Answer 3 for NURS 8310 Week 5 Discussion Environmental and Genetic Factors That Influence Health Identify the environmental agent or genetic factor that you selected and the population health problem with which it is associated. Lead Poisoning among minority children

Lead is a heavy metal that can cause irreversible neurological damage, especially among children. Exposure to lead has been a major environmental hazard for a very long time. It poses a threat to the health of individuals when an intolerable amount of lead is either inhaled or ingested. Lead poisoning from lead paint and lead in contaminated water pipes in underserved/ low-income areas can cause irreversible harm, especially to children if left unchecked (Benfer et al., 2018).

Evaluate the significance of the health risk resulting from your selected environmental agent or genetic factor, discussing such aspects as morbidity, mortality, incidence, prevalence, exposures, and costs to society. Support your response with references and data.

High lead levels cause decreased vitamin D hemoglobin synthesis and anemia, and acute central nervous system disorders, irreversible neurological damage, and possible death especially in children (CDC,2019). The exposure to lead-based paint is an ongoing issue especially in underprivileged/ low-income areas in the United States (Benfer et al., 2018). According to Center for disease control and prevention (CDC) (2020) about 500,000 children of age 1-5 years old have high levels of lead in their blood that can affect their health and damage their growth, while more than 13,000 children experience high levels of lead exposure. Cognitive impairments in children as a result of lead exposure cost about $50.9 billion annually. It has been estimated that about 23 million homes in the US have deteriorated lead-based paint and elevated levels of lead-contaminated house dust (Benfer et al., 2018).