Blood Lead Levels in Children

Blood lead level is a measure of the amount of lead found in blood. It is measured in micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (μg/dL). The HCI Blood Lead Levels in Children indicator measures the percent of neighborhood children that have been tested and found to have lead levels over 5 µg/dL. Childhood lead exposure is a critical public health issue. High blood lead levels can cause reduced cognitive potential; children whose health or cognition has been harmed by lead suffer permanent effects that continue into adulthood. This is an “inverse” measure: a high proportion of neighborhood children with high blood levels equates to low community health. Although identified in the Housing domain, blood lead levels in children also impacts health systems and public safety, employment, economic health, and education. Blood lead data are collected by state and local health departments.

Neighborhoodsort descending Indicator Value Rank
Acipco-Finley -% -
Airport Highlands -% -
Apple Valley -% -
Arlington - West End -% -
Belview Heights -% -
Bridlewood -% -
Brown Springs -% -
Brownsville Heights -% -
Brummitt Heights -% -
Bush Hills -% -
Central City -% -
Central Park -% -
Central Pratt -% -
College Hills -% -
Collegeville -% -
Crestline -% -
Crestwood North -% -
Crestwood South -% -
Dolomite -% -
Druid Hills -% -
East Avondale -% -
East Birmingham -% -
East Brownville -% -
East Lake -% -
East Thomas -% -
Eastwood -% -
Echo Highlands -% -
Enon Ridge -% -
Ensley -% -
Ensley Highlands -% -
Evergreen -% -
Fairmont -% -
Fairview -% -
Five Points South -% -
Forest Park -% -
Fountain Heights -% -
Garden Highlands -% -
Gate City -% -
Germania Park -% -
Glen Iris -% -
Grasselli Heights -% -
Graymont -% -
Green Acres -% -
Harriman Park -% -
Highland Park -% -
Hillman -% -
Hillman Park -% -
Hooper City -% -
Huffman -% -
Industrial Center -% -
Inglenook -% -
Jones Valley -% -
Killough Springs -% -
Kingston -% -
Liberty Highlands -% -
Maple Grove -% -
Mason City -% -
North Avondale -% -
North Birmingham -% -
North East Lake -% -
North Pratt -% -
North Titusville -% -
Norwood -% -
Oak Ridge -% -
Oak Ridge Park -% -
Oakwood Place -% -
Overton -% -
Oxmoor -% -
Penfield Park -% -
Pine Knoll Vista -% -
Powderly -% -
Redmont Park -% -
Riley -% -
Rising - West Princeton -% -
Roebuck -% -
Roebuck Springs -% -
Roosevelt -% -
Sandusky -% -
Sherman Heights -% -
Smithfield -% -
Smithfield Estates -% -
South East Lake -% -
South Pratt -% -
South Titusville -% -
South Woodlawn -% -
Southside -% -
Spring Lake -% -
Sun Valley -% -
Tarpley City -% -
Thomas -% -
Tuxedo -% -
Wahouma -% -
West Brownville -% -
West End Manor -% -
West Goldwire -% -
Woodland Park -% -
Woodlawn -% -
Wylam -% -
Zion City -% -

Key Citations:
1. Asthma Community Network, Program at a Glance: New York State Department of Health, Center for Environmental Health, Healthy Neighborhoods Program. Accessed August 30, 2013. Available at: http://www.asthmacommunitynetwork.org/node/6163
2. Gould E. Childhood lead poisoning: conservative estimates of the social and economic benefits of lead hazard control. Environmental Health Perspective. 2009;117(7):1162–1167.
3. Trasande L and Liu Y. Reducing the staggering costs of environmental disease in children, estimated at $76.6 billion in 2008. Health Affairs. 2011; 30 (5): 863–869.
4. Jusko TA, Henderson CR, Lanphear BP, Cory-Slechta DA, Parsons PJ, Canfield RL. Blood lead Concentrations. Environ. Health Perspect. 2008;116(2):243–248.
5. Mazumdar M, Bellinger DC, Gregas M, Abanilla K, Bacic J, Needleman HL. Low-level environmental lead exposure in childhood and adult intellectual function: a follow-up study. Environ Health. 2011;10:24.
6. Bellinger DC, Stiles KM, Needleman HL. Low-level lead exposure, intelligence and academic achievement: a long term follow-up study. Pediatrics. 1992;90(6):855–861.