Value of a community-academic partnership in assisting families with exposures to lead and asthma triggers

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Jonathan B. Ward Jr., PhD¹, J. Sullivan¹, S. Castillo², I. Romo², M. Murillo², Eg Brooks³, S. Petronella³, D. Hicks³, L. Rudkin¹, and Vms Ramanujam¹. (1) Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., 2.102 Ewing Hall, Galveston, TX 77555, 409/772-9109, jward@utmb.edu, (2) DeMadres a Madres, 1108 Paschall St., Houston, TX 77009, (3) Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555

Project COAL (Communities Organized against Asthma and Lead) is an intervention project being conducted by DeMadres a Madres Service Center, and the Casa d'Amigo Health Center in Houston, TX with the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX. The purpose of the project is to reduce the exposure of children to lead and asthma triggers in their homes in a predominantly Hispanic community in Houston. The two primary objectives are to educate the community and to survey homes for the presence of risk factors, thus establishing the basis for targeted educational interventions. The education component is based on interactive forum theater using dramatizations to convey information with audience participation for feedback. Home surveys are based on the King County Healthy Homes Survey with laboratory analysis of collected samples. These approaches have allowed us to determine community understanding of these environmental risks and have identified about one-third of the homes as significantly contaminated with lead. Development of the relationship between the partners has been based on meetings, working together, and the use of para-theatrical techniques. Key factors have been to understand cultural and socioeconomic issues, to establish effective methods of communication and effective procedures, and to seek policy changes in response to findings. As the project has progressed we have recognized many ways in which the unique attributes of the three partners contribute to our collective ability to meet the needs of the community.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to

(a) Describe a partnership-based intervention to assess homes for lead and asthma triggers and provide a follow-up response
(b) Describe the use and impact of education and risk communication using interactive theater as a medium
(c) Discuss the unique attributes of a partnership between a trusted community organization and an environmental health research group in meeting the needs of a disadvantaged community

Keywords: Community Collaboration, Environmental Justice

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation

Environmental Justice in the Home: Strategies to Improve Public Health

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA