Inaction on Lead Despite the Relevant Knowledge: Predictors, Covariates, and Outreach Implications

Alessandra Rossi, Bernabas Wolde, Pankaj Lal and Melissa Harclerode
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Alessandra Rossi: Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University—1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
Bernabas Wolde: Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University—1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
Pankaj Lal: Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University—1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
Melissa Harclerode: Environmental Sustainability Scientist, CDM Smith—110 Fieldcrest Avenue, PO 8, Floor 6, Edison, NJ 08837, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 24, 1-12

Abstract: Testing residential soil and paint for lead provides actionable information. By showing where and how much lead exists on the residence, it allows one to quantify risk and determine the best ways to reduce exposure along with the corresponding health and financial costs. For these reasons, several federal and state programs offer outreach to audiences on the benefits of testing residential soil and paint for lead. Not all individuals who know about lead’s adverse health effects, however, test their residence for lead, potentially limiting the actionable information that could have helped to reduce their exposure. Such individuals represent a challenge to outreach programs and the broader public health objectives. There is, thus, a need to understand who such individuals are and why they behave this way, allowing us to develop a specialized outreach program that addresses the problem by targeting the relevant sub-population. Using survey data, we quantitatively determine the profiles of individuals who, despite knowing about lead’s adverse health effects, are unlikely to test their residence for lead, finding statistically significant socio-economic predictors and behavioral covariates. We also find a geographic component to it, further helping outreach professionals learn how to allocate their limited resources.

Keywords: lead exposure; specialized outreach; profiled audience; risk management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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