The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #39150

Laurel A. Sharmer, PhD, MPH, CHES, Department of Community Health, SUNY Potsdam, Maxcy Hall, Potsdam, NY 13676, 315-267-3136, sharmela@potsdam.edu

Lead poisoning remains the most serious environmental disease affecting American children under the age of six. Federal regulations for training workers for lead-based paint abatement are designed to institute a primary prevention approach to solving this problem. This research compared knowledge and attitude outcomes for two different methods for this training. Two classes of trainees (n=46) each participated in a four-hour lecture format training on the subject areas specified by the regulations. Two additional classes (n=44) of trainees each participated in an interactive, student-centered training on the same subject areas. A pretest/posttest study design was used, and a 25-item test instrument was developed. The pretest analysis of knowledge did not show significant differences between groups. Posttest differences, however, were significant, with the participatory group having the higher mean score. Attitude was measured among groups using chi square procedures, with a dichotomous variable ("concerned" or "not concerned" about lead poisoning prevention) that was ascertained from the test instrument. Although the number of trainees who were considered to be "concerned" increased among the lecture participants, the increase was not statistically significant. Among the participatory trainees, however, the increase in the number of students who were "concerned" after the training was statistically significant.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, participants will be able to describe

• The effectiveness of worker-centered training in lead-based paint abatement programs; and
• three techniques for developing worker-centered trainings

Keywords: Lead, Training

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Western Regional Lead Training Center Oregon State University Corvallis, OR
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.