Institute for Public Health Practice, Research and Policy

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is dedicated to improving the health of Iowans through numerous governmentally sponsored public health programs that are effective, efficient, well-organized and well-coordinated. One important program that impacts Iowa’s youngest residents is the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP). The goal of this program is to reduce the prevalence of childhood lead poisoning in Iowa. The CLPPP provides identification and case management for children with elevated blood lead levels, identification and control of lead paint hazards, surveillance of elevated blood lead levels, and provides education and outreach in communities across the state.

The Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy (IIPHRP), at the University of Iowa, College of Public Health was contracted by IDPH to complete several activities related to the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, one of which was a needs assessment of the program. The needs assessment noted a need for more data feedback at the county level that can be used for education and outreach. The need for data feedback resulted in the creation of the Iowa Lead Report Cards. These are county specific report cards that provide meaningful data that can be utilized for community and stakeholder education and outreach. The Iowa Lead Report Cards were developed in conjunction with the Iowa Childhood Lead Advisory Workgroup (CLAW) to ensure meaningful data was being communicated.

Find your lead report card here.

The Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy (IIPHRP), at the University of Iowa, College of Public Health was contracted by IDPH to develop, conduct, and analyze a survey to determine how IDPH can better meet the needs of the housing sector in terms of education and resources. The purpose of this survey was to understand the knowledge and awareness of lead hazards in properties (rental and owner-occupied) of property owners and managers.

The results of this survey include recommendations that are intended to provide guidance to IDPH as they dedicate resources to education and resource building for the housing sector. Full recommendations can be found at the end of the report, but an overview of recommendations include the following:

• Complete a more in-depth survey collecting demographic information
• Create educational materials for the housing sector including education on
  • Lead paint rules
  • Lead-safe work practices
  • Impact to children
• Make the lead-certified contractor training more accessible through an online platform

The Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy (IIPHRP), at the University of Iowa, College of Public Health was contracted by IDPH to complete several activities related to the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, one of which is to compile a summary of existing program metrics of which data is collected for the Iowa CLPPP. IIPHRP completed this assignment with assistance from the Iowa Childhood Lead Advisory Workgroup (CLAW). This multidisciplinary group provided input into which metrics are most meaningful, what metrics are missing, and what metrics would be collected in the “ideal world”. The outcome of this exercise will identify the most meaningful data that can be communicated to contractors, physicians, public health agencies, and the public. This information can also inform data driven decisions regarding program enhancements, promotion and education. Read the Meaningful Metrics Report.