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CDC Releases Latest Blood Lead Data, Confirming that 535,000 Children Have High Levels and Disparities Persist

jmalone@nchh.org (Jane Malone) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:13:16 GMT

CDC Releases Latest Blood Lead Data, Confirming that 535,000 Children Have High Levels and Disparities Persist. (Hard to Believe that CDC and Congress Cut the Funding, Isn’t It?)

Children belonging to families with a low income (130% of poverty level) are more than three times as likely children in higher income families to have high blood lead levels. The mean blood lead level for low income children is 1.6 µg/dL, or .6 µg/dL higher than children in higher income households (1.2 µg/dL ). Medicaid-enrolled children also have higher blood lead levels, and are more likely to have high blood levels, than non-Medicaid enrolled children. Non-Hispanic black children are more than twice as likely as non-Hispanic white children to have BLLs at or above 5 µg/dL. The mean blood lead level for non-Hispanic black children is 1.8 µg/dL, while non-Hispanic white children have a mean BLL of 1.3 µg/dL.

Title X Amendments Act of 2013

pdodge@nchh.org (Phillip Dodge) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:59:00 GMT

Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY) introduced the House version of the Title X Amendments Act of 2013 on March 20. The eight original co-sponsors who joined her are Representatives David Cicilline (D-RI), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Alcee Hastings (D-FL), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and Frederica Wilson (D-FL). The bill, H.R. 1232, is the companion to S.B. 290, which was introduced in the Senate February 13th by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and Al Franken (D-MN).

Recessed Lights and Attic Insulation - A Losing Combination

rmorley@nchh.org (Rebecca Morley) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:02:28 GMT

When we had an energy audit done on our house in Maryland, we expected the inspector to point out a problem or two but otherwise give our home high marks. After all, the Victorian-style structure was built in the mid-1990s, long after building codes required homes to use energy-efficient windows and doors, and be wrapped in blankets of insulation -- unlike the 1950s Colonial we’d recently sold.

Instead, our inspector informed us that our attic was the insulation equivalent of Swiss cheese. Dozens of recessed lights installed in the ceilings upstairs were essentially open holes to attic air that was frigid in winter and sweltering during the summer. When we went into the attic ourselves to have a look we were stunned. All those canisters containing light fixtures were surrounded by exposed drywall. Whoever installed them had just shoved all the blown-in insulation aside, leaving piles of fiberglass batting and more than two dozen patches – each four or five square feet –utterly bare. It was tempting to just rake the fibers back across the empty spaces, but the recessed light fixtures weren’t insulated, meaning they didn’t completely shield the electronics and were capable of getting red-hot.

The result of this issue was a very uncomfortable home in the heating and cooling seasons – particularly on the top level of the home. There was often a 10 degree temperature differential between the top floor and basement levels of our home. Our gas/electric bills were also very high – often up to $600--to keep the temperature at 68 degrees in the winter and 74 degrees in the summer.

We didn’t want to pay thousands of dollars to hire a contractor for this job, so we researched the problem online. We found three companies that made insulation covers for recessed lights, and ordered samples of each. One was essentially a cardboard box coated with fireproofing substance, another was like an upside-down egg crate. To us, the Owens-Corning SmartCap seemed the best choice: inexpensive, simple to install and guaranteed safe. The caps look like silver scout tents: they come out of the box flat but pop up into an enclosed triangle (a tetrahedron, technically) that surrounds the light fixture.

We installed two dozen on a recent weekend. The work is a little messy and isn’t for everyone, but it wasn’t hard. You sweep away the insulation, pop open the Smart Cap, attach two flanges flush to the drywall with duct tape, and then pack the insulation around. Holes on the top of the caps make them easy to carry, and vent excess heat from the lights. We wore gloves and masks for protection from the fiberglass. When we were done, our attic looked like a field of tiny, silver Christmas trees poking out of puffy, fiberglass snow.

