CHILDHOOD LEAD-POISONING IN MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITIES - ITS ASSOCIATION WITH SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS

Objectives. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship b etween communities' sociodemographic and housing characteristics and i ncidence of lead poisoning. Methods. This was a population-based corre lational study of 238 275 Massachusetts children from birth through 4 years of age who were screened for lead poisoning in 1991-1992. A logi stic regression model was developed with the community as the unit of analysis, the case identification rate for lead poisoning (newly ident ified children with venous blood lead greater than or equal to 25 mu g /dL per 1000 children) as the dependent variable, and US census variab les as independent variables. Results. A significant independent relat ionship with the community case identification rate of lead poisoning was found for seven variables: median per capita income, percentage of housing built before 1950, percentage of the population who were Blac k, percentage of children screened, and a ''poverty index.'' Rates of iron deficiency and percentage of Hispanics were not associated with t he case identification rate of lead poisoning. Conclusions. Massachuse tts communities' incidence of lead poisoning is correlated with sociod emographic and housing characteristics. In states similar to Massachus etts and without screening data, this model may help target screening programs.