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Affinity Launches Free Lead Screening Initiative
Affinity Health is asking Brooklyn parents with children between the ages of nine months and six years. Affinity is not just asking the question, it is inviting Brooklyn parents to come and find out as it kicks off a month-long free lead screening covering five sections of Brooklyn. The first of the free children’s lead screening took place on Friday, March 19 at 57th and 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. More than 60 parents defied the snowy, rainy weather to bring their children to be tested. "It’s very good that Affinity is coming to our community and the lead testing is free for the children," said Hong Han, who brought her little baby girl to be tested. Three more screenings are planned at the following Brooklyn locations: • Nostrand and Church, Saturday, March 27 • Church and McDonald, Thursday, April 1, and • Church and Flatbush, Saturday, April 17 "This is a major community health initiative for us," says Dr. Tim Prinz, director of Affinity’s Com-munity Health Institute (CHI). "Lead poisoning is a serious problem among New York City’s children and as an organization that cares about important public health issues, we want to help in combating this problem." Doctors agree that lead poisoning can cause a variety of health problems. Children with high levels of lead in their blood (levels above10 ug/dL) can suffer from a decrease in intelligence, hyperactivity, learning disabilities and behavioral difficulties. Very high blood lead levels (above 70 ug/dL) can lead to severe health problems, such as seizures, coma and even death. As a result, New York State requires all children to be tested for lead by the time they reach two years of age. Prevention and early detection remains a major challenge, especially for children in poorer neighborhoods and children of color who are more likely to suffer from lead poisoning. Because most children will not show any symptoms during exposure, the only way to identify if the child has been exposed is to test the child’s blood. Last June, CHI received the American Association of Health Plans/Pfizer Grant for Innovation in Quality Improvement to help providers and communities raise lead testing rates. The project seeks to improve lead testing rates in targeted, high-risk communities in New York City through the use of a screening method that enables physicians or other medical office staff to collect blood samples in the office rather than sending patients to another location for the test. "Our aim in bringing the lead screening campaign to Brooklyn is to challenge Brooklyn parents to bring out their children to be tested and to encourage physicians to consider the simple "fingerstick" method of performing these needed tests. Children found to have a blood level higher than normal would be advised to see their doctor and get the care they need to bring their blood level down," said Dr. Prinz. "Lead poisoning is a serious problem and we want to work with parents and guardians to reach as many children as we can and help them to live lead-free." Affinity Health Plan is an independent, not-for-profit managed care plan designed to serve the needs of underserved residents of the New York Metropo-litan Area. Affinity currently serves over 190,000 Members in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Rock-land and Orange Counties. Affinity provides health care coverage through its Child Health Plus, Medicaid, Family Health Plus, UniCare and Sunrise Programs.
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