Blood Lead Levels in Children

Blood Lead Levels in Children is the proportion of 1 and 2 year olds that have been tested and have lead levels over 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood between 2011 and 2013. A high proportion of neighborhood children with high blood levels equates to low community health. Neighborhoods that had less than 50 children tested between 2011 and 2013 are not included. Data on lead levels in children are collected by the Minneapolis Health Department Lead and Healthy Homes Unit.

Childhood lead exposure is a critical public health issue. Long-term exposure to high blood lead levels can affect muscle coordination, and damage the nervous system, kidneys and/or hearing. Children whose health has been harmed by lead can suffer permanent effects that continue into adulthood. Blood Lead Levels in Children is in the Housing domain.

Neighborhood Indicator Value Ranksort descending
University of Minnesota -% -
West Calhoun -% -
Humboldt Industrial Area -% -
Kenwood -% -
Camden Industrial -% -
Cedar - Isles - Dean -% -
Nicollet Island - East Bank -% -
East Calhoun (ECCO) -% -
Mid - City Industrial -% -
Bryn - Mawr 0.0% 1
Field 0.0% 1
Ericsson 0.4% 3
Elliot Park 0.4% 3
Armatage 0.7% 5
Minnehaha 0.9% 6
Diamond Lake 1.0% 7
Prospect Park - East River Road 1.1% 8
Hale 1.2% 9
St. Anthony West 1.2% 9
Marshall Terrace 1.3% 11
Marcy Holmes 1.4% 12
Shingle Creek 1.4% 12
Wenonah 1.5% 14
Kenny 1.6% 15
Como 1.6% 15
Waite Park 1.7% 17
Linden Hills 1.9% 18
Cedar Riverside 1.9% 18
St. Anthony East 2.0% 20
Sumner - Glenwood (Heritage Park) 2.0% 20
Loring Park 2.1% 22
Keewaydin 2.2% 23
Windom 2.2% 23
Lind - Bohanon 2.3% 25
Page 2.4% 26
Beltrami 2.4% 26
Lynnhurst 2.5% 28
Northrop 2.9% 29
Tangletown 3.0% 30
Bryant 3.2% 31
East Harriet 3.3% 32
Harrison 3.4% 33
Sheridan 3.5% 34
Hiawatha 3.5% 34
Bottineau 3.6% 36
Windom Park 3.6% 36
Northeast Park 3.6% 36
Morris Park 3.6% 36
Holland 3.8% 40
Whittier 4.0% 41
Seward 4.1% 42
Cleveland 4.2% 43
Victory 4.4% 44
Fulton 4.5% 45
Regina 4.5% 45
Lowry Hill 4.5% 45
Longfellow 4.5% 45
Howe 4.6% 49
Columbia Park 4.8% 50
Downtown East 4.9% 51
Phillips West 4.9% 51
Downtown West 5.0% 53
Logan Park 5.3% 54
Standish 5.5% 55
Corcoran 5.5% 55
McKinley 5.6% 57
Webber - Camden 5.8% 58
Near - North 5.8% 58
Steven's Square - Loring Heights 5.8% 58
North Loop 5.8% 58
Bancroft 6.1% 62
King Field 6.2% 63
Midtown Phillips 6.2% 63
Audubon Park 6.3% 65
Lyndale 6.4% 66
Willard - Hay 6.5% 67
Calhoun Area Residents Action Group (CARAG) 6.7% 68
Folwell 6.8% 69
Cooper 6.9% 70
Powderhorn Park 6.9% 70
Ventura Village 7.4% 72
Jordan 8.7% 73
East Phillips 9.0% 74
Lowry Hill East 9.8% 75
Central 9.8% 75
East Isles 11.3% 77
Hawthorne 12.9% 78

Key Citations:
1. Asthma Community Network, Program at a Glance: New York State Department of Health, Center for Environmental Health, Healthy Neighborhoods Program. Accessed August 30, 2013. Available at: Asthma Community Network

2. Gould E. Childhood lead poisoning: conservative estimates of the social and economic benefits of lead hazard control. Environmental Health Perspective. 2009;117(7):1162–1167.

3. Trasande L and Liu Y. Reducing the staggering costs of environmental disease in children, estimated at $76.6 billion in 2008. Health Affairs. 2011; 30 (5): 863–869.

4. Jusko TA, Henderson CR, Lanphear BP, Cory-Slechta DA, Parsons PJ, Canfield RL. Blood lead Concentrations. Environ. Health Perspect. 2008;116(2):243–248.

5. Mazumdar M, Bellinger DC, Gregas M, Abanilla K, Bacic J, Needleman HL. Low-level environmental lead exposure in childhood and adult intellectual function: a follow-up study. Environ Health. 2011;10:24.

6. Bellinger DC, Stiles KM, Needleman HL. Low-level lead exposure, intelligence and academic achievement: a long term follow-up study. Pediatrics. 1992;90(6):855–861.