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

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.