Problem:
Childhood lead exposure remains preventable, but healthcare professionals, families, and communities need accessible and culturally appropriate resources to recognize exposure risks, promote testing, and prevent harm. Immigrant and refugee communities may face additional barriers to accessing relevant lead prevention information.
Solution:
During the yearlong project period, Region 10 PEHSU did the following activities:
Delivered 8 presentations for healthcare and health professionals with education on childhood lead poisoning. The PEHSU provided consultations to healthcare professionals addressing lead-related concerns. They also promoted educational resources, including WA-specific lead prevention videos, and disseminated printed lead prevention materials through community settings. The PEHSU developed a training video to help medical staff properly use LeadCare II point-of-care testing machines and report results to WA DOH. The PEHSU created a short video encouraging families to talk with their healthcare providers about blood lead testing. They also translated the existing lead-during-pregnancy screening card into 9 languages: Amharic, Arabic, Dari, English, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese – Partnered with Crece Conmigo, Somalil Health Board, and Mother Africa to co-develop culturally relevant lead exposure factsheets for immigrant and refugee communities. Each org participated in multiple feedback sessions and hosted focus groups with community members to ensure the materials reflected community needs and perspectives. The PEHSU developed online lead-risk questionnaires for children and pregnant women, available in English and Spanish, and developed 3 case studies focused on recognizing, managing, and preventing lead exposure during early life, in collaboration with local providers involved in pre-and post-natal care and education.
Impact:
The project strengthened lead poisoning prevention across WA by reaching 147 healthcare and health professionals, generating 1000+ views of educational videos, and expanding access to clinical, community, and family-focused resources.