Students learn about the epidemiology of lead poisoning, the pathways of exposure, and methods for community outreach and education. Despite the fact that lead has been removed from most products such as paint and gasoline, at least 250,000 children nationally aged newborn-6 years old have elevated blood lead levels (eBLLs) according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates. The local incidence of lead poisoning declined over the last 10 years, but thousands of Philadelphia children still have eBLLs. Philadelphia ranks third in the country with about 3.8 % of the children with eBLLs counts using the preferred CDC standard. Most at-risk are low income children of color living in poorly maintained homes built before the 1978 ban on lead-based paint for residential use was mandated. According to the Philadelphia Health Department, there are currently about 1,400 homes with dangerous levels of lead paint chips and dust awaiting cleanup in the city, along with an additional 100,000 likely candidate homes for lead exposure that have never been assessed. Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, impaired hearing, behavioral problems and at very high levels, seizures, coma and even death. Young children are especially at risk because of the developing CNS physiology. They often ingest lead paint chips, household dust and soil while playing in their home and yards and this exposure can result in cognitive impacts that may become a significant lifetime burden to the child and society. As we learn about the adverse public health impacts from lead poisoning, we will begin to understand the social and economic underpinnings of this disease’s etiology, which often selects the most vulnerable populations for its primary targets.
Goals
- To facilitate comprehension and understanding of environmental science and public health principles, especially childhood lead poisoning risks in the West Philadelphia community.
- To provide opportunities for promoting sound practices in mitigating of lead exposures and communication skills in several different situations.
- To apply risk assessment analysis in characterizing lead soil samples in developing comprehensive lead distribution study in the West Philadelphia community, specifically aimed at Environmental Justice (EJ) neighborhoods.
- To present lectures and student discussion on lead poisoning prevention with at-risk populations, as well as to develop conceptual lead strategies about conceptual thinking about environmental health among the target audience.
- To encourage understanding of materials and interaction among students, breakout rooms will be part of each class with a class discussion following. This way, students will have multiple ways of participating and learning from others.
Projected Assignments
- Light weekly readings (2-3 news articles and a few ‘scholarly’ articles mixed in) and discussion questions for class.
- Students will be introduced to experts on both the topic of childhood lead poisoning and in community activism to increase their personal academic and social capacity. Our guest list will allow for personal interactions between the students and guests.
- Sampling projects: students will be given coordinates and tested lead soil levels to examine as a group. Throughout the module, students will acquire the skills they need to complete a risk assessment and sampling project as a group.
Draft Syllabus
Class 1: Introduction and Overview; History of Lead
Introductions
Overview of syllabus and topics
Introduction of Sampling Project // assignments
Intro and History of Lead
Brief class discussion and questions
Class 2: Toxicology and human health/children's health
Toxicology of lead/human health
Children’s health
Breakout rooms
Class discussion
Class 3: Risk Assessment and Lead
Risk assessment; application to lead
Breakout rooms
Class discussion
Class 4: Environmental Justice and lead exposure
Intro to environmental justice
Lead and EJ
Breakout rooms
Class discussion
Class 5: Lead in drinking water
Lead and drinking water
Breakout rooms
Class discussion
Class 6: Case Study: West Philadelphia, PA
Case Study Overview
Discussion -- breakout rooms to assigned breakout rooms
Discussion Questions -- gathered as class
Sampling Project - check in
Class 7: Case Study: Flint, MI
Case Study Overview
Discussion -- breakout rooms to assigned breakout rooms
Discussion Questions -- gathered as class
Sampling Project - check in
Class 8: Case Study: Lancaster, PA
Case Study Overview
Discussion -- breakout rooms to assigned breakout rooms
Discussion Questions -- gathered as class
Sampling Project - check in
Class 9: Presentations and wrap up
