Lead Safe Babies: A primary prevention program

Lead poisoning remains a preventable children's environmental health problem. The Lead Poisoning Prevention Program of the City of Philadelphia has partnered with the National Nursing Centers Consortium to provide Lead Safe Babies (LSB), a CDC and HUD funded primary prevention program with the goal of eliminating lead poisoning in the City. A scripted educational intervention is provided for pregnant women and caregivers of children less than one year old, along with a bucket of products that help eliminate the risk of lead in the environment. A pre/post-test, before and one month after the educational intervention, that addresses knowledge of lead poisoning is completed by caregivers. Lead dust swipes are done within the home. Homes with high lead dust levels receive interim controls, e.g. sealing of windows. The results of the 2006-2007 cohort of LSB will be reported, including the total number of children in the program, the number of homes with interim controls, the impact on knowledge of the caregivers, the percent of Lead Safe Babies with blood lead levels below the mean of the city and the relative risk reduction in lead poisoning compared to babies living in same census block groups.