A Tale of Two Counties: Childhood Lead Poisoning, Industrialization, and Abatement in New England

We examine spatial variation in childhood lead poisoning within two industrial counties in New England: Worcester County, Massachusetts, and Providence County, Rhode Island. The findings suggest that lead exposure is linked to the differential patterns of urbanization and industrial activity and that a history of abatement can reduce lead exposure. Lead exposure in census tracts with minority neighborhoods varies in complex ways between the counties. We conclude that attention to local context forms an essential component of understanding how public health interventions will continue to affect the geography of childhood lead poisoning.