoc, Mono, Plumas, San Benito, Sierra, Siskiyou, and Trinity.