Racial residential segregation shapes the relationship between early childhood lead exposure and fourth-grade standardized test scores

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dc.citation.articleNumbere2117868119en_US
dc.citation.issueNumber34en_US
dc.citation.journalTitleProceedings of the National Academy of Sciencesen_US
dc.citation.volumeNumber119en_US
dc.contributor.authorBravo, Mercedes A.en_US
dc.contributor.authorZephyr, Dominiqueen_US
dc.contributor.authorKowal, Danielen_US
dc.contributor.authorEnsor, Katherineen_US
dc.contributor.authorMiranda, Marie Lynnen_US
dc.date.accessioned2022-09-01T14:18:22Zen_US
dc.date.available2022-09-01T14:18:22Zen_US
dc.date.issued2022en_US
dc.description.abstractRacial/ethnic disparities in academic performance may result from a confluence of adverse exposures that arise from structural racism and accrue to specific subpopulations. This study investigates childhood lead exposure, racial residential segregation, and early educational outcomes. Geocoded North Carolina birth data is linked to blood lead surveillance data and fourth-grade standardized test scores (n = 25,699). We constructed a census tract-level measure of racial isolation (RI) of the non-Hispanic Black (NHB) population. We fit generalized additive models of reading and mathematics test scores regressed on individual-level blood lead level (BLL) and neighborhood RI of NHB (RINHB). Models included an interaction term between BLL and RINHB. BLL and RINHB were associated with lower reading scores; among NHB children, an interaction was observed between BLL and RINHB. Reading scores for NHB children with BLLs of 1 to 3 µg/dL were similar across the range of RINHB values. For NHB children with BLLs of 4 µg/dL, reading scores were similar to those of NHB children with BLLs of 1 to 3 µg/dL at lower RINHB values (less racial isolation/segregation). At higher RINHB levels (greater racial isolation/segregation), children with BLLs of 4 µg/dL had lower reading scores than children with BLLs of 1 to 3 µg/dL. This pattern becomes more marked at higher BLLs. Higher BLL was associated with lower mathematics test scores among NHB and non-Hispanic White (NHW) children, but there was no evidence of an interaction. In conclusion, NHB children with high BLLs residing in high RINHB neighborhoods had worse reading scores.en_US
dc.identifier.citationBravo, Mercedes A., Zephyr, Dominique, Kowal, Daniel, et al.. "Racial residential segregation shapes the relationship between early childhood lead exposure and fourth-grade standardized test scores." <i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,</i> 119, no. 34 (2022) National Academy of Sciences: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2117868119.en_US
dc.identifier.digitalpnas-2117868119en_US
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2117868119en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/113170en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherNational Academy of Sciencesen_US
dc.rightsThis open access article is distributed under Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC BY).en_US
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en_US
dc.titleRacial residential segregation shapes the relationship between early childhood lead exposure and fourth-grade standardized test scoresen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.type.dcmiTexten_US
dc.type.publicationpublisher versionen_US
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