Outreach: Bringing the message of lead hazards in home décor to health care providers and their clients

Based upon the authors research on lead hazards in home décor, HUD's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control issued a grant for educational outreach to child health care providers and the public. The research evolved into an outreach project because of the widely promoted use of decorator objects and furniture with worn or eroded paint surfaces. Since the popular media targets middle and upper-income families encouraging creative use of these items, a risk of lead poisoning is a concern in a new and often un-screened population of children. Over this past year, the authors have created a brochure and website detailing the lead poisoning dangers of these housing décor trends. These materials were marketed to child health care providers and offers for additional training and consultation were implemented. A focus on parish nurses, PHNs, and APNs was integral to this outreach. The grant originally targeted the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, but the idea carried enough appeal to have requests for information presented to providers in New York, California and at a national health ministries conference in Tennessee. Public health policy on lead screening and the current gaps in health care service are an essential component of this child health issue and will be woven into the presentation. Information on the website, the marketing outreach and the success of the overall project as well as ideas on the use of this type of outreach for other health issues and lessons learned will be featured.