title: Do US ambient air lead levels have a significant impact on childhood blood lead levels: results of a national study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although lead paint and leaded gasoline have not been used in the US for thirty years, thousands of US children continue to have blood lead levels (BLLs) of concern.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the potential association of modeled air lead levels and BLLs ≥ 10 μ g/dL using a large CDC database with BLLs on children aged 0-3 years. Percent of children with BLLs ≥ 10 μ g/dL (2000-2007) by county and proportion of pre-50 housing and SES variables were merged with the US EPA's National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) modeled air lead data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion with BLL ≥ 10 μ g/dL was 1.24% in the highest air lead counties, and the proportion with BLL ≥ 10 μ g/dL was 0.36% in the lowest air lead counties, resulting in a crude prevalence ratio of 3.4. Further analysis using multivariate negative binomial regression revealed that NATA lead was a significant predictor of % BLL ≥ 10 μ g/dL after controlling for percent pre-l950 housing, percent rural, and percent black. A geospatial regression revealed that air lead, percent older housing, and poverty were all significant predictors of % BLL ≥ 10 μ g/dL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More emphasis should be given to potential sources of ambient air lead near residential areas.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors: LuAnn L
authors: LL
authors: Brink
authors: Evelyn O
authors: EO
authors: Talbott
authors: Ravi K
authors: RK
authors: Sharma
authors: Gary M
authors: GM
authors: Marsh
authors: Wen Chi
authors: WC
authors: Wu
authors: Judith R
authors: JR
authors: Rager
authors: Heather M
authors: HM
authors: Strosnider
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D016010:Binomial Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D007854:Lead
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