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

Abstract #70021

Loraine R. Wasserman, RN, EdD, MS, College of Education, Florida International University, 17195 Sheridan Street, FIU Pines Center - Academic Village, Pembroke Pines, FL 33331, 954-447-9919, LRWass@aol.com

Purpose: While the epidemiological causes and effects of lead poisoning have been extensively researched, the application of health education as a mechanism of disease prevention has not. The purpose of this study is to examine whether caregiver participation in a family-based educational intervention can yield decreases in blood lead levels in at-risk children. Methods: Fifty randomly selected families were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. Parental participants completed a pre- and post intervention lead knowledge questionnaire, an instrument measuring comprehension about lead poisoning. The treatment group was given the educational intervention during the first clinic visit while the control group was given the intervention during the second clinic visit. Parents were trained using a print-based lead education module coupled with a video on childhood lead poisoning. The educational intervention was reinforced with a parental lead information brochure. All child participants received two blood lead screens approximately three to four months apart. Findings: Blood lead level data from the analysis of variance demonstrate a significant interaction between the differences in the first and second clinic visits and the presence or absence of the educational intervention. Results from an analysis of covariance support that caregivers in the treatment group have significantly higher scores on the second clinic visit parental lead knowledge questionnaire than the caregivers in the control group. Conclusions: These data suggest that the education treatment is effective in increasing the knowledge of the caregivers about the changes of lead poisoning and the strategies for lead poisoning prevention.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe three ways parents can lower lead exposure in their children.
• Identify three symptoms of childhood lead poisoning that parents should know about to protect their family.
• State when parents should expect the pediatrician to blood lead screen a child during a regular childhood check-up physical examination.

Keywords: Community Education, Public Health Research

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.