Recorded presentation

Claudia M. Smith, RN, MPH, PhD, Dept of Family and Community Health, University of Maryland,Baltimore, School of Nursing, 655 W. Lombard Street, Room 675B, Baltimore, MD 21201, 410-706-5470, smith@son.umaryland.edu

Asthma, lead poisoning, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other unintentional injuries are major morbidities among children living in old, poorly maintained houses in urban settings. Homeowners in low-income communities often lack the financial resources to repair their homes, exacerbating the presence of multiple environmental health hazards that contribute to these illnesses. This session reports the results of a Healthy Homes project in Baltimore, Maryland, that trained and used community workers to reduce multiple health hazards in occupied homes. Results include reductions in lead dust, carbon monoxide, and selected asthma triggers. Lessons learned will be discussed, with emphasis on training and supervising workers to conduct safe work practices in occupied homes. Implications for practice, policy, funding, and research will be included.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify methods used to reduce multiple environmental hazards through work in occupied homes.
• Describe the contributions of housing specialists, lead-safe workers, homeowners, public health nurses, community organizers, and others in reducing multiple health hazards in occupied homes in low-income communities.
• Explain lessons learned regarding training and supervising workers to conduct safe work practices in occupied homes.
• Identify implications for practice, policy, funding, and further research into best practices.

Keywords: , Housing

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.

Recorded presentation