A Statewide Campaign to Reduce Residential Pesticide Exposure in Pre-School Age Children - Final Report

Disclaimer

This report was prepared by an EPA assistance agreement recipient and represents only the views of the author rather than EPA.

December 2003
PESP Grant EPA Region V #X-97571601
9/15/01 - 9/15/03

Principal Investigator

Chris Boerboom, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706.
Tel: (608) 262-1392; email: boerboom@facstaffwisc.edu

Project Manager

Roger Flashinski, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706.
Tel: (608) 263-6358; email: raflashi@facstaff.wisc.edu

Executive Summary

The primary goal of this project was to establish a collaborative venture aimed at reducing the incidence of residential pesticide exposure in pre-school age children. Objectives of this project are to reduce pesticide exposure by raising the awareness of safe pesticide storage and handling in the home, reduce overall pesticide use through implementation of integrated pest management practices, and improve the recognition of the symptoms of pesticide over-exposure in children by health care professionals. The project involved cooperative efforts between state public health agencies and the state’s poison control centers. The primary intervention used to meet the objectives is a train-the-trainer program that has been modeled on a previously successful State of Wisconsin program. A single-page educational brochure, modeled from a series of existing pesticide information pamphlets (Home PEST brochures), was created and distributed statewide with Poison Center prevention packets. This project expands existing state pesticide safety programs. Statewide access to families will be coordinated through the state’s Poison Center and state Public Health Departments.

Project Goals and Objectives

In September 2001, our planning committee developed a general outline and time frame for completing the project’s goals and objectives; these included: 1) conduct train-the-trainer sessions to teach health professionals about pesticides and their associated risks, 2) develop a brochure summarizing key concepts of pesticide safety and 1PM concepts, and 3) develop a poster for use at hospital examination and treatment rooms. In November of 2001, we reviewed the proposed training agenda, set the training session dates, and created a draft outline for the brochure. In February 2002, we finalized the training curriculum and invitational list, and further reviewed the brochure outline.

Project Activities

Training Sessions

Two training sessions for health professionals were held in 2002: March 12 in Milwaukee and March 21 in Madison. Each 2- to 3-hour session covered the information outlined in the training agenda, Residential Pesticide Risk Reduction Training Session (agenda attached to Mid-Project Report, September 2002). In attendance were professionals representing county and city health department personnel, poison center nurses, Department of Health and Social Services staff, and other interested persons. A total of 36 people attended. Two fact sheets also were used in this training: What can you do? Steps for Reducing Pests and Proper Pesticide Use, and Pesticide Safety in Your Home. Both fact sheets were developed under a previous EPA Region 5 Urban Initiative grant (#X-97528801-0).

One attendee representing the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction was so impressed by the information given and relevance of it to everyone, that he requested that we conduct this same training session on September 19, 2002 at the Annual Joint Educational Conference sponsored by the Wisconsin Environmental Health Association (WEHA), Wisconsin Association of Milk and Food Sanitarians (WAMFS), and Wisconsin Association of Dairy Plant Field Reps (WADFR). A total of 109 people attended this event in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, representing public health services, department of agriculture, and the food and dairy industry.

Supplemental Presentations

During 2002 and 2003, the following state organizations and affiliations also have requested a general presentation on the topic of pesticide safety and recognizing and treating adverse effects due to pesticide overexposure: Partners in Agricultural Health, Sauk County; Whitefish Bay School District, Milwaukee County; Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Annual Statewide Symposium; Wisconsin Fertilizer and Chemical Association, Annual Applicators School; and Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Grand Rounds, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. The number of attendees at these presentations ranged from 25 to over 200. The pesticide safety brochure (see below) was distributed at each event. Pesticide safety and medical management of pesticide toxicity continues to be a focal area of emphasis for presentations provided to the general public and health care professionals by staff of the State of Wisconsin”s Poison Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Pesticide Safety Brochure

One element of this grant was to develop a brochure highlighting the most important concepts about pesticides, their associated risks, and how to reduce health risks. This brochure, Staying Safe & Reducing Your Health Risks, is a culmination of the information contained in the series of Home PEST (Pesticide Education and Safety Training) brochures developed by the University of Wisconsin’s Pesticide Applicator Training program. The purpose of the brochure is to inform the public how to use pesticides safely in the home. ft’s main avenue of distribution is through the Wisconsin Poison Center. Each year, 40,000+ people call the Center for advice about pesticides or an impending poisoning situation. The Center routinely mails each caller a packet of information about poison prevention. It is felt that the caller is genuinely concerned (albeit temporarily) about a pesticide issue or incident and, thus, most likely will read the information contained in the packet. The brochure was completed in October 2002 and is now included with the packet mailed by the Wisconsin Poison Center; 75,000 copies were initially printed (see attached copy).

To date, over 10,500 brochures have been distributed via the Wisconsin Poison Center to individuals and organizations. The brochure is incorporated in all mailings sent by the Center throughout Wisconsin, and it is distributed at all events at which Poison Center staff provide onsite education. In 2003, all 72 counties in Wisconsin received multiple copies of the pesticide safety brochure to be distributed to families enrolled in the county Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs.

Poster

The third element of this project was to have develop a wall poster showing the common symptoms and descriptions of pesticide poisoning. It was intended that the poster be displayed in hospital emergency rooms and medical treatment rooms for use by medical personnel to help them recognize and differentiate symptoms between pesticide poisoning and other causes that mimic pesticide poisoning. Because of demand and potential impact of the pesticide safety brochure, we received approval from EPA Region V that the funds set aside for this poster may be appropriately used to reprint the pesticide safety brochure (see above). These additional brochures were printed in October 2003 and delivered to the Wisconsin Poison Center at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee to be distributed in their packets of information.

Project Effectiveness and Application

The training sessions and supplemental presentations conducted under this project increased the knowledge of nearly 600 professionals on pesticide safety and recognizing symptoms of pesticide overexposure. The compounding net effect of these individuals passing on the information they learned to their constituents is an unknown, but one certainly can’t negate the overall positive effect of this outreach effort. The Wisconsin Poison Center receives over 40,000 calls per year, most of whom then receives a packet of information on poison prevention. This packet now includes the pesticide safety brochure, Staying Safe & Reducing Your Health Risks, created under this project. Besides highlighting the important concepts about pesticides, this brochure also provides contacts where users can get additional help and information about using pesticides correctly.

Mother positive effect of this project is the heightened cooperation that occurred among the several state entities involved in carrying out this statewide campaign. The increased awareness and understanding of our common goals will continue to foster and supplement each other’s pesticide safety education effort that was initiated by this project.

Key Personnel

Roger Flashinski, Manager, Pesticide Applicator Training Program, University of Wisconsin- Extension, Madison, WI. Tel: (608) 263-6358; email: raflashi@facstaff.wisc.edu
Dan Wixted, former Technical Writer and Editor, Pesticide Applicator Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Madison, WI.
Karen Delahaut, Coordinator, Home PEST Project University of Wisconsin-Extension, Madison, WI. Tel: (608) 262-6429; email: kadelaha@facstaff.wisc.edu
Ernest Stremski, Medical Director, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Tel: (414) 266-2062; email: ernest@mcw.edu

Budget Report

Budget Category	Budgeted Amounts	Final Expenses
Personnel Salary / Fringe Benefits	15,150	16,730
Travel	2,500	346
Equipment
Supplies	9,095	9,609
Contractual
Other (detail)	9,494 Indirect costs assessed to the University of WI - Extension	9,473
Total	36,239	36,158
Unspent Balance		81