A new study led by epidemiologists at Brown University found that among firearm owners, less safe storage was associated with higher blood lead levels in children.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] - In homes with guns, proper storage is important in preventing injuries and deaths. Now, researchers have found a secondary benefit: Gun owners may be able to minimize children's exposure to lead, an environmental toxin, by safely storing their firearms and ammunition.
"Keeping guns away from children is an important factor in reducing the amount of lead those children are exposed to," said lead study author Christian Hoover, a pre-doctoral fellow in epidemiology at Brown University's School of Public Health.
The findings were published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.
Hoover's research has focused on how firearm-related lead can contribute to increased blood lead levels in children in the United States. Firearms use lead-based ammunition and primers, he explained, so discharging a firearm releases lead particles that can be inhaled or inadvertently transported into the home on contaminated clothing or gear.
To examine the relationship between firearm storage and children's blood lead levels, Hoover collaborated with Joseph Braun, a professor of epidemiology at Brown who studies the health effects of environmental pollutant exposures on babies, children and adolescents. Their previous research found an association between household firearm ownership and elevated lead levels in children's blood in 44 states, and in this study, they wanted to focus on individuals.
The research team analyzed data from the longitudinal HOME Study, which was developed to assess the effects of environmental toxicant exposures on various health outcomes. The study, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, enrolled over 400 pregnant women from 2003 to 2006 and is following them and their babies over time.
In the HOME Study, blood lead levels were measured at ages 12, 24 and 36 months and floor dust lead levels from first measurement, at 12 and at 24 months. Caregivers reported firearm ownership, number of firearms and storage practices during pregnancy.
The team's analysis found that in homes where firearms were not stored or locked, there was 29% to 84% higher dust lead from first measurement through when the child was 24 months of age, and children had approximately 20% higher blood lead levels at ages 12 to 36 months.
"Lead is a known neurotoxicant, and there is no safe level of exposure for young children," said Braun, who directs the Center for Climate, Environment and Health at Brown. "Early lead exposure can increase the risk of cognitive and behavior problems in childhood, and potentially criminal behavior in adulthood."
Young children are particularly vulnerable to lead because they spend more time on the floor, where dust collects, and tend to put lead-contaminated objects (or their hands) in their mouths.
"These data show that it is important to consider multiple sources of environmental lead exposure to protect children's rapidly developing and sensitive brains," Braun said.
Hoover added that working alongside gun owners is essential as researchers continue to study the connections between firearm use and pediatric lead exposure.
"Most gun owners are safety oriented and thoughtfully engaged in determining how to prevent firearm-related harms, and these findings present an actionable way to address lead exposure," Hoover said.