This was a timely project since our power went out during Hurricane Sandy and we couldn’t afford to lose any of the heat in our home. We already noticed a difference in comfort and are looking forwarding to reviewing our utility bills in the months to come. hocoblogs@@@

ERMI Data Used as a Predictor of Asthma

pdodge@nchh.org (Jill Breysse) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:31:41 GMT

Many private firms recommend collecting mold samples to determine whether a home has a mold problem. Yet, federal and state agencies, and many non-governmental organizations (including NCHH) don’t think it is necessary. Instead, we support visual assessment over mold sampling when identifying a mold problem and choosing the appropriate remediation. In two recent articles, investigators used the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) to analyze settled dust samples and found a link between mold and asthma development by age 7. Investigators also conducted visual assessments in the study homes but did not find an association between visible mold and asthma. Do these studies mean that visual assessments are not useful for determining whether a mold problem exists? Do they indicate that complex sampling and analysis methods are required to identify home mold issues?

I would argue that ERMI is not ready for prime-time as a home assessment tool. In 2009, the Federal Register stated that, while ERMI is a “prototype research tool,” it has not been validated for wider use in identifying mold-contaminated environments. A 2012 industrial hygiene conference presenter noted that ERMI did not pass an internal 2009 EPA peer review. Indeed, the methods used to develop ERMI have not been subjected to external peer review. The DNA-based lab method on which ERMI (called MSQPCR) is based has not been subjected to internal and external laboratory tests needed to verify its precision and accuracy.

Reducing home moisture problems to minimize exposure to mold and other moisture-related toxins is a vital goal. Although the recent asthma study did not find an association between mold found through visual inspection and asthma development, a large body of literature suggests that water damage identified by home inspection is associated with increased asthma and respiratory disease risk. For example, the two articles referenced above indicate ERMI may have potential as a research tool, but trained eyes (and noses) are a more accessible and practical approach to identifying mold problems in homes.

DIY Green Household Cleaning Solutions

rmorley@nchh.org (Rebecca Morley) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:08:10 GMT

Have you ever wondered how safe and eco-friendly those "green" cleaning products are on the store shelves? Green cleaning products are flooding the market and with over 80,000 chemical compounds approved for commercial purposes, it’s become harder to tell if they are truly safer. In the U.S., companies are only required to warn of a product’s toxicity. Buzz words on green products such as “nontoxic,” “biodegradable,” and “all natural” can also be misleading. It can simply mean products are made from organic materials, but still contain potentially harmful chemicals.

How To Prevent Clothes Dryer Fires In Your Home

lmorenohill@nchh.org (Laura Moreno-Hill) — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:46:33 GMT

Have you noticed your clothes dryer getting super hot and giving off a burnt smell in the laundry room? Before you start shopping for a new one, take a look at your dryer vent which just may need a good cleaning. Lint balls are extremely flammable. Check out this Famers Insurance commercial on dryer fires.

Carbon Monoxide – Protect Your Family Against This Silent Deadly Killer

lmorenohill@nchh.org (Laura Moreno-Hill) — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:35:52 GMT

Recently, five lives were lost in a tragedy involving carbon monoxide poisoning in Oxon Hill, MD. What killed them? It was carbon monoxide (CO) that leaked into the house from rusted and separated exhaust pipes on a natural gas furnace. According to the Washington Post, CO levels of between 140 parts per million to as high as 560 parts per million were found in the home. To put that number in perspective, 0 to 5 parts per million are considered “normal” and it takes only 30 parts per million to be fatal over time.

What Lead Poisoning Did to My Family - Part II

lmorenohill@nchh.org (Brenda Music) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:00:04 GMT

While lead poisoning is something my son Sean will live with for the rest of his life, the outcome could have been much worse had the local and state health departments not had the resources to help us. Without federal funding for both of these agencies, Sean would never have been tested for lead by a WIC nurse. Our home would not have been tested for lead-based paint in time to save us from an environmental hazard. There would not have been any nurse-related check ups and blood work schedules in place. We would not have been directed to AEA 267 to oversee my son’s education.

To put it simply, we might never have known that Sean was lead poisoned. Or worse, we might have lost him. We will forever be thankful to Mike Prideaux, the Black Hawk County Health Department Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, and Rita Gergely, Iowa Department of Public Health who have been a huge part of our lives over these past nine years.

DIY "Green" Floor Cleaners

rmorley@nchh.org (Rebecca Morley) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:18:25 GMT

My family was coming to town and I didn’t have time to clean the house so I hired a cleaning crew using a “groupon” that I bought online. A crew showed up while I was getting ready for work and I caught a whiff of ammonia and other chemicals. I decided to intervene and let them know about my preference for greener products. I was prepared for some eye-rolling, but was pleasantly surprised when the crew happily agreed to swap their standard chemicals for vinegar. They told me that vinegar is actually preferred for wood floors since it doesn’t leave a build-up like chemical products.

