title: A Pilot Study of Changes in Environmental Knowledge and Behaviors among Head Start Employees and Parents Following Environmental Health Training in Webb County, TX.
abstract: Head Start centers in Webb County, Texas primarily serve low-income Hispanic families disproportionately affected by environmental exposures. A total of 560 parents and employees attended environmental trainings. Pre- and post-assessments measured whether the trainings were effective at improving related knowledge and behaviors. A total of 152 parents and 94 employees signed consent forms. Only the 64 parents and 50 employees who completed all questionnaires were included in the data analysis. Paired t tests and McNemar tests found significant improvements in knowledge and behaviors related to multiple environmental topics (p < 0.05). Mean scores out of eleven for knowledge before and immediately after were 9.69 (95 % CI 9.44, 9.94) and 10.58 (95 % CI 10.42, 10.74), respectively. Mean scores out of ten for behavior before and 1 month after training were 8.00 (95 % CI 7.71, 8.29) and 9.29 (95 % CI 9.10, 9.48), respectively. This pilot study found improved knowledge and behaviors following environmental health training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, 102 SPH Administration Building, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77840, USA.
authors.forename: Amber B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Trueblood
authors.affiliation: South Texas Environmental Education and Research Program, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Rudy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rincon
authors.affiliation: South Texas Environmental Education and Research Program, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perales
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, 102 SPH Administration Building, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77840, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hollingsworth
authors.affiliation: South Texas Environmental Education and Research Program, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, 102 SPH Administration Building, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77840, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health, 102 SPH Administration Building, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77840, USA. LHCizmas@sph.tamhsc.edu.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cizmas
mesh_terms: D018479:Early Intervention, Educational / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004777:Environment; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011203:Poverty; D013781:Texas
keywords: Behavior; Education; Healthy homes; Hispanic; Knowledge