American Journal of Public Health, Vol 91, Issue 4 621-624, Copyright © 2001 by American Public Health Association

JOURNAL ARTICLE

The effectiveness of housing policies in reducing children's lead exposure

MJ Brown, J Gardner, JD Sargent, K Swartz, H Hu and R Timperi
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, State Laboratory Institute, Jamaica Plain, Mass., USA. mbrown@hsph.harvard.edu

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the relation of housing policies to risk of subsequent lead exposure in addresses where lead-poisoned children had lived. METHODS: Addresses where children with lead poisoning lived between May 1992 and April 1993 were selected from lead screening registries in 2 northeastern states differing in their enforcement of lead poisoning prevention statutes. Blood lead levels of subsequently resident children, exterior condition, tax value, age, and census tract characteristics were collected. The odds of elevated blood lead levels in subsequently resident children were calculated with logistic regression. RESULTS: The risk of identifying 1 or more children with blood lead levels of 10 micrograms/dL or greater was 4 times higher in addresses with limited enforcement. Controlling for major confounders had little effect on the estimate. CONCLUSIONS: Enforcement of housing policies interrupts the cycle of repeated lead exposure.

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