title: Comments on: Chari, R.; Burke, T.A.; White, R.H.; Fox, M.A. Integrating susceptibility into environmental policy: an analysis of the national ambient air quality standard for lead. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2012, 9, 1077-1096.
abstract: A recent publication in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health by Chari et al. [1] provides no basis for changing the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for lead in the U.S. to protect children in low socio-economic (SES) populations. The studies selected by Chari et al. for analysis do not provide comparable information on regression coefficients for the blood lead level-IQ relationship. The coefficients differ from one another more on the basis of unequal blood lead metrics, ages of blood lead measurement, and differences in covariate adjustments and standardization, than the difference postulated by Chari et al. to correspond to low vs. high SES populations.
authors: Gradient, 20 University Road, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. tbowers@gradientcorp.com.
authors: Teresa S
authors: TS
authors: Bowers
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000592:standards*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000592:standards*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D007854:Lead