Prenatal Education on Environmental Exposures During Pregnancy Study (PEEPS)

Overview

The purpose of this project is to reduce maternal environmental exposures to toxicants through a patient education program designed to help pregnant women learn about exposure through consumption of contaminated seafood and to be able to use the lessons they learn to have a better understanding of risk.

The educational project proposed is to fulfill, in part, a mission to develop and adapt best practices to work with residents and local leaders of affected communities to facilitate prevention and intervention strategies that will result in community-level reductions in exposure to PAHs and other Superfund site pollutants. The communities included are those surrounding the Ship Channel, and Superfund sites, including Harrisburg/ Manchester, Galena Park, Channelview, Pasadena, Deer Park, and the Highlands. Many are Environmental Justice (EJ) communities, impacted by industrialization, poverty, and the environmental health effects of sites including the San Jacinto Waste Pits, Patrick Bayou, and dozens of downstream hot spots. An important goal is to test and validate all program materials and outcomes of the training, including satisfaction. To do this, participants will be asked to complete pre- and post-tests, an end-of-course evaluation, and complete a brief follow-up survey through two telephone calls, one completed three months following the training and a second at one year following the training.

Conditions