Purpose: To evaluate the impact of an educational home visit on receipt of health, social and environmental services for children at risk for lead poisoning. Methods: Home visits by Family Lead Counselors, nurses or social workers were offered to children with blood lead levels 15-19m g/dL during a six month pilot program. Sixteen months after the pilot, all children eligible for contact by the program were matched by name, birth date and address to statewide databases containing blood lead level test results and reported environmental services. This information was linked to educational intervention and social services information. Several descriptive outcomes were examined: educational intervention received, referral to social services, subsequent blood lead tests, and use of environmental services. Results: Among children contacted by the program, 65% received one or more home visits, and an additional 30% received either an education telephone call and/or were mailed educational literature. At time of evaluation, 85% of all eligible children received a blood lead level retest, 27% were referred to a social service and 16% had their home tested for lead. Compared with no visit children, home visited children were significantly more likely to obtain a blood lead level retest, and to be referred to social services than no visit children (p<0.01). Visited children were more likely to have a home lead inspection than no visit children. Conclusion: Educational home visits to children at risk of lead poisoning can have a significant impact on the utilization of clinical and social services.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe an educational intervention for children with moderately elevated lead levels. 2. Discuss the findings of the evaluation. 3. Articulate the evaluation process
Keywords: Lead, Public Health Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
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.