You are here:
COMPLIANCE STATUS DOES NOT EFFECT CHANGES IN CHILDREN'S BLOOD LEAD LEVELS
Citation:
RAPAZZO, K., C. CUMMINGS, R. HIMMELSBACH, AND R. TOBIN. COMPLIANCE STATUS DOES NOT EFFECT CHANGES IN CHILDREN'S BLOOD LEAD LEVELS. Presented at Ssociety for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research, Seattle, WA, June 20 - 21, 2006.
Description:
BACKGROUND: Childhood lead poisoning is a well-recognized health concern. Lead-based paint in homes poses a particular risk for children, and protecting children from lead hazards remains an urgent public health need. This study sought to examine the housing factors affecting long term change in blood lead levels. METHODS: A secondary analysis of data from the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program of Philadelphia (7/1/1999 - 9/1/2004), including 959 children. Compliance status of housing (lead levels meeting Department of Housing and Urban Development standards), time to compliance (days between initial inspection and inspection when compliance was achieved), blood lead levels (reported as micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood), and time between blood tests were used in these analysis. RESULTS: No differences were found in lead-level change between children living in compliant (-12.44ug/dL) versus noncompliant (-12.22ug/dL) housing. Further analysis, involving children less than 2 years with initial elevated lead levels, stratified by time to final test, confirmed the lack of association between compliant housing and blood-lead levels. Time to compliance was not associated (at p< 0.05 level) with change in lead levels. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, neither a house¿s lead hazard control status nor the time it took to achieve compliance affected long-term changes in children¿s lead levels. Lead-safe housing will likely prevent lead poisoned children from getting further blood lead increases and prevent lead poisoning in other children in the house, but elevated lead levels will drop naturally with time. Current compliance programs may not effect desired changes. The focus of lead poisoning prevention should be in primary prevention