Successfully Changing a State's Climate to Increase Blood Lead Level Testing
| Autor: | Gail Coppins Gettens, Beverly Baer Drouin |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
medicine.medical_specialty
Pediatric health Lead poisoning 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Environmental health medicine Humans Mass Screening New Hampshire 030212 general & internal medicine Program Development Child Health Education Lead tests 030505 public health medicine.diagnostic_test business.industry Health Policy Public health Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Testing equipment medicine.disease Organizational Culture Disease control Lead Poisoning Lead Child Preschool Blood lead level Public Health Rural area 0305 other medical science business State Government |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. 25:S31-S36 |
| ISSN: | 1078-4659 |
| DOI: | 10.1097/phh.0000000000000888 |
| Popis: | Childhood lead poisoning continues to be a persistent environmental pediatric health problem in New Hampshire (NH). In 2015, 660 (4.9%) children younger than 6 years had blood lead levels of 5 µg/dL or more, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended level for public health action. Yet, only 16.8% of NH children younger than 6 years were tested. NH's Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (HHLPPP) identified 2 barriers to blood lead testing and the opportunities to resolve them: (1) venous testing had lower compliance and resulted in costly follow-up time for providers and (2) lack of understanding in the medical community about the importance of blood lead testing. Strategies to engage pediatric providers needed to recognize the realities of this rural state. In 2016, a strategy with goals of increasing blood lead screening and testing rates statewide with focus on high-risk communities was developed and implemented. The 5-part integrated strategy included the following: (1) implement a medical education program for pediatric providers; (2) increase provider awareness of point-of-care testing equipment; (3) create and distribute medical reference materials; (4) develop parent reminders for blood lead tests; and (5) increase the availability of point-of-care testing equipment. During 2016, NH's HHLPPP presented 25 medical education sessions. Blood lead testing rates improved dramatically, especially at medical sites where both face-to-face education and point-of-care testing were implemented. NH's success serves as a model for other rural areas seeking to improve lead screening rates. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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