Ballantyne, Colleen Marie
(2024)
Household Lead Exposures for Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Allegheny County: Geographic and Social Vulnerability Trends.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract
Background: Children that are exposed to lead can experience lifelong health effects so it is essential to find and eliminate sources of lead exposure. Lead exposures can often happen in the child’s household through the presence of lead-based paint and lead in dust, water, and soil. Populations of Color and areas of lower socio-economic status are often at greater risk for a household lead exposure. In 2021, nearly 2% of children tested in Allegheny County had a blood lead level above 5 μg/dL, making them eligible for a free home lead inspection.
Methods: Household lead inspection data for Allegheny County from 1989 to early 2023 was used to identify geographic areas of high risk and to determine if vulnerable locations, as defined by the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), are at increased risk for household lead risk. The lead inspection data was mapped in ArcGIS and merged with SVI census tract data. R was used to run regression models to identify SVI variables associated with lead risk. Multinomial logistic regression, logistic regression, and negative binomial regression were all used to conduct a sensitivity analysis to determine whether SVI can predict household lead risk.
Results: Created maps showed that positive lead inspections were centralized around the City of Pittsburgh and the Mon Valley region. The primary source of lead was lead-based paint, with deteriorating lead paint being found in 99% of lead positive homes. Lead dust created from chipping lead paint was also common. All three models found that SVI was associated with higher odds of a positive household lead inspection.
Conclusions: The data showed that SVI and specifically, race and socioeconomic status, are associated with higher odds of household lead. The public health significance of these findings, is that areas at highest risk for household lead have been identified through this research and can be targeted with interventions that prevent childhood lead exposures.
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Details
| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
| Creators | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Ballantyne, Colleen Marie | cmb355@pitt.edu | cmb355 | |
|
| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID |
|---|
| Committee Chair | Talbott, Evelyn | eot1@pitt.edu | eot1 | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Sanders, Alison | aps109@pitt.edu | aps109 | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Kuzemchak, Margaret | maggie.kuzemchak@gmail.com | UNSPECIFIED | UNSPECIFIED |
|
| Date: |
3 January 2024 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Submission Date: |
14 December 2023 |
| Access Restriction: |
2 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 2 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
59 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Epidemiology |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
lead exposure, elevated blood lead levels, housing, social vulnerability index, environmental health, children's health, geographic trends |
| Date Deposited: |
03 Jan 2024 15:39 |
| Last Modified: |
03 Jan 2024 15:39 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/45692 |
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