A Study to Assess the Efficacy of Public Health Campaigns in Reducing Lead Exposure

Overview

This clinical trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of targeted public health campaigns in reducing lead exposure among adults living in urban communities with known environmental lead hazards. Lead exposure remains a significant public health concern, particularly in older urban neighborhoods with aging infrastructure and legacy contamination. Despite existing regulations and remediation efforts, many communities continue to experience elevated blood lead levels, especially among vulnerable populations. The study will compare the impact of an intensive, multi-modal public health campaign-featuring community workshops, educational materials, and home intervention resources-against standard municipal information dissemination. By assessing changes in blood lead levels and lead-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors over a 12-month period, the trial seeks to determine whether enhanced public health outreach can more effectively reduce lead exposure and promote safer practices. The findings will inform future strategies for community-based environmental health interventions.

Detailed description

Lead exposure is a persistent environmental health issue, particularly in urban areas with older housing stock, deteriorating paint, and legacy industrial contamination. Chronic lead exposure, even at low levels, has been associated with neurodevelopmental deficits in children and cardiovascular, renal, and cognitive effects in adults. Despite regulatory progress, disparities in lead exposure persist, often affecting low-income and minority communities.

Traditional public health approaches have relied on passive dissemination of information via municipal websites, pamphlets, and occasional community events. However, evidence suggests that more intensive, community-engaged interventions may be necessary to change behaviors and reduce environmental risks. This study is designed to rigorously assess the efficacy of a comprehensive public health campaign compared to standard information dissemination in reducing lead exposure.

The trial will enroll households from urban neighborhoods identified through environmental surveillance as having elevated lead risks. Eligible participants will be randomized to either the intensive campaign arm or the standard information arm. The intensive campaign will include a series of interactive community workshops, distribution of tailored educational materials, provision of lead-safe cleaning kits, and access to home visits by trained health educators. The control group will receive the standard municipal information package currently in use.

Primary outcomes will include changes in blood lead levels among index participants at baseline and after 12 months. Secondary outcomes will assess changes in lead-related knowledge, adoption of lead-safe practices, and environmental lead measurements in the home. The study will also monitor the incidence of new cases of elevated blood lead and assess participant satisfaction with the interventions.

Data will be collected through home visits, validated questionnaires, and laboratory testing. The trial will use a parallel-group, randomized controlled design with community-level randomization to minimize contamination. Results will inform policymakers and public health practitioners regarding the value of intensive, community-based approaches for environmental hazard reduction.

Interventions

• Behavioral Intensive Public Health Campaign
  A comprehensive intervention including: (1) three interactive community workshops on lead risks and prevention, (2) distribution of tailored educational materials, (3) provision of lead-safe cleaning kits (HEPA vacuums, cleaning supplies), and (4) two home visits by trained health educators to reinforce messages and assess household practices. Delivered over a 12-month period.
• Behavioral Standard Information Dissemination
  Provision of standard municipal information on lead exposure prevention, including pamphlets and website links, as currently distributed by public health authorities. No additional workshops or home visits provided.

Primary outcome measures

• Change in Blood Lead Level [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year]

Secondary outcome measures (4)

• Change in Lead-Related Knowledge [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year]
• Adoption of Lead-Safe Practices [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year]
• Environmental Lead Levels in Home [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year]
• Incidence of New Elevated Blood Lead Cases [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Resident of selected urban neighborhoods with documented environmental lead risk
• Household includes at least one adult aged 18-75 years willing to participate
• Willing to provide informed consent
• Willing to allow home visits and blood sampling
• Able to understand study procedures and interventions

Exclusion criteria

• Planning to relocate from the area within the next 12 months
• Household member with a known diagnosis of severe anemia or bleeding disorder
• Participation in another intervention study targeting lead exposure in the past 12 months
• Inability or unwillingness to comply with study procedures
• Household with known ongoing lead remediation efforts during the study period
• Pregnant women (due to additional ethical considerations for blood sampling)

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Parallel assignment

Masking

Open label

Primary purpose

Prevention

Study locations

United States · 1 center

• Philadelphia City Center — Philadelphia

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07632937 · InternationalHealth2026

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