Wiping out lead in at-risk communities: Targeting limited lead testing resources based on community-level risk for lead exposure

Background: Lead poisoning is among most well-studied environmental health issues in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that, “Although all children are at risk for lead toxicity, poor and minority children are disproportionately affected. Lead exposure is at once a by-product of poverty and a contributor to the cycle that perpetuates and deepens the state of being poor.” Lack of access to safe, healthy housing in low income minority communities contributes to the well-documented increase in lead burden. By identifying community-level risk for lead exposure, this study assesses the efficacy of distribution of free home lead testing kits by the Northern New Jersey Maternal/Child Health Consortium's Lead Education and Outreach program. Methods: Free home lead testing kits were distributed over two years among northern New Jersey communities with various levels of population density and income. In order to determine the efficacy of kit distribution based on community-level risk of lead exposure, a geo-spatial analysis will be completed. The geographic information systems (GIS) analysis will compare the number of kits distributed within census tracts using a lead poisoning risk index based on population size, income level and age of housing stock. Results: The analysis will determine whether communities at higher risk for lead exposure were targeted by kit distribution efforts. Conclusion: While this distribution effort may have effectively targeted those most at risk for lead poisoning, future lead poisoning prevention plans should include targeted distribution strategies based on an analysis of community-level risk for lead exposure.