Mapping childhood lead exposure risk in the US, neighborhood by neighborhood
No amount of lead exposure is considered safe for children. Even low levels of lead in a child's blood can cause serious health problems and developmental delays. But data on lead exposure are sparse at the neighborhood level in the United States, leaving significant gaps in knowledge about where lead exposure may be occurring.
Childhood lead exposure risk mapping across the United States has been undertaken by researchers, taking into account neighborhood-level data. Lead exposure can cause severe health problems in children, even at low levels, and is especially prevalent in older housing stock and low-income areas. Prior research suggests that the age of a community's housing stock and its poverty level are factors that can predict childhood lead exposure.
To create a comprehensive map, the authors combined data from the 2018–2022 American Community Survey with existing knowledge about lead exposure. They then generated a risk score for every U.S. census tract and county, which can serve as a screening tool to identify neighborhoods with higher lead exposure risks. The map was validated by comparing predicted risk levels to actual blood lead levels in children in 11 states, demonstrating a positive correlation between predicted risk and measured blood lead levels.
However, the map is not able to determine if a specific home is safe from lead exposure, and its effectiveness in the West and Sun Belt regions remains unknown. The map can aid in targeted testing and outreach efforts, but further research is needed to establish its full utility in identifying individual home safety.
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