Childhood lead poisoning from domestic products in China: A case study with implications for practice, education, and policy

Public Health Nurs. 2019 Nov;36(6):806-812. doi: 10.1111/phn.12652. Epub 2019 Aug 19.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to report three representative childhood lead poisoning cases in China from domestic products exposure and to highlight their critical implications for practice, education, and policy in prevention and treatment of childhood lead poisoning by health care providers, especially public health nurses.

Design and sample: Three representative childhood lead poisoning cases occurring in 2017 were collected and analyzed.

Results: The lead exposure sources of three cases were evaluated by experts in the field and determined to be tin pots, home factories for tinfoil, and contamination of folk medicine, respectively. These cases demonstrated that the lack of lead exposure risk assessment, insufficient knowledge of potential lead exposure sources, underdeveloped policy, and regulations were areas for improvement.

Conclusions: The best strategies for preventing lead poisoning include an appropriate risk assessment of lead exposure, implementation of comprehensive parental health education, conduction of further research by public health providers, and the application of policy strategies by the government. It was determined that public health nurses are at the frontline of prevention of lead poisoning in children.

Keywords: childhood lead poisoning; domestic products; folk medicine; health education; policy and regulation; risk assessment; tin foil; tin pot.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • China / epidemiology
  • Environmental Exposure / prevention & control*
  • Environmental Exposure / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Health Education / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Lead Poisoning / epidemiology*
  • Male
  • Medicine, Traditional
  • Parents / education
  • Policy
  • Risk Assessment