Presentation
Evaluating Interventions to Reduce Lead Poisoning Among Vulnerable Population: A Systematic Review
Minnesota Environmental Health Association Winter Conference
(2020)
Abstract
Background
Lead poisoning occurs when the health or bodily functions of an individual are adversely affected. The population at high-risk for lead poisoning include primarily vulnerable populations, such as low-income minority groups, children, women who are pregnant, elderly, and the immunocompromised.
Objective
This systematic review seeks to determine effective interventions to reduce lead exposure and ultimately blood lead levels (BLLs) in the vulnerable population.
Methods
Sources for this systematic review were retrieved from Medline, CINAHL, EBSCO. The keywords yielded the most relevant articles to our topic were “Lead AND Intervention study OR Randomized control study”. A total of 30 articles were generated. Eleven studies which met the inclusion criteria were articles published between the years of 2003-2019, written in English, with access to full text, peer-reviewed, and relevant to the topic. The 19 research articles that were excluded consists of topics that did not align with our research topic.
Results
Various interventions such as lead screening, residential renovations, boil advisories, education, and medical treatment were implemented to reduce BLLs. The results showed that multiple forms of interventions were effective in reducing BLLs among the vulnerable population. Residential renovations were effective at reducing lead exposure through the home environment and boil advisories were effective in reducing lead exposure through water. Lead screening and supplementation were effective in reducing BLLs throughout vulnerable populations; whereas chelation therapy was ineffective. The effectiveness of education was dependent upon the population of interest, therefore results for this intervention were inconclusive.
Conclusion
We suggest that a multicomponent intervention approach would be the most effective in reducing BLLs in the vulnerable population. Residential lead exposure reduction coupled with medical interventions such as screening and calcium carbonate supplementation will effectively lower BLLs.
Implication
This review calls for the need to implement interventions which reduce lead exposure and elevated BLLs among the vulnerable populations.
Keywords
- Lead,
- Intervention study OR Randomized control study
Disciplines
Publication Date
Winter January, 2020
Location
St. Paul, MN
Citation Information
Erin Cutts, Katelyn Mann, Erica Urbina, Alyssa Paterson, et al.. "Evaluating Interventions to Reduce Lead Poisoning Among Vulnerable Population: A Systematic Review" Minnesota Environmental Health Association Winter Conference (2020) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/angela-ekwonye/17/