The Winchester Heights Community Center hosted a community workshop on lead safety on March 4th, 2020. Cochise Health and Social Services facilitated the event. The 16 participating community members received the results of individual home water quality results. Conducted by SEAHEC in the summer of 2019, the water quality study was part of a larger environmental health study SEAHEC and community members conducted to help the community identify and prioritize public health risks. Now the community has the data it needs to identify long standing health problems.
The presentation covered information on the sources of lead relevant to cultural practices and foods, including cooking or storing food in pottery containing lead, candy containing tamarind, and home remedies with certain ingredients that may contain lead. Community members also learned about how lead affects the body, especially that of children, how to prevent lead exposure, and where to receive blood testing for lead levels.
To spread the word, six community health workers visited 26 homes in the community, reaching about 104 adults and children. During the visits, CHWs delivered information packets about lead exposure.