What Lead Poisoning Did to My Family - Part I

lmorenohill@nchh.org (Brenda Music) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:32:35 GMT

Nine years ago this coming June, our whole world changed. That summer, the company that my husband worked for closed it’s doors without any notice. Since my husband was a contractor, we did not qualify for unemployment. We went on WIC for one month just to help out during this time. During our meeting with the WIC nurses, they did a routine finger stick on both of my sons for lead levels. The next week, I received a call from Mike Prideaux of the Black Hawk County Health Department, telling me that my three year old son had lead poisoning. Sean’s blood lead level was 24—over twice the allowed level—and subsequently he needed to have a venous blood test to confirm it.

A few days later, I received another alarming phone call from the health department. Sean’s venous blood lead level was not 24 as the finger stick had shown, but was actually 40 – four times the allowed limit at that time! Sean had to start having routine blood work until he reached a blood lead level under 10 in back to back tests. I thought this might only take a few months, but little did I know it would take a total of four years.

Congress Delivers Lump of Lead - CDC Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Gutted

lmorenohill@nchh.org (Dr. Megan Sandel) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:08:00 GMT

A recent op-ed highlighted the importance of partnerships between health care and housing. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Assistant Secretary, Raphael Bostic and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) President Risa Lavizzo-Mourey state that “housing policy is health policy” and “preventing disease is cheaper than treating illness.” We couldn’t agree more.

Pending Funding Cuts to Lead Poisoning Prevention Make Daily News

rmorley@nchh.org (Rebecca Morley) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:08:11 GMT

On Monday, the Boston Globe published an article about how the U.S. is preparing to cut aid for lead poisoning prevention efforts.

ACCLPP Recommends Change in How CDC Determines Number Indicating a Child's Blood Lead Level

rmorley@nchh.org (Rebecca Morley) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:52:02 GMT

The Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention (ACCLPP)* voted today to recommend a significant change in how CDC selects the number at which a child's blood lead level should be considered elevated, and to renew its call for primary prevention.

Neighborhood Violence and Healthy Housing - Making the "Usual" Unusual

rlindberg@nchh.org (Ruth Lindberg) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:53:32 GMT

The connection between unhealthy housing and neighborhood violence has been a long standing interest of mine. Recenty, it became personal.

A "Little Bit" of Asthma

saceti@nchh.org (Susan Aceti) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:57:35 GMT

I’m not sure if it’s because or I work at the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) or despite working here, but when my daughter’s pediatrician suggested that she might have “a little bit of asthma” I clearly remember the nurse patting my shoulder and saying, “Are you okay, mom?” At the tender age of 11 months, the thought of her struggling to breathe was horrifying. Perhaps the “little bit of asthma” comment by her doctor was meant to soften the blow.

National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

rmorley@nchh.org (Rebecca Morley) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:55:45 GMT

I had the good fortune to be working for Senator Jack Reed in 1999 when he introduced a resolution (S. Res 199) to establish National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in October. It is both ironic and sad that during the one week each year when we celebrate childhood lead poisoning prevention, we are simultaneously engaged in a battle to protect one of the key federal childhood lead poisoning prevention programs from evisceration.

Looking for an apartment? – Part II

jakoto@nchh.org (Judith Akoto) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:04:46 GMT

I’m sure everyone likes to live pest-free. I know I do! Therefore be on the look-out for signs (droppings, for example) of pests. Did you know that landlords and property managers of pre-1978 housing are required by Title X to disclose the presence of lead-based paint to their tenants prior to move in? One should always be comfortable and confident in his/her decision on a living place.

Looking for an Apartment ? - Part I

jakoto@nchh.org (Judith Akoto) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:22:34 GMT

Let’s face it, we don’t always remember to watch for healthy home indicators (or lack thereof) when searching for an apartment. Looking for the “right” apartment can be a very stressful, time-consuming, and a daunting task - especially if you are without the services of a realtor. Stress and all, it helps to be mindful of a few things while in search of an apartment.

