Spatial Patterns and Health Disparities in Pediatric Lead Exposure in Chicago: Characteristics and Profiles of High-Risk Neighborhoods

Abstract

Lead poisoning remains a major environmental health threat and a persistent source of health disparities in the United States. In this retrospective study, statistical and geospatial approaches were used to evaluate age- and gender-specific differences in childhood lead prevalence across Chicago, assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of the disease, and identify the socioeconomic and racial composition of high-risk communities. Elevated blood lead levels (≥ 10 μ g/dL of lead) decreased significantly during the study period but disparities persisted across neighborhoods. A significant association was observed between high-risk neighborhoods and housing age, low income, and minority populations. These findings provide insights into the complex geographies of lead exposure and could serve as a basis for developing more targeted health intervention programs.

El envenenamiento con plomo sigue siendo una de las principales amenazas ambientales para la salud y una fuente persistente de las disparidades en materia de salubridad en los Estados Unidos. En este estudio retrospectivo se usaron enfoques estadísticos y geoespaciales para evaluar las diferencias específicas por edad y género en la prevalencia del plomo en la niñez de Chicago, estimar la dinámica espacio-temporal de la enfermedad, e identificar la composición socioeconómica y racial de las comunidades en riesgo alto. Los altos niveles de plomo en la sangre (≥ 10 μg/dL de plomo) disminuyeron significativamente durante la época del estudio, pero las disparidades se mantuvieron entre los vecindarios. Se observó una asociación significativa entre los vecindarios de alto riesgo y la antigüedad de la vivienda, los bajos ingresos y la población de minorías. Estos descubrimientos proveen ideas sobre las complejas geografías de exposición al plomo y podrían servir de base para el desarrollo de más programas específicamente orientados hacia la salud.

Key Words:

• environmental health
• geostatistical analysis
• health disparities
• lead poisoning
• spatial analysis

关键词:

• 环境健康
• 空间统计分析
• 健康状况差异
• 铅中毒
• 空间分析

Palabras clave:

• salud ambiental
• análisis geoestadístico
• disparidades de la salud
• envenenamiento con plomo
• análisis espacial

Acknowledgments

His research interests include GISystems, GIScience, cartographic design, geography and algorithms, pattern recognition, environmental health and exposure, and spatial analysis.

Her research interests include pediatric health geographies, environmental health hazards, health disparities, environmental justice, spatial analysis, and geostatistics.

Notes

^a n = 218.

^b n = 648.

*This research was approved by the University Human Investigation Review Board in accordance with the guidelines for the protection of human subjects. The research was supported in part by the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Office of Research, Development and Administration Faculty Seed Grant. We wish to thank the PG Editor, Sharmistha Bagchi-Sen, and the anonymous reviewers for their comments on earlier versions of this article. We appreciate the assistance of David Burke for the initial processing and analysis of the data. Kara Scott assisted with literature review and proofread the first draft. Data pertaining to pediatric lead exposure were obtained from the Chicago Department of Public Health with the assistance of Anne Evens and Patrick MacRoy.