Federal housing assistance may help reduce young children's exposure to lead, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Epidemiology.
Researchers from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in Minneapolis, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that children age 5 and younger receiving federal housing assistance had lower average blood lead levels than children waiting to receive assistance. The greatest benefit was seen among children living in project-based housing programs, including public housing and multifamily income-restricted housing, where researchers found significantly lower odds of elevated blood lead levels.
Lead exposure remains one of the most preventable environmental threats to children's health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no safe level of lead in children's blood has been identified, and even low levels can affect brain development, learning and behavior.
The researchers examined blood lead levels among 874 U.S. children using linked data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and administrative records from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
