To disseminate lead poisoning related information we developed a peer teaching concept: the Lead Buster Team (LBT). The LBT consists primarily of parents/guardians of poisoned children who are motivated to take a 2-3 month course on lead related topics. LBT trainees from the Bronx and Manhattan serve as peer counselors in their communities. One LBT function is to give workshops at Head Starts. We assessed LBT effectiveness in two ways. First, workshop participants lead-related knowledge was tested immediately before and right after a workshop and again 3 months later. Results were compared to control parents recruited from the same Head Starts and tested at enrollment and 3 months. Second, we restricted LBT activities to geographic areas defined by zipcode and identified control districts for comparison of lead poisoning prevalence rates over time. Results: 141 subjects and 99 controls entered the test/retest study; 43 and 38 were retested at 3 months, respectively. Average scores were: preworkshop- subjects=49%, controls=51%; immediately postworkshop- subjects=69%, and; at 3 months- subjects=62%,controls=59%. After 2 years of LBT activities, lead poisoning prevalence in children <6 years declined from 3.7% (in 1995) to 1.4% (1999) in LBT areas; whereas control area values were 3.2% and 3.3%, respectively. We found that LBT activities were associated with an increase in parental knowledge and a decrease in lead poisoning prevalence. These data support the utility of the peer educator model in communities at risk from environmental toxicants.
Learning Objectives: to identify the components leading to a successful community based environmental intervention
Keywords: Community Health Promoters, Lead
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I'm on the faculty of the Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center. The Medical Center supports the Division of Pediatric Environmental Sciences in the Department of Pediatrics. The Lead Buster Team program resides in the Division.