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Building Capacity to Address Environmental Health Issues During Pregnancy Awards


Grant Recipient Award Proposal Synopsis
Philadelphia Department of Health Exit Disclaimer, Philadelphia, PA $100,000 This project will use a two-pronged "learning" approach and focus on (1) increasing the capacity of health care providers at three city health care centers to provide education and outreach to at-risk prenatal patients, and (2) increasing the number of pregnant women that have access to information that will help them take actions to reduce environmental hazards exposures. An overarching goal is to reduce environmental hazards exposure in prenatal women and young children by integrating environmental hazard education into additional health care prenatal services. The project will address environmental tobacco smoke and lead poisoning, two environmental hazards that disproportionately affect pregnant women as well as their unborn babies and infants in the city of Philadelphia.
Duval County Health Department Exit Disclaimer, Jacksonville, FL $100,000 The focus of this project will be the development of training programs for physicians, other prenatal care providers, and Healthy Start case management staff on environmental health risks to:
  • Methyl mercury
  • Lead
  • Environmental tobacco smoke
  • Drinking water contaminants
The project will also assess and educate preconception and pregnant women about environmental health exposures and risks during pregnancy. Plans include the development of:
  • Consumer-oriented information material
  • A provider resource list
Other project activities include:
  • Adaptation of Healthy Start assessment tools
  • Adaptation of Healthy Start education curricula
  • Implementation of provider training
Ohio Department of Health Exit Disclaimer, Columbus, OH $97,204 This project will expand their efforts related to environmental risk reduction among women of reproductive age. The expansion would:
  • Include an assessment of individual health care provider capacity to counsel patients about these risks
  • Use current referral systems to promote risk reduction
The results from this assessment would be used to guide subsequent activities related to the development and implementation of an easy-to-use environmental risk profile for female patients. The profile would focus on key questions to assess a woman’s potential exposure to risks such as:
  • Environmental tobacco smoke
  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Radon
  • Carbon monoxide
  • Indoor pesticides
  • Other environmental toxins that may adversely affect birth outcomes
Michigan Inter-Tribal Council Exit Disclaimer, Sault St. Marie, MI $117,747 This project brings the message of the environmental risks of tobacco smoke, mercury, lead, and drinking water contaminants directly to Native American women of child-bearing age. The project includes two phases:
  1. Provide outreach and education on environmental health issues to pregnant women and health care providers
  2. Evaluate the effectiveness of the outreach and education to both audiences
Oregon Department of Human Services Exit Disclaimer, Portland, OR $100,000 This project will:
  • Develop education and assessment tools
  • Implement those tools in the public health setting to prompt behavior change
  • Disseminate evaluation findings
  • Ultimately expand the program statewide
The first goal is to increase knowledge among public health nurses about:
  • Environmental risks
  • Identification of those risks
  • Prevention strategies
  • Remediation of exposures
The second goal is to increase knowledge and promote behavior change among pregnant women who are exposed to environmental hazards such as:
  • Mercury
  • Lead
  • Environmental tobacco smoke
  • Chemicals
  • Pesticides
  • Drinking water contamination
  • Indoor and outdoor work/hobby related environmental hazards

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