If a child swallows chips of lead-based paint, exposure to lead is increased. To help protect small children, the Consumer Product Safety Commission no longer allows the sale of paints with high levels of lead. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that paint already existing inside and outside of buildings be tested for lead. If the lead content is high, the paint should be removed in a safe manner and replaced with a lead-free paint. State health departments often oversee public water supplies and private septic tanks in addition to duties associated with food safety.
Many states maintain registries of diseases such as cancer and birth defects.
Studying patterns of incidence may help identify causes and allow public health agencies to target resources on high risk diseases, behaviors, or locations. See Government Agencies section. In many states, the state health department may have a registry of diseases such as cancer. A call to your state health department should let you know if the registry can give you information specific to your community. Your local health agency may also be aware of research that may have been performed in your community by universities or other researchers.