Ugh! – Fleas in the House

rmorley@nchh.org (Rebecca Morley) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:10:42 GMT

Oscar the cat has brought some unwelcomed guests into our home—fleas. With a new baby, I’m especially concerned about what type of treatment I should use to get rid of them, without leaving a sea of pesticides behind because our newborn spends a lot of time on the floor.

Home Not So Safe Home - Part II

jwilson@nchh.org (Jonathan Wilson) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:46:39 GMT

Last week, I casually mentioned radon testing at the end of my blog post, but it is a very serious issue that everyone should really consider. Radon is a gas that is produced when natural uranium (yes, the stuff that fuels nuclear power) decays. Radon can seep up from the ground and become trapped in buildings, including our homes.

Orange Alert – CDC Lead Program Elimination

rmorley@nchh.org (Rebecca Morley) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:23:51 GMT

Are you receiving daily email pleas for your help in saving important federal programs? The proposed budget cuts are so broad and deep that it could be a full-time job to communicate with elected officials about the importance of maintaining these programs. The public health and affordable housing communities are in a constant state of high alert to protect vital programs for their clients. So what distinguishes our orange alert—the obliteration of the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) lead and healthy homes program by Senate appropriators—from all of the others?

Building Dampness, Mold, and Health

jbreysse@nchh.org (Jill Breysse) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:01:30 GMT

I applaud the California Department of Public Health for its new Issues Statement on Building Dampness, Mold, and Health. For routine residential assessment, NCHH generally discourages collecting and analyzing expensive mold samples.

Home Not So Safe Home

jwilson@nchh.org (Jonathan Wilson) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:28:39 GMT

I love “news you can use” articles, especially when the popular press talks about an issue that is very near and dear to me— healthy homes. I was excited to see that Parade Magazine, the highly popular Sunday newspaper insert, did a cover story on tips for a healthy home this past weekend. It has 26 tips to improve resident health by taking actions in the home, ranging from testing for radon or cleaning your remote control.

But I am also an analyst/skeptic at heart, so when I get advice I often wonder if the source got it right. Some advice is so straight-forward and simple, I have no concerns adopting the advice myself and telling others to do the same. Take Tip #14: Remove your Shoes. There is no question there is stuff outside that you don’t want to track into your home including lead dust and pesticides. My family already keeps our shoes at the door and the great news is that it is free. Granted, it’s easy to forget sometimes and we all have to remind each other from time-to-time, but there is no downside to doing it.

Then, I got to Tip #21: Protect your Pillows and it made me take a second look. First off, the tip actually directs us to replace pillows regularly. What is regularly? Some sites including Prevention.com advise replacing pillows annually. But with pillows going for $30 to $100+, do I really need to replace the 10 pillows in my house every year? And is this something I should be telling folks who have limited incomes?

Pillows (and mattresses) can be habitats dust mites, a microscopic creature that 1-in-6 people are allergic to. It is well proven that dust mites are attracted to pillows and mattresses because humans offer the moisture and food (dead skin cells) that the mites need to survive. It also appears true that the weight of pillows and mattresses can increase in time as skin cells, mites and their dander accumulate, although reports of mattresses doubling in weight over 10 years make me scratch my head (where’s the data, WebMD?).

Once you have mites, they can easily travel between mattress and pillow seeking food and water. So while there is a great "ick" factor thinking of pillows that are 10% dead skin and mites, frequently replacing pillows isn’t a cost-effective (or effective, period) solution to a possible problem. A health reporter for the New York Times came to a similar conclusion earlier this year.

If you have a pillow that is comfortable and gives you a good night sleep, hold onto it. Most quality pillows are intended to last 2-5 years; natural pillows last longer. If you have or suspect you have an allergy to dust mites, a better approach would be to buy a pillow protector ($15) and zip it around the pillow to keep the dust mites out. Then put your pillowcase on top of it. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and wash your pillow a few times a year; wash the pillow protector and pillow case more frequently. Use the savings from those pillows you aren’t buying and put it aside for just in case that radon test (Tip #6) comes up high.

Welcome to the NCHH Blog

pdodge@nchh.org (Phillip Dodge) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:06:11 GMT

Today, NCHH is entering the world of blogging. Be sure to subscribe to our RSS Feed or check back frequently to stay up to date.