| Behavioral Changes Following Participation in a Home Health Promotional Program in King County, Washington Rainbow Leung,
1
Jane Q. Koenig,
1
Nancy Simcox,
1
Gerald van Belle,
1
Richard Fenske,
1
and Steven G. Gilbert
2
1
Department of Environmental Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
2
Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders, Seattle, WA 98195 USA Abstract
This study examined behavioral changes in households after participation in a home environmental assessment. Home assessment visits by a trained coach, which involved a walk-through in the home with the home residents, were conducted in 36 homes. The walk-through included a list of recommended behavioral changes that the residents could make to reduce their exposures to home pollutants in areas such as dust control, moisture problems, indoor air, hazardous household products, and hobbies. Recruited households were surveyed 3 months after the home assessment to evaluate their implementation of the recommendations. Following the home visits, 31 of 36 households reported making at least one behavioral change, and 41% of the recommendations made by the volunteer coaches were implemented. In conclusion, this study found that the majority of the households who participated in the home assessment reported implementing at least one recommendation. This home health promotional method was effective in influencing behavioral changes. Key words : behavior change, dampness, dust, health, indoor air, vacuuming, ventilation. Environ Health Perspect 105:1132-1135 (1997) .
Address correspondence to J.Q Koenig, 1959 NE Pacific, Department of Environmental Health, PO Box 357234, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7234 USA This study was partially funded by King County Hazardous Management Program and NIEHS center grant 1 P30 ES 07033. We would like to express sincere appreciation to John Smith from the School of Education, University of Washington, who guided us in the conception of this study design. We also would like to acknowledge Annette Frahm, Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (METRO) , for her assistance in promoting and funding of this study. Special thanks to Amy Duggan, MHE, for coordinating the volunteers. Received 7 April 1997 ; accepted 10 July 1997.
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