The goal is to develop a tool that can predict which residential households are at risk of lead exposure and provide actionable insights to lower that risk.
“The current approach uses children as lead sensors; households typically are only tested after elevated levels of lead are found in a child’s blood during a visit to their pediatrician,” said Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson, professor and chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington.
Joseph and Vanderburgh counties in Indiana and Guilford County in North Carolina will receive postcards inviting them to participate in the study.
“Whether you are pregnant or have young children at home, lead exposure is a serious concern.
“There are various potential environmental hazards in every home but the thing with lead is this: We have lots of data confirming it is a serious hazard and years of practice at reducing the hazards.