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Long-term effectiveness of lead hazard control treatments: Findings from the Six Year Extension to the Evaluation of HUD’s Lead Hazard Control Grant Program

Jonathan Wilson, MPP1, Timothy Pivetz, MS2, Sherry Dixon, PhD1, Warren J. Strauss, ScM2, Peter J. Ashley3, Hsing-Chuan Tsai2, Basil Coutant2, and John Menkedick2. (1) The National Center for Healthy Housing, 10227 Wincopin Circle, Suite 100, Columbia, MD 21044, 410-772-2784, jwilson@centerforhealthyhousing.org, (2) Statistics and Data Analysis Systems, Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Ave, Columbus, OH 43201-2693, (3) Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control, The US Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th St SW RM B133, Washington, DC 20410-0001

In 1993, HUD funded an evaluation of the effectiveness of lead hazard control treatments conducted by 14 grantees participating in the first two funding rounds of the HUD Lead Hazard Control Grant Program. Approximately 2,900 dwellings were studied as part of the original evaluation, some up to three years following the intervention. In the Six Year Extension Study, a stratified random sampling scheme was used to select approximately 430 treated units at four sites from the baseline Evaluation for continued environmental assessment at six years post-intervention. Data collection consisted of interior, exterior, and soil environmental sampling; visual assessments; and resident questionnaires. The study compared the relative effectiveness after six years of the different classes of interventions, after controlling for such factors as housing conditions and characteristics and resident and neighborhood characteristics. Exploratory analyses revealed that mean dust-lead levels on floors, window sills, and window troughs remained at similar or lower levels at six years post-intervention as at one or three years after treatment. Statistical modeling found no significant difference in floor dust-lead loadings at six years post-intervention between the levels of treatment for each category of baseline environmental condition; however, significant differences in window sill and window trough dust-lead levels between treatment levels were found. Other variables found to significantly affect interior dust-lead levels include soil-lead levels, presence of exterior paint deterioration, and pre-treatment and clearance dust-lead levels. These findings are a positive result for HUD and the many programs implementing lead hazard control treatments throughout the country.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant (Learner) will be able to

Keywords: Lead, Interventions

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Environmental Contaminants and Assessment of Exposure

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA