Maintaining
What does this measure?
The number of children under age 6 with blood lead levels 10 micrograms per deciliter or higher as a proportion of those tested within the year (either with a finger stick or venous blood screening). Only children who did not previously have an elevated blood lead level are included in this measure.
Why is this important?
Exposure to lead, even small amounts, significantly increases a child's risk of developing long-lasting cognitive, physiological and behavioral problems.
How is Westchester County performing?
In 2018, 0.3% of children tested in Westchester County had elevated blood lead levels, a decline of 75% since 2000. Westchester County's rate is slightly lower than the national rate of 0.4%, on par with the statewide and Putnam County rates, and slightly higher than the Rockland and Nassau rates of 0.2% and 0.1% respectively.
Notes about the data
It is important to note that not all children are tested for lead, despite a state law requiring them to be tested. Statewide, about two-thirds of children are tested between 9 and 18 months of age.
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester County | 1.2% | 1.1% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Nassau County | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Putnam County | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Rockland County | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| New York State | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
Notes: Proportion of all children under 6 screened in a year and found to have elevated blood lead levels. Only children not previously identified with elevated lead levels are included.
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester County | 310 | 281 | 214 | 201 | 184 | 163 | 141 | 151 | 100 | 93 | 112 | 108 | 84 | 152 | 103 | 55 | 72 | 104 | 70 |
| Nassau County | 184 | 155 | 143 | 106 | 113 | 64 | 85 | 90 | 68 | 83 | 67 | 49 | 55 | 67 | 53 | 26 | 30 | 30 | 46 |
| Putnam County | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| Rockland County | 60 | 55 | 46 | 56 | 51 | 22 | 31 | 32 | 27 | 34 | 31 | 37 | 22 | 50 | 39 | 11 | 19 | 25 | 24 |
| New York State | 3,539 | 3,010 | 2,717 | 2,947 | 2,575 | 2,355 | 3,205 | 2,642 | 1,787 | 1,919 | 2,087 | 1,772 |
Notes: Number of all children under 6 screened in a year and found to have elevated blood lead levels. Only children not previously identified with elevated lead levels are included.
| INDICATORS | TREND | WESTCHESTER |
|---|---|
| Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity |
1
Increasing
|
| Infant Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels |
0
Maintaining
|
| Children Receiving Subsidized Child Care |
0
Maintaining
|
| Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity |
1
Increasing
|
| Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19 |
-1
Decreasing
|
| Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity |
1
Increasing
|
| Single Female-Headed Households |
0
Maintaining
|
