Get the Lead Out: Reducing Lead Exposure for Children in Poverty

Even at low levels, lead exposure hinders children's development, and is of particular concern for children from low-income families who are already at risk for developmental difficulties. The current intervention aimed to decrease blood lead levels (BLL) for children from low-income families identified as having subthreshold levels of exposure (i.e., below 10 Ì_å_g/dl) through a factorial design using educational brochures, cleaning kits, and home risk assessments as intervention components. The project was one of the first preventative interventions to approach the issue of subthreshold lead exposure. Participation in the study resulted in decreased BLLs in the children, better knowledge of lead risk by parents, and improved cleaning habits for all groups. Descriptive within-group reports provided further evidence of the intervention's effectiveness and practicality for each of the treatment components utilized in the program. Findings are discussed in terms of their practical significance and policy and programming implications.