Determination of numbers of lead-exposed U. S. children by areas of the United States: An integrated summary of a report to the U. S. Congress on childhood lead poisoning

Journal Article · Wed Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1990 · Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.9089109· OSTI ID:5624101

Crocetti, A F ^[1]; Mushak, P ^[2]; Schwartz, J ^[3]

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1. New York Medical College, NY (USA)
2. Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (USA)
3. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (USA)

In response to Congressional mandate and under the aegis of the Federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a comprehensive report to Congress on childhood lead poisoning in the US was prepared. The authors have examined numbers of lead-exposed US children by socioeconomic/demographic strata for children 0.5 to 5 years of age; by children in US lead-screening programs; and by enumerations of children 0.5 to 5 years old in the oldest (i.e., highest paint lead and lead plumbing) housing. Using blood lead (PbB) prevalence projection modeling and data of the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II), it is estimated for 1984 that 2.4 million black and white children 0.5 to 5 years old in metropolitan US had PbB levels > 15 {mu}g/dL. For all races and the entire nation, they estimate 3 to 4 million children will have PbB levels > 15 {mu}g/dL. Inner-city, low-income children have the highest prevalence of PbB levels above this criterion level, but sizable numbers of all strata of children have elevated PbB levels when considering both base populations and prevalence for the specific strata. Lead screening programs indicate much lower numbers of exposed children compared to NHANES II-based projections, for various reasons that allow programs to underestimate true prevalence.

• OSTI ID: 5624101
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA), Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA) Vol. 89; ISSN 0091-6765; ISSN EVHPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AGE GROUPS
BUILDINGS
CHILDREN
CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRIES
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
HOUSES
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LEAD COMPOUNDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
POPULATIONS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
URBAN AREAS
URBAN POPULATIONS
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA