Improving family participation in Lead Safe Babies

The City of Philadelphia Lead Poisoning Prevention Program 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 two years of age or younger, along with a bucket of products that help eliminate the risk of lead in the environment. A pre/post-test for the educational intervention evaluates caregiver knowledge of lead poisoning. Lead dust swipes are done within the home, toward providing interim controls. In an attempt to improve family involvement, modifications have been implemented for the Temple Health Connection site, including: 1) making a home visit one week after initial visits completed in the postpartum unit of the hospital, rather than having the home visit be one month after the initial visit, and completing the one month post-test for knowledge by phone or mail; 2) getting a contact number outside those living in the same household for future follow-up; and 3) gathering the intended primary care provider (PCP) for the child, if known, to send a reminder letter to the PCP about the need for a blood lead level at 9 months for the child. The impact of the modification (January-September, 2010) will be presented, including differences in number of home visits with lead dust samples and post-tests completed. Any impact on completed 9 month blood lead levels would not begin until October, 2010.