Life after Lead: Effects of Early Interventions for Children Exposed to Lead

Abstract

Lead pollution is consistently linked to cognitive and behavioral impairments, yet little is known about the benefits of public health interventions for children exposed to lead. This paper estimates the long-term impacts of early life interventions (e.g., lead remediation, nutritional assessment, medical evaluation, developmental surveillance, and public assistance referrals) recommended for lead-poisoned children. Using linked administrative data from Charlotte, NC, we compare outcomes for children who are similar across observable characteristics but differ in eligibility for intervention due to blood lead test results. We find that the negative outcomes previously associated with early life exposure can largely be reversed by intervention. (JEL I12, I18, I21, J13, J24, Q51)

The value of a healthy home: Lead paint remediation and housing values

“…Recent studies nd large cognitive and behavioral bene ts associated with interventions following elevated blood lead levels that trigger lead paint hazard remediation (Billings and Schnepel 2015), and from policies requiring landlords to obtain "lead-safe" certi cates (Aizer et al 2016). Our ndings suggest that lead paint hazard remediation is also associated with large capitalized wealth bene ts for lower-income homeowners who qualify for federallyfunded programs which reduce residential lead exposure.…”

“…First, childhood blood lead levels can re ect exposure through a number of di erent environments and is, at best, a noisy measure of own-household exposure. Second, as discussed by Aizer et al (2016) and Billings and Schnepel (2015), there is a great deal of measurement error in testing exposure with blood tests. Both of these factors will attenuate the relationship between this proxy for exposure risk and property values toward zero.…”

“…This dataset, which is described in more detail in Billings and Schnepel (2015), includes all public school children and their residential address during their rst year of attending school. We rst link individuals to our sample of LeadSafe applicant properties at the time of a rst blood lead test (typically between the age of one and two) using blood lead surveillance data and then measure whether the address reported when the individual rst enters school (typically between the age of ve and six) has changed from the address rst reported in the blood lead testing data.…”

Environmental Inequality: The Social Causes and Consequences of Lead Exposure

“…Aizer et al (2017) show that a program in Rhode Island requiring landlords to mitigate lead hazards on their properties significantly reduced children's blood lead levels and, as a result, markedly improved their later test scores. For children already exposed, Billings & Schnepel (2018) find that CDC-recommended interventions can largely eliminate the negative effects of lead exposure on school suspensions and arrests. Community organizing that mobilizes legal and health-related interventions and collective efficacy (Sampson et al 1997) are important mechanisms for reducing toxic exposures.…”

“…Exploiting the fact that reductions in gasoline lead from 1990 to 2004 had the largest effect on children living near roads, they find that declines in lead exposure in Rhode Island considerably reduced both school suspensions and the probability that boys were detained as juveniles. Billings & Schnepel (2018) study the effects of a CDC-recommended intervention for children exposed to lead. The intervention includes education for caregivers and, as applicable, home environment investigations and referrals to lead remediation services.…”