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Early childhood lead exposure and academic achievement: Evidence from detroit public schools, 2008-2010

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Listed:
  • Zhang, N.
  • Baker, H.W.
  • Tufts, M.
  • Raymond, R.E.
  • Salihu, H.
  • Elliott, M.R.

Abstract

Objectives. We assessed the long-term effect of early childhood lead exposure on academic achievement in mathematics, science, and reading among elementary and junior high school children. Methods. We linked early childhood blood lead testing surveillance data from the Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion to educational testing data from the Detroit, Michigan, public schools. We used the linked data to investigate the effect of early childhood lead exposure on academic achievement among school-aged children, both marginally and adjusted for grade level, gender, race, language, maternal education, and socioeconomic status. Results. High blood lead levels before age 6 years were strongly associated with poor academic achievement in grades 3, 5, and 8. The odds of scoring less than proficient for those whose blood lead levels were greater than 10 micrograms per deciliter were more than twice the odds for those whose blood lead levels were less than 1 micrograms per deciliter after adjustment for potential confounders. Conclusions. Early childhood lead exposure was negatively associated with academic achievement in elementary and junior high school, after adjusting for key potential confounders. The control of lead poisoning should focus on primary prevention of lead exposure in children and development of special education programs for students with lead poisoning.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, N. & Baker, H.W. & Tufts, M. & Raymond, R.E. & Salihu, H. & Elliott, M.R., 2013. "Early childhood lead exposure and academic achievement: Evidence from detroit public schools, 2008-2010," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(3), pages 72-77.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2012.301164_8
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.301164
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    Cited by:

    1. Jennifer McCrindle & Donna Green & Marianne Sullivan, 2017. "The Association between Environmental Lead Exposure and High School Educational Outcomes in Four Communities in New South Wales, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Michael J. Blackowicz & Daniel O. Hryhorczuk & Kristin M. Rankin & Dan A. Lewis & Danish Haider & Bruce P. Lanphear & Anne Evens, 2016. "The Impact of Low-Level Lead Toxicity on School Performance among Hispanic Subgroups in the Chicago Public Schools," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-12, August.
    3. Stephen B. Billings & Kevin T. Schnepel, 2018. "Life after Lead: Effects of Early Interventions for Children Exposed to Lead," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 10(3), pages 315-344, July.
    4. Billings, Stephen B. & Schnepel, Kevin T., 2017. "The value of a healthy home: Lead paint remediation and housing values," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 69-81.
    5. Lucy C. Sorensen & Ashley M. Fox & Heyjie Jung & Erika G. Martin, 2019. "Lead exposure and academic achievement: evidence from childhood lead poisoning prevention efforts," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 32(1), pages 179-218, January.
    6. Jason Fletcher & Hamid Noghanibehambari, 2023. "Toxified to the Bone: Early-Life and Childhood Exposure to Lead and Men’s Old-Age Mortality," NBER Working Papers 31957, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Isabelle Nogueira Leroux & Ana Paula Sacone da Silva Ferreira & Fernanda Pollo Paniz & Tatiana Pedron & Fernanda Junqueira Salles & Fábio Ferreira Da Silva & Heloisa França Maltez & Bruno Lemos Batist, 2018. "Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic Bioaccessibility of 24 h Duplicate Diet Ingested by Preschool Children Attending Day Care Centers in Brazil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-10, August.
    8. Shamsul Bahari Shamsudin & Arshad Abdul Majid, 2017. "Association Of Blood Lead Levels And Working Memory Ability Of Primary School Children Surrounding ExCopper Mining Area In Ranau, Sabah (Malaysia)," Acta Scientifica Malaysia (ASM), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 1(1), pages 1-3, January.
    9. Fantuzzo, John W. & LeBoeuf, Whitney A. & Brumley, Benjamin & Coe, Kristen & McDermott, Paul A. & Rouse, Heather, 2019. "What's behind being behind? Using integrated administrative data to enhance our understanding of how publicly monitored early risk experiences uniquely affect children's growth in reading achievement," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 326-335.
    10. Alana M. W. LeBrón & Ivy R. Torres & Enrique Valencia & Miriam López Dominguez & Deyaneira Guadalupe Garcia-Sanchez & Michael D. Logue & Jun Wu, 2019. "The State of Public Health Lead Policies: Implications for Urban Health Inequities and Recommendations for Health Equity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-28, March.

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