Background: Faculty in nursing and history at Creighton University directed two service-learning courses on the history and public health implications of lead (Pb) exposure in Omaha, NE. As part of their service requirements, students conducted or observed blood lead screenings in area schools and reflected on these shared experiences in…

Successful public health media campaigns promote messages, increase awareness, engage the public, and encourage behavior change. Between 2004 and 2006, the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted a media campaign grounded in social learning theory and the social marketing model to…

The environmental issues surrounding agrochemical products facing people today include serious health and ecological problems. Scientific literacy is necessary for students to understand scientific knowledge and get ready for the future world. Therefore, this action research aims to promote scientific literacy, in the area of plant growth by using…

In this article, Jessica Wolpaw Reyes investigates the link between lead exposure and student achievement in Massachusetts. Childhood exposure to even low levels of lead can adversely affect neurodevelopment, behavior, and cognitive performance. Using a panel dataset of cohorts of children born in the 1990s who were third and fourth graders in the…

Childhood exposure to even low levels of lead can adversely affect neurodevelopment, behavior, and cognitive performance. This paper investigates the link between lead exposure and student achievement in Massachusetts. Panel data analysis is conducted at the school-cohort level for children born between 1991 and 2000 and attending 3rd and 4th…

Background: Unintentional poisoning is an important public health issue that exacts a heavy toll on our nation's seniors. However, relatively few empirical studies have examined the efficacy of poison prevention education programs on this cohort. Purpose: This study assessed the impact of a poison education program on the knowledge, perceptions,…

This study sought to determine the emotional effects of a major community toxic release on children in the exposed community while controlling for the potential effects of response bias. Controlling for the response bias inherent in litigated contexts is an advance over previous studies of toxic exposure in children. A randomly selected…

Fatal and nonfatal injuries due to suicidal behavior among younger adolescents are of growing concern for many communities. We examined the incidence and patterns of these injuries among persons aged 10-14 years using three databases, two national and a third from Oregon. Suffocation and firearm gunshot were the leading external causes of suicide;…

This report succinctly discusses the steps necessary to diagnose and treat poisoning from pesticides, especially organophosphates, carbamates and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Immediate and continuing steps in the care of poisoning victims are outlined with supportive information on where to locate emergency assistance. (CS)

Adverse health effects from exposure to lead are now recognized to be among industrialized society's most important health problems. This report, prepared by the National Research Council's Committee on Measuring Lead Exposure in Critical Populations, concurs with new findings issued by the Centers for Disease Control which state that lead…

This national study on lead poisoning in children is organized in three parts. Part 1 provides an executive summary. Part 2 presents background information, an overview, findings, and conclusions. Part 3, which constitutes the bulk of the report, discusses terms, issues, and findings concerning lead metabolism, its relationship to lead exposure…

Examination of medical records reveals that the frequency of health problems--including delayed immunizations, elevated blood lead levels, hospital admission rates, and child abuse and neglect report rates--among a sample of 265 New York City homeless children under age 5 far exceeded those of children of similar low socioeconomic status attending…

Discusses the health-related implications of environmental hazards for children. Argues that low-income, minority communities are disproportionately affected, thus spurring the environmental justice movement which calls for equitable dealing with hazards. Suggests that children are at the greatest physical health risk, and that educators are in a…