Abstract
Studies have shown that the environmental conditions of the home are important predictors of health, especially in low-income communities. Understanding the relationship between the environment and health is crucial in the management of certain diseases. One health outcome related to the home environment among urban, minority, and low-income children is childhood lead poisoning. The most common sources of lead exposure for children are lead paint in older, dilapidated housing and contaminated dust and soil produced by accumulated residue of leaded gasoline. Blood lead levels (BLL) as low as 10 microg/dL in children are associated with impaired cognitive function, behavior difficulties, and reduced intelligence. Recently, it is suggested that the standard for intervention be lowered to BLL of 5 microg/dl. The objectives of our report were to assess the prevalence of lead poisoning among children under six years of age and to quantify and test the correlations between BLL in children and lead exposure levels in their environment. This cross-sectional analysis was restricted to 75 children under six years of age who lived in 6 zip code areas of inner city Miami. These locations exhibited unacceptably high levels of lead dust and soil in areas where children live and play. Using the 5 microg/dL as the cutoff point, the prevalence of lead poisoning among the study sample was 13.33%. The study revealed that lead levels in floor dust and window sill samples were positively and significantly correlated with BLL among children (p < 0.05). However, the correlations between BLL and the soil, air, and water samples were not significant. Based on this pilot study, a more comprehensive environmental study in surrounding inner city areas is warranted. Parental education on proper housecleaning techniques may also benefit those living in the high lead-exposed communities of inner city Miami.
Highlights
For many Americans living in substandard housing, home is where the harm is [1]
More than half (52%) of the participants were African Americans and 39% were Hispanics. This was expected because the target areas were heavily populated by these minority residents who were the most at-risk for childhood lead poisoning
Floor dust and soil levels were found to be below the Housing and Urban Development/ Environmental Protection Agency (HUD/EPA) standards which may likely be due to small sample size
Summary
For many Americans living in substandard housing, home is where the harm is [1]. Because Americans spend as much as 90% of their time indoors [2], home environment is where indoor contaminants have the potential for greatest influence on health [3]. In spite of the economic prosperity, over 2.5 million and 770,000 households with children live in substandard and severely substandard housing, respectively in the U.S [8,9,10]. Such severe housing problems can result in a variety of health conditions in children including lead poisoning especially among minority population [9]. Children with elevated blood lead levels (BLL) are more likely to be African American, live in metropolitan cities, be poor, and be exposed to lead due to peeling/flaking paint of homes and highly contaminated soil that contributes to household dusts [11]
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