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Parental perceptions of barriers to blood lead testing
Barbara J Polivka1, Mary Margaret Gottesman
1Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA. polivka.1@osu.edu
Insights
Parents highlighted barriers to childhood blood lead testing, including lack of awareness and logistical challenges. Improving education and streamlining services can increase testing rates and reduce lead poisoning risks.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Environmental Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Blood lead testing is crucial for identifying lead exposure in children.
- Barriers to testing exist among parents of young children eligible for Medicaid.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify parental perspectives on barriers to blood lead testing for children.
- To understand parental knowledge regarding lead poisoning and testing procedures.
Main Methods:
- Focus groups were conducted with parents of young children eligible for Medicaid.
- Participants discussed familiarity with lead poisoning dangers, reasons for not testing, facilitators for testing, and preferred learning methods.
Main Results:
- Most parents were unaware of lead poisoning causes and effects.
- Some parents were unsure if their child had been tested, as the purpose of blood draws was not explained.
- Parents suggested co-locating services and minimizing phlebotomy discomfort to facilitate testing.
- Low-literacy brochures, videos, and TV ads were preferred for learning about lead poisoning.
Conclusions:
- Nurses should enhance lead poisoning prevention education in practice settings.
- Strategies are needed to improve blood lead testing rates.
- Reducing procedural pain and anxiety associated with blood draws is essential.
Introduction:
This study identified barriers to blood lead testing from the perspective of parents of young children eligible for Medicaid.
Method:
Data were gathered from three focus groups. Participants were asked if they were familiar with the dangers of high blood lead levels, rationale for not having a child tested for blood lead, what would facilitate having blood lead testing, and how they wanted to learn about blood lead poisoning.
Results:
Most parents (n=30) were unfamiliar with the causes and effects of lead poisoning. While many reported their child had been tested for lead, others were unsure because they were not told the purpose of blood draws. Participants suggested that having all services in one facility would decrease travel and thus facilitate blood lead testing; others wanted the discomfort associated with phlebotomy minimized. Participants preferred to learn about lead poisoning from low-literacy brochures, videos, and television ads.
Discussion:
Nurses should institute measures in their practice sites to improve blood lead poisoning prevention education and blood lead testing rates and to reduce the pain and anxiety associated with this procedure.
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