Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #105615

Robert Himmelsbach, BA, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Division of Maternal, Child and Family Health, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, 2100 West Girard Ave., PNH Building #3, Philadelphia, PA 19130-1400, 215-685-2782, Robert.Himmelsbach@phila.gov, Kristen Rappazzo, BA, School of Public Health, Drexel University, 1501 Race St, Philadelphia, PA 19102, and Richard E. Tobin, MS, MPA, Division of Maternal, Child and Family Health, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 2100 W Girard Ave, PNH #3, Philadelphia, PA 19130-1400.

Since March of 1975, the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program of the Philadelphia Health Department has conducted a survey of households at the time of a home visit for lead or other child-health issues to determine the presence and working status of smoke detectors in the homes of clients. Of 7303 home visits over a ten-year period, 63.8% of dwellings did, and 35.6% did not, have a smoke detector in the sleeping area of the home, and 86.8% of those detectors had a working battery. Only 26.8% of these homes had fire extinguishers available to the residents and only 47.3% of these residents had discussed plans for fire emergency with their families. Occupants of rental properties were less likely (61.4% vs. 67.8%) than those in owner-occupied properties to have a smoke detector, despite local housing code requirements for detectors in rental properties. Homes with infants <=1 year present were less likely to have a smoke detector (57.4%) than those with children in the 1 to 6 year age range (65%), (p<0.0001). Of clients who needed smoke detectors in their homes, the CLPPP has installed them in 93.1% of all cases, including many multiple installations for a total of 3008 smoke detectors installed, funded through a series of small grants from both the public and private sectors.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe presence of smokle detectors in a targeted population.
• Assess housing code effectiveness in preserving safety of the population.
• Prioritize populatios to receive smoke detector installation.

Keywords: Children's Health, Injury Control

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.