Incidence of Childhood Lead Poisoning and Risk Reduction in Rural LowIncome Communities

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Incidence of Childhood Lead Poisoning and Risk
Reduction in Rural Low-Income Communities

• Caryl E Waggett, PhD
• Allegheny College

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Lead is a top environmental health concern in
Commonwealth
Childhood asthma
Childhood obesity and overweight
Lead poisoning
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Industrial manufacturers knew of health hazards
of lead
Leaded gasoline
Leaded paint
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Primary Health Effects of Lead Poisoning
Behavioral problems
Musculo-skeletal problems
Neuro-cognitive deficits
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Lead in Gasoline and US Human Exposures,
1975-1990 (USEPA)
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Primary sources
Secondary sources
Lead in pipes Coal fired power-plant
emissions Tool-and-die industry, parental
occupational risk Soldering, personal
projects Leaded weight and shot for fishing and
hunting
Lead paint in dust and soils
Residues from leaded gasoline emissions
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Children at Elevated Risk
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Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs
(CLPPP)only urban!!
CLPPP
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Different Sides of Rural Pennsylvania
Crawford County, pop. 90,366 20 of children 0-5
yrs old are at or below federal poverty
level gt20 of pregnant moms receive no pre-natal
care gt80 of homes built before 1950 25 of homes
are tenant-occupied
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Environmental Samples Corroborate High Risk
21.4 homes tested had at least one soil sample
exceed EPA soil standards for lead of 400
ppm 47.6 homes tested had at least one dust
sample exceed EPA dust samples of 40 ug/sq ft
(floor) or 250 ug/sq ft (windowsill)
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Incidence of childhood lead poisoning and risk
reduction in rural low-income communities Study
Objectives

• Increase children screened for lead
• Determine incidence of elevated BLLs
• Establish regional Community Lead Liaison through
  service agency
• Train social service staff in prevention
• Outreach / education to community leaders
• Disseminate info to other rural communities

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Study DesignPart I

• DETERMINE INCIDENCE OF ELEVATED BLLs
• Collaborate with local pediatricians
• screen all children 0-24 mos
• review risk factors and screen high risk children
  to 6 yrs
• Determine if pediatric patients are
  representative of county demographics
• Conduct prospective cohort study and determine
  incidence of elevated BLL

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Barriers to lead screening for children
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Risk reduction through in-home visits and
education
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Study DesignPart II

• CONDUCT OUTREACH
• Train Community Lead Liaison
• Train community leaders with high interaction
  with parents, kids
• Social service agencies, schools, congregations,
  civic groups
• Outreach in community
• Disseminate success and challenges to other rural
  communities

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Training
Social service providers
Teachers
Civic groups
Congregations
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Expansion to address issues of whole home from
residents perspective Healthy HomesHealthy
Children

• Lead
• Indoor air quality
• Mold, Mildew VOCs
• Dust Carbon Monoxide
• Allergens Radon
• Nutrition
• Injury Prevention

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Outreach to address suite of household hazards
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GOAL Healthy children
265 children enrolled in epidemiology
study Positive media coverage Increased
community partners Trained CLL and Graduate
Davies Leaders Received grants from varied
sources Expanded outreach to events and schools
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Legacy of old homes can helpprovide hope for
other rural regions
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Community Partners and Funding
Meadville Pediatrics Center for Family
Services Community Health Services Meadville
Medical Center Laboratories Visiting Nurses
Association of Crawford County Women, Infants and
Children Program Early Intervention Shuttle
Services, Ltd Meadville Redevelopment
Authority Center for Economic and Environmental
Development PERC (formerly PCIEP) Pennsylvania
Department of Health Center for Rural
Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health
Funding US EPA, Crawford Heritage Foundation,
Allegheny College, Center for Economic and
Environmental Development, Shanbrom Foundation,
Wells Fund , Harold M State Award
Acknowledgements Lindsay Herendeen, Krys
Castillo, David Cass, Tara Fortier, Dawn Beemer,
students in ES 588_F07