Document Type

Capstone Experience

Graduation Date

8-2018

Degree Name

Master of Public Health

Department

Health Promotion

First Committee Member

Fabio Almeida, PhD

Second Committee Member

Naudia McCracken, CER, MPH

Third Committee Member

Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, PhD

Fourth Committee Member

Michaela Dei, Refugee Health Liaison

Abstract

Background: Lead poisoning is a major public health concern. It accounted for twelve percent of the global burden for intellectual disabilities, and two and a half percent of the global burden for heart disease and stroke, as well as nearly 500,000 deaths in 2015 (World Health Organization, 2018). While everyone is at risk of lead exposure, refugee and immigrant children are at an increased risk because they have increased access and use of products from outside the United States that have been shown to contain lead (Moser, R., and Brownback, S., 2012; and New York State Department of Health, 2015). Goals and Objectives: My goal for service learning is to be part of the Douglas County Health Department. The objectives to obtain this goal are to understand the inner workings of the Douglas County Health Department and to understand how the Health Department works in the community. My goal for the capstone project is to impact the refugee populations from Burma and Afghanistan to reduce their risks of lead exposure. The objectives to obtain this goal are to work in the community to do health education sessions, and to disseminate findings. Methods: The Health Belief Model is applied throughout this project. A brochure will be created that highlights cultural products, their potential to cause lead poisoning, and dos and don’ts for these products. This brochure will be translated into the culturally appropriate languages. These brochures will be used in addition to the flip book already used by the Douglas County Health Department in the health sessions. Pre- and post-tests will also be given to each participant at each health education session. Data will also be collected from blood lead level tests done by Nebraska Methodist Nursing College. Impact: The results of the blood lead level tests will show if there is a correlation between higher blood lead levels and home country. This will tell us the gravity of the problem in Omaha, Nebraska, and help us to know what we need to do in the future. Also, refugee populations are impacted by the information and self-efficacy that will be taught during the health education session.

Download

Included in

Public Health Commons

Share

COinS