The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #64435

Claudia M. Smith, RN, MPH, PhD, Dept of Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland,Baltimore, School of Nursing, 655 W. Lombard Street, Room 665A, Baltimore, MD 21201, 410-706-5470, smith@son.umaryland.edu and Imani Angela A. Rose, RN, BSN, BS, Park Heights Healthy Homes Project, 10 Cedar Heights Court, Apt. F, Baltimore, MD 21207.

Through education, public health nurses can help families reduce environmental health hazards in their houses. Results from a HUD-funded Healthy Homes Demonstration Grant will be discussed, to show how lead dust, asthma triggers, low levels of carbon monoxide, and pesticide use can be reduced in houses of low-income, urban families. Special attention will be given to the issues of wall-to-wall carpeting and lead dust, and unvented gas stoves and low levels of carbon monoxide. Also, simple and healthy ways of cleaning will be discussed for families to use for home maintenance management. Implications exist for all nurses working with families with children.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify multiple environmental health hazards in houses, especially older urban houses.
• Describe educational interventions to reduce these hazards.
• Explain the hazards of wall-to-wall carpeting associated with lead dust in older homes.
• Explain the hazards of low level carbon monoxide associated with unvented gas stoves.
• Describe a simple, healthy way of cleaning floors and surfaces.
• Explore the implications of environmental hazard reduction for nurses working with families with children living in older homes.

Keywords: Environmental Health Hazards, Home Visiting

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.