This research is a reflection of what I learned in the Data Analysis for GIS course. The following excerpt is an excerpt from the final research paper report.

 

Lead poisoning is the number one environmental illness in children. It is crucial to monitor blood lead levels in children due to the toxicity and harmful effects of lead and the developing nature of their nervous systems and brains. In Chicago, around 1,000 children are diagnosed with lead poisoning each year. Using data derived from the City of Chicago data portal, this research investigates the percent elevated blood lead levels in children ages 0-6 in Chicago in 1999, 2006, and 2013. Have elevated blood lead levels increased or decreased among children in Chicago? A statistical analysis was done in the form of a paired samples t test to test the difference in means across these years. A graduated color map was made in ArcMap for 1999, 2006, and 2013 to show the breakdown of percent elevated blood lead levels by community area. A Getis-Ord Gi* analysis map was made for each year to display the significant spatial clusters of high and low values in Chicago. I found that all three paired sample comparisons had a p- value of 0.000, so I was able to reject the null hypothesis that there is no difference. I concluded that there is a significant difference between percent elevated blood lead levels between 1999, 2006, and 2013, and my maps show that this difference is the most drastic between 1999 and 2006. This drastic change can likely be attributed to the ban of lead-based paint, leaded gasoline, and lead-based pipes, which were phased out not long before 1999.