Lead Risk From Housing

This data is included as part of the Environmental Health Disparities Version 3.0 map. To see this map, visit our webpage. For more technical information on this map and the model used, visit our Environmental Health Disparities Map Report Version 3.0. Background Lead poisoning is a serious but preventable public health issue. There are no safe levels of lead exposure. Even small amounts can lead to significant health implications. Exposure to lead can increase risk for chronic health conditions, neurological defects, and nervous system damage. Children six years old and younger are the most affected by lead exposure. Their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults do, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to its damaging effects. Much of the lead found in human environments is due to the use of lead in products such as water pipes and house paint. Paint typically contained high levels of lead before 1980. Therefore, home age is a marker of the presence of lead paint. In the early 1970s the paint industry issued voluntary standards limiting lead content in paint, and in 1978 lead was banned from use in the manufacture of residential paint. Structural racism and historical discriminatory policies, such as redlining, have contributed to disparities in lead exposure. Non-Hispanic Black children consistently have higher median blood lead levels compared to non-Hispanic white children. Areas with high lead exposure also experience more racial segregation and lower academic test scores. These lower test scores serve as a health measure, reflecting the neurological impact of lead exposure. People with fewer financial resources are more likely to live in older homes where lead paint is deteriorating, increasing their lead exposure. While full removal of lead paint may not always be possible, strategies like maintaining cracking paint and washing children’s toys or bottles can reduce the risks. Testing children for lead poisoning is important when there is a potential risk of lead exposure. Evidence Lead exposure can cause learning disabilities, behavior problems, stunted physical growth, and delayed mental development.1 Racial segregation caused by discriminatory housing policies causes disparities in lead exposure. Non-Hispanic Black children are more likely to be exposed to lead than non-Hispanic white children.2 Lead paint in older homes can raise indoor lead levels. In combination with poor housing conditions, this can increase the risk of lead exposure.3,4 Data Source American Community Survey 5-year estimates, B25034 - Selected Housing Estimates American Housing Survey II - presence of lead in housing based on era of construction.5 Methods The U.S. Census’s American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year roll-up provides the total number of houses in each census tract and the proportion of houses by year of construction. We adjust each era of construction based on the proportional risk for that era. The adjustment factors come from the American Housing Survey II. The adjustments are for housing built: Before 1940 = 0.619. 1940-1959= 0.309. 1960-1977= 0.075. Caveats This measure models potential lead exposure based on the age of housing. The age of a building by itself does not reflect the actual exposure to lead. Some older homes have had lead paint removed through a process called remediation. Additionally, the age of housing is an individual-level risk factor. This measure represents the whole census tract, which is not the actual risk for a specific house or community within the tract. Not all houses within a census tract were built at the same time, so not all homes within a census tract actually have the same risk. To find the risk for their home, people should consider checking its specific age and lead status. Conditions can vary widely. For a map of lead exposure risk in WA state incorporating both housing and poverty factors, you can visit the Lead Exposure Risk Index on our Information by Location tool. Sources American Academy of Pediatrics. (n.d.). Lead Exposure in Children. Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/lead-exposure/lead-exposure-in-children/ Bravo MA, Zephyr D, Kowal D, Ensor K, Miranda ML. (2022). Racial residential segregation shapes the relationship between early childhood lead exposure and fourth-grade standardized test scores. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 119(34):e2117868119. Jacobs, D. E., Nevin, R., & Eaton, D. (2009). The relationship of housing and population health: A 30-year retrospective analysis. Environmental Health Perspectives, 117(4), 597–604. Roberts, J. R., Hulsey, T. C., Curtis, G. B., & Reigart, J. R. (2003). Using geographic information systems to assess risk for elevated blood lead levels in children. Public Health Reports, 118(3), 221–229. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes. American Healthy Homes Survey II: Lead Findings Report. October 29, 2021. https://archives.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr-edge-trending-030822.html. Citation Washington Tracking Network, Washington State Department of Health. Web. "Lead Risk from Housing". Data obtained from the American Community Survey, 2019-2023 B25034 - Selected Housing Estimates Data. Published September 2025.本数据集作为《环境健康差异第三版》地图的组成部分发布。若需查看该地图，请访问我们的官方网页；若需了解该地图及所用模型的更多技术细节，请查阅《环境健康差异地图报告第三版》。 ## 背景 铅中毒是一种严重但可预防的公共卫生问题，不存在安全的铅暴露阈值。即使少量铅暴露也会引发显著的健康损害。铅暴露会增加罹患慢性疾病、神经系统缺陷及神经系统损伤的风险。6岁及以下儿童是铅暴露的最高危人群：其发育中的身体对铅的吸收率高于成人，且大脑与神经系统对铅的有害影响更为敏感。 人类环境中存在的铅大多源于含铅产品的使用，例如水管与房屋涂料。1980年以前的涂料通常含有高浓度铅，因此住宅房龄可作为是否存在含铅涂料的标志。20世纪70年代初，涂料行业自愿出台了限制涂料铅含量的标准，并于1978年全面禁止在住宅涂料生产中使用铅。 结构性种族主义与历史歧视性政策（如红线区划（redlining））加剧了铅暴露的健康差异。非西班牙裔黑人儿童的血液铅中位水平始终高于非西班牙裔白人儿童。铅暴露水平较高的区域往往同时存在更严重的种族隔离现象与更低的学业考试成绩，而这些较低的考试成绩可作为健康衡量指标，反映铅暴露带来的神经系统影响。 经济资源匮乏的人群更有可能居住在房龄较老的住宅中，这类住宅的含铅涂料易出现剥落，进而增加铅暴露风险。尽管完全清除含铅涂料并非总能实现，但通过维护开裂涂料、清洗儿童玩具或餐具等策略可降低相关风险。当存在铅暴露潜在风险时，对儿童进行铅中毒检测至关重要。 ## 证据 铅暴露可引发学习障碍、行为问题、身体发育迟缓以及心理发育延迟¹。由歧视性住房政策导致的种族隔离加剧了铅暴露的健康差异。非西班牙裔黑人儿童比非西班牙裔白人儿童更易遭遇铅暴露²。老旧住宅中的含铅涂料会提升室内铅浓度，结合恶劣的住房条件，会进一步增加铅暴露风险³,⁴。 ## 数据来源 美国社区调查（American Community Survey, ACS）5年估算数据，B25034——选定住房估算数据；美国住房调查II——基于建造年代的住宅含铅情况⁵。 ## 方法 美国人口普查局的美国社区调查5年汇总数据提供了各普查区域内的住宅总数，以及按建造年代划分的住宅占比。我们依据各建造年代对应的相对风险进行调整，调整系数源自美国住房调查II。各建造年代的调整系数如下：1940年以前建造=0.619；1940-1959年建造=0.309；1960-1977年建造=0.075。 ## 局限性 本评估基于住宅房龄模拟潜在铅暴露风险。仅依靠建筑房龄无法反映实际的铅暴露情况，部分老旧住宅已通过修复流程清除了含铅涂料。此外，住宅房龄属于个体层面的风险因素，而本评估代表的是整个普查区域的平均水平，并非该区域内特定住宅或社区的实际风险。同一普查区域内的住宅并非同时建造，因此区域内并非所有住宅的风险都一致。若需了解个人住宅的风险，民众应查询该住宅的具体建造年代与含铅状况，实际情况可能存在较大差异。 如需查看结合住房与贫困因素的华盛顿州铅暴露风险地图，可访问我们的“按位置查询信息”工具中的“铅暴露风险指数”页面。 ## 参考文献 1. 美国儿科学会（American Academy of Pediatrics）. 儿童铅暴露[EB/OL]. 无出版日期. 检索自: https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/lead-exposure/lead-exposure-in-children/ 2. Bravo MA, Zephyr D, Kowal D, Ensor K, Miranda ML. (2022). 种族居住隔离塑造儿童早期铅暴露与四年级标准化考试成绩之间的关联. 美国国家科学院院刊, 119(34):e2117868119. 3. Jacobs DE, Nevin R, Eaton D. (2009). 住房与人群健康的关系：30年回顾性分析. 环境健康展望, 117(4):597–604. 4. Roberts JR, Hulsey TC, Curtis GB, Reigart JR. (2003). 利用地理信息系统评估儿童血铅水平升高风险. 公共卫生报告, 118(3):221–229. 5. 美国住房与城市发展部, 铅危害控制与健康住宅办公室. 美国健康住宅调查II: 铅检测报告. 2021年10月29日. 检索自: https://archives.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr-edge-trending-030822.html. ## 引用格式 华盛顿追踪网络, 华盛顿州卫生部. 网络资源. "住宅铅风险". 数据源自2019-2023年美国社区调查B25034——选定住房估算数据. 2025年9月发布.