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Complete Health Indicator Report of Risk Factor for Childhood Lead Exposure: Pre-1950 and Pre-1980 Housing

Definition

Number or percent of either pre-1950 or pre-1980 housing units

Numerator

Number of residential housing units built prior to 1950 or pre-1980 in a geographic area (based upon 2020 American Community Survey data)

Denominator

Number of residential housing units in a geographic area (based upon 2020 housing unit data from American Community Survey)

Why Is This Important?

While all children in New Jersey are at risk of exposure to lead, children who reside in homes build prior to 1950 are at highest risk for elevated blood lead due to the potential presence of leaded paint. In addition, children living in homes constructed prior to 1980 are at risk due to the fact that use of lead-based paint for residential homes was not discontinued until 1980. Major sources of lead exposure to children are: peeling or deteriorated leaded paint; lead-contaminated dust created by renovation or removal of lead-containing paint; and lead contamination brought home by adults who work in an occupation that involves lead, or who engage in a hobby where lead is used. Children are more vulnerable to lead poisoning than adults. The first six years of life are the time when the brain grows the fastest, and when the critical connections in the brain and nervous system that control thought, learning, hearing, movement, behavior and emotions are formed. The normal behavior of very young children (crawling, exploring, teething, and putting objects in their mouth) exposes young children to lead that is present in their environment.

How Are We Doing?

In 2020, New Jersey had over 913,000 housing units which were built before 1950. The number of housing units built before 1950 ranged from about 8,000 in Salem County to over 129,000 in Essex County. The percentage of housing units built before 1950 was highest in Essex (40.8%) and Union (39.9%) Counties. Ocean County had the lowest percentage of housing units built before 1950 (7.2%). Also in 2020, New Jersey had approximately 2.4 million housing units which were built before 1980. The number of housing units built before 1980 ranged from approximately 20,000 in Salem County to over 275,000 in Bergen County. The percentage of housing units built before 1980 was highest in Union (82.0%) and Passaic (80.5%) Counties. Somerset County had the lowest percentage of housing units built before 1980 (49.1%).

What Is Being Done?

The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) maintains a Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, [http://nj.gov/health/childhoodlead/]. This program has a surveillance system that collects information from laboratories regarding the results of blood lead tests performed on children in New Jersey, identifies children with elevated test results, and notifies local health departments regarding children with elevated blood lead tests who reside in their jurisdiction.

Health Program Information

Additional information on surveillance and services related to the prevention of childhood lead poisoning can be obtained from: New Jersey Department of Health Division of Family Health Services Maternal, Child and Community Health, Child and Adolescent Health Program P.O. Box 364 Trenton, NJ 08625-0364 (609) 292-5666 [http://nj.gov/health/childhoodlead/]


Related Indicators

Related Relevant Population Characteristics Indicators:


Related Health Care System Factors Indicators:


Related Health Status Outcomes Indicators:



Data Tables


Housing in New Jersey Pre-1950 estimates, Percent by County, as of 2016-2020

CountyPercent of Pre-1950 Housing UnitsNumer- atorDenom- inator
Record Count: 22
Atlantic20.4%26,207128,472
Bergen31.3%112,474359,097
Burlington14.5%26,166179,955
Camden25.2%51,991206,247
Cape May19.3%19,19599,394
Cumberland24.0%13,53856,411
Essex40.8%129,792318,385
Gloucester15.8%17,981113,945
Hudson39.9%113,673284,561
Hunterdon20.7%10,45350,437
Mercer28.6%41,446145,115
Middlesex16.3%49,457302,650
Monmouth18.1%47,515262,088
Morris19.2%37,324194,426
Ocean7.2%20,392284,773
Passaic38.2%67,714177,216
Salem29.2%8,04927,607
Somerset14.3%18,202127,090
Sussex20.6%12,89162,492
Union37.5%76,157202,823
Warren28.2%12,83145,548
New Jersey25.2%913,4483,628,732

Time Series Maps:

supplemental image
[https://www-doh.state.nj.us/doh-shad/view/sharedstatic/HouseSeries.jpg Close-up of maps]


Data Source

American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, [https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/]


Housing in New Jersey, Pre-1980 estimates, Percent by County, as of 2016-2020

CountyPercent of Pre-1980 Housing UnitsNumer- atorDenom- inator
Record Count: 22
Atlantic57.5%73,891128,472
Bergen76.8%275,863359,097
Burlington57.1%102,748179,955
Camden73.6%151,717206,247
Cape May52.3%52,02199,394
Cumberland68.0%38,36656,411
Essex77.2%245,754318,385
Gloucester52.6%59,920113,945
Hudson68.4%194,554284,561
Hunterdon53.4%26,92350,437
Mercer68.7%99,703145,115
Middlesex60.0%181,700302,650
Monmouth59.3%155,541262,088
Morris64.1%124,620194,426
Ocean49.4%140,769284,773
Passaic80.5%142,633177,216
Salem73.5%20,27927,607
Somerset49.1%62,436127,090
Sussex65.0%40,62762,492
Union82.0%166,401202,823
Warren61.1%27,81645,548
New Jersey65.7%2,384,2823,628,732

Data Source

American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, [https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/]

References and Community Resources

Healthy Homes Resources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program [https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/default.htm] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Healthy Housing Reference Manual [https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/publications/books/housing/housing.htm] U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control [http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/healthy_homes/leadinfo] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [http://www.epa.gov/lead/] NJDEP Potential Lead Exposure Mapping Tool: [https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=6472457d42ab474b87f735de8d8ee205]

Page Content Updated On 03/22/2022, Published on 03/23/2022
The information provided above is from the Department of Health's NJSHAD web site (https://nj.gov/health/shad). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Fri, 29 March 2024 3:28:05 from Department of Health, New Jersey State Health Assessment Data Web site: https://nj.gov/health/shad ".

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