Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109178

Kristen Rappazzo, BA, School of Public Health, Drexel University, 1501 Race St, Philadelphia, PA 19102, 215-840-6430, kmr44@drexel.edu, Curtis E. Cummings, MD, MPH, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, Mail Stop 660, 245 North 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192, Robert Himmelsbach, BA, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Division of Maternal, Child and Family Health, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, 2100 West Girard Ave., PNH Building #3, Philadelphia, PA 19130-1400, and Richard E. Tobin, MS, MPA, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 2100 W Girard Ave, PNH Building #3, Philadelphia, PA 19130-1400.

Lead poisoning in children has been recognized as a serious health concern for many years. Many actions have been taken to remove lead hazards from the homes of children with elevated blood lead levels. This study examined the long-term differences in blood lead levels for children living in compliant (i.e., lead safe) housing versus those in noncompliant housing. Changes in blood lead level were examined at 3 years (n= 298), 2 years (n= 722), and 18 months (n= 990) for children living in compliant versus noncompliant houses. All data was previously collected and provided by the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program of Philadelphia. Data were analyzed with independent t-tests, using SPSS software.

There was no statistically significant difference in change in blood lead level for children living in compliant versus noncompliant houses. On further analysis, children under the age of two at initial elevated blood lead, using time periods of either less than one year to final test, or greater than one year to final test, also had no significant difference between children in compliant versus noncompliant housing.

In this study, a house's lead hazard control status did not affect long-term changes in children's blood 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 blood lead levels will drop naturally with time. The focus of lead poisoning prevention should be in primary prevention, preventing exposure from occurring at all.

Learning Objectives:

• 3. Assess the effect of lead hazard remediation on lowering of children's blood lead levels.
  6. Describe methods of secondary data analysis.
  9. Recognize the limitations of solely environmental remediation on children's blood lead levels.

Keywords: Lead, Children's Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.