Nevada childhood lead poisoning prevention program - nevada has one of the fastest-growing and most demographically diverse populations in the U.S., and large proportions of this population face…

Nevada childhood lead poisoning prevention program - nevada has one of the fastest-growing and most demographically diverse populations in the U.S., and large proportions of this population face health disparities by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. A wide range of social determinants of health play a critical role in the outcomes of vulnerable populations; however, housing continues to be a persistent determinant that disproportionally impacts our low-income communities, often highly populated by communities of color. Housing quality concerns in nevada have been and remain a concern. Nearly one in four homes in the state were built before 1979, and given the variety of non-traditional sources of lead and the diversity of the state, the state grapples with more than lead-based paint exposures. Despite the risk to lead hazards in nevada, less than 4 percent of children under the age of six are tested for lead and even fewer since the covid-19 pandemic. In 2017 the unlv school of public health revitalized and expanded the clark county childhood lead poisoning prevention program into the first statewide nevada childhood lead poisoning prevention program (nvclppp) by implementing a four-pronged approach to lead poisoning prevention that engaged health districts, medical providers, service providers, and community members all toward the goal of strengthening testing, reporting, surveillance, and prevention. During this time, we have expanded our advisory board, passed legislative changes to improve reporting, implemented a novel approach to engage providers, increased blood lead testing, improved linkages to services, and engaged a diverse set of stakeholders in lead poisoning prevention and education. Despite these successes, the covid-19 pandemic has hampered progress on all approaches implemented and has left the communities at greatest risk in a much more vulnerable position. As our state begins to move into a period of recovery, IT is more critical than ever to reeng age and revitalize primary and secondary lead prevention approaches. The nvclppp team is spearheaded by an experienced team of professionals in environmental health, public health, sociology, epidemiology, and biostatistics to employ lead prevention, lead-hazard reduction, surveillance, and education and outreach. Through the use of community-engaged approaches, the nvclppp will utilize CDC funds to continue to build upon the evidence-based work conducted over the past three years. Primary prevention approaches will continue to use a community-based approach to prevention. We are committed to integrating community members into developing strategies that resonate and address their concerns. We will continue to use novel approaches to engage providers, such as the implementation of an academic detailing model found to be effective in creating sustainable practice changes. Strengthening and leveraging partnerships is at the core of our work; thus, we engage a diverse group of service providers who work with young children and their families to expand our reach. Lastly, we understand the role structures and systems play in health inequities; therefore, we are committed to developing strategic and well-prioritized policy approaches to influence policies and practices that have the potential to protect the health of our families from lead hazards into the long term. Secondary prevention measures will include implementing strategies in collaboration with state and health districts to improve lead testing and reporting, especially for children at higher risk of exposure, such as those on medicaid, racial minorities, and immigrant/refugee families. Finally, improve linkages of lead-exposed children to recommended services. The nvclppp is dedicated to reducing health disparities among the most vulnerable communities, particularly young children from low-income and minority backgrounds who bear a disproportionate burden to lead exposure.