Lead Exposure

According to data from the Rhode Island Department of Health, 1 in 6 Providence children under age 6 was exposed to lead in 2000. The State average for that same year was 1 in 11, and nationwide it was 1 in 25. Clearly, lead poisoning is a statewide problem in Rhode Island, but disparities exist by geography, race, and socioeconomic status.

The Centers for Disease Control defines lead exposure as a blood lead level of 10 micrograms per deciliter or higher (10 ug/dl), and lead poisoning as 15 ug/dl or higher. While people of any age can experience lead poisoning, children under the age of six are particularly at risk because of the resulting brain damage that can irreversibly affect a child’s behavior, as well as harm his or her ability to learn. A study prepared by The Providence Plan in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Health found that children exposed to lead early in life are more likely to repeat a grade and perform poorly in school.

In 2000, more than 1,200 Providence children under age 6 tested positive for lead exposure (10 ug/dl). This accounts for approximately 17% of all children screened that year. While this number is staggeringly high, it is a dramatic improvement over the 35% of children screened in 1995 (3,100 children). These improvements are the result of efforts by the State, the City, and neighborhood partners to remediate lead in Providence housing and to educate Providence residents about the risks associated with lead exposure. There have also been improvements in screening practices leading to earlier detection of lead poisoning.

Through our partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Health, we are able to track lead exposure by local geographic area, such as neighborhood. The following maps and rankings provide two snapshots of lead exposure by neighborhood for 1995 and 2000. The data include all children under age 6 that tested positive for lead exposure at any point during either calendar year.

Children under Age 6 with Elevated Blood Lead Levels (>=10ug/dl), Neighborhood Rates, 1995

Although the percentages of children with elevated BLL have declined since 1995, higher numbers are still concentrated in the same neighborhoods from year to year.

For example, the rate of elevated BLL in Lower South Providence declined from 45% to 26% between 1995 and 2000. It remains, however, the neighborhood that has consistently maintained the highest rates in Providence.

The West End neighborhood in 1995, had the second highest rate of elevated BLL in Providence at 44%. By 2000, however, it dropped to the sixth highest (20%), but was still above the citywide average.

Children under Age 6 with Elevated Blood Lead Levels (>=10ug/dl), Neighborhood Rates, 2000

Concentration of Children under Age 6 with Elevated Blood Lead Levels by Neighborhood, 1995 as a Percentage of Providence Total

Instances of children with
elevated BLL have declined
significantly since 1995. Specific
neighborhoods, however, continue to contribute to the bulk of this citywide problem.

These include: West End, Elmwood, Lower South Providence, Olneyville, Silver Lake, Federal Hill, Smith Hill, and Wanskuck, each of which has comprised over 4.5% of the city's total children with elevated BLL from 1995 to 2000.

Concentration of Children under Age 6 with Elevated Blood Lead Levels by Neighborhood, 2000 as a Percentage of Providence Total

Dispersion of Children under Age 6 with Elevated Blood Lead Levels (>=10ug/dl), 1995 and 2000

This map shows the dispersion based on individual-level data, rather than grouping them by neighborhood. In this way, it becomes apparent that there are very specific parts of certain neighborhoods that are consistently affected by lead exposure than others. Likewise, some neighborhoods have no pattern, and the cases are spread out across several blocks, rather than clustered closely together.

The blue dots represent all 1995 cases (3,126), while the red dots, representing all 2000 cases, cover significantly less area (1,231), showing the incredible decrease in serious lead exposure.

For further reading:

Identifying Patterns of Ownership and Childhood Lead Poisoning in Providence, RI
by Marissa Rappaport, a Special Report from the Center for Environmental Studies at Brown University: