Mulch Madness: A Community-Academic Partnership for Lead Poisoning Prevention.
Prog Community Health Partnersh
; 18(2): 141-153, 2024.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38946561
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Soil constitutes a major source of childhood lead exposure, disproportionately affecting communities of color. Mulching offers a low-cost interim control.OBJECTIVES:
A community-academic partnership was established for lead poisoning prevention, with a three-foldaim:
(1) control soil lead hazards by applying mulch, (2) identify home lead hazards with screening kits, and (3) connect residents to resources to address lead hazards.METHODS:
Student volunteers canvassed neighborhoods one month prior to the annual event. They requested consent for mulching, distributed lead screening kits, and screened residents for grant eligibility. Soil samples were collected from each home before mulching. According to principles of community-based participatory research, materials and plans were iterative, guided and adjusted by neighborhood association feedback, and detailed reports about home lead results were shared with each participating resident. Composite neighborhood data and survey results were shared with volunteers and community partners.RESULTS:
The project was evaluated in the third (41 homes) and fourth (48 homes) years of implementation. Before mulching, the median soil lead level was over 400 ppm, and after mulching, it was less than 20 ppm. Lead screening kits identified widespread lead hazards in paint, soil, and dust, but not water. Challenges remain in (a) increasing child blood lead testing and (b) increasing submissions for city grant funding for lead abatement. Evaluation surveys indicate a sense of ownership in the project among community partners and high levels of engagement among students.CONCLUSIONS:
Community-academic partnerships are an effective tool for lead poisoning prevention, generating evidence for public health action.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Relaciones Comunidad-Institución
/
Investigación Participativa Basada en la Comunidad
/
Intoxicación por Plomo
Límite:
Child
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Prog Community Health Partnersh
Asunto de la revista:
SAUDE PUBLICA
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
Pais de publicación:
EEUU
/
ESTADOS UNIDOS
/
ESTADOS UNIDOS DA AMERICA
/
EUA
/
UNITED STATES
/
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
/
US
/
USA