According to the U.S. Public Health Service, lead poisoning remains the most common and societally devastating environmental disease of young children. About 16 percent all American children have blood lead levels in the neurotoxic range. Being poor dramatically increases this risk. The lead industry has long camouflaged lead's toxicity.…

Conveys the practical knowledge shown by public health nurses since the days of Lillian Wald in the 1890s. Public health nurses have had to work with high-risk families--work that often requires a common sense approach. (JOW)

Reviews Guy Steuart's career and major themes of his writing: the nature of health, program development process, and the role of the professional health educator. (SK)

Mereness describes her half-century career as an educator and pioneer in psychiatric and public health nursing. (SK)

Discusses the mounting evidence for the neurological damage of childhood lead poisoning. Argues that ignoring lead poisoning is more expensive than preventing it. Reviews a recent plan to eradicate lead poisoning and the sociological factors that may impede its implementation. (CJS)

Describes Healthy Cities Indiana, which adapts the European and Canadian Healthy Cities experience within the content of Indiana and the United States. Presents the Healthy Cities process, including city commitment, committee formation, community leadership development, city action, provision of information to policymakers, and action research and…

Compared the effectiveness of the American Cancer Society's "FreshStart," the American Lung Association's "Freedom from Smoking," and a laboratory smoking cessation clinic. A one-year followup favored the more intensive laboratory and "Freedom from Smoking" clinics over the "FreshStart" method. (FMW)

Describes the emergence of parish nursing as a specialty practice within community health nursing. Parish nurse roles include health educator, health counselor, liaison to community resources, and clarifier of the relationship between faith and health. (JOW)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works to make communities aware of dangers posed by misused pesticides, which can be hazardous to the health of children and others. The EPA is involved in outreach to inform the public. People need information about safe and effective pest-control options. They should report suspected pesticide misuse to…

A survey of 16 Australian clinical nurse consultants showed they spent substantial time in informal teaching, but only 3% of it is recorded as limited educational activity for accountability purposes. However, a survey of 58 nurses taught by the consultants demonstrates the gains derived from informal education. (SK)

Presents data on methamphetamine use in the United States and the economic and social pressures that may partially explain expanded methamphetamine use. Recommends a policy response that utilizes a public health approach, including prevention campaigns, harm-reduction outreach and treatment approaches, and pharmacologic and abstinence-based drug…

Major public health problems require interventions that recognize the broad, social, cultural, economic, political, and physical environments. The learning environment is a key setting for promoting health, especially mental health and emotional well-being. (SK)

Examines the potential impact of the revised standards for race and ethnicity on data from the 2000 census and public health data sources, policies, and programs. Results indicate that the multiple-race group comprises a small percentage of the American population and may have little impact on data for single-race groups. Actual effects will vary…

From 14 Ontario public health nurses' descriptions of their reactions to changes in the field from 1980-1996, six orientations to change were identified. Acceptance included critical approval, insidious assimilation, or wounded acquiescence. Resistance took the form of judicious circumvention or constructive opposition. Change initiation through…

Presents recommendations for the media in educating the public about suicide prevention. The report is a result of collaboration between public and private sector organizations. (JDM)