Focus Group Testing – Woodbury County

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the University of Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy will be conducting focus groups in Woodbury County, Iowa. The goal of these focus groups is to address health equities in communities with elevated blood lead levels and low testing rates among children under 6 years in age. There are no safe levels of lead for children or adults. Even low levels of lead poisoning can harm children’s ability to learn and grow. High levels of lead in a child can cause permanent damage, and in some cases death. Blood lead testing data in Woodbury county shows a double burden risk of elevated blood lead levels and low testing rates among children in the Hispanic/Latino community.


Through focus group discussions we hope to learn about the experiences of Hispanic/Latino community members, property owners, and health professionals on lead poisoning. The intent is that focus group discussions will lead to program modifications resulting in increased testing and diagnosis of lead poisoning and improved access to community resources and services. By engaging with specific communities impacted by the double burden of risks associated with elevated blood lead levels and low testing rates, a community framework can be developed and used as a call for action. Our hope is that this community framework can be replicated in other communities across the state that are also experiencing a double burden risk.


Target Audience
Within the Hispanic/Latino community we are interested in receiving feedback from:

  • A family member who spends a significant amount of time under the same roof as a
    child under 6 years of age
  • A family member with children that live in a rental property
  • A family member with children under 6 years in age that owns and lives in a property
  • Grandparents living in a home built prior to 1978 with young grandchildren
  • A person who has a job that works with lead
  • A person who runs a daycare or watches multiple children under the age of 6


“Families” mean anyone who spends a significant amount of time under the same roof. For the Hispanic/Latino community there will be two focus groups, one hosted in English and one hosted in Spanish.

If you are interested in participating in one of these focus groups, please fill out the form below:

Woodbury County Focus Group
How many children live in your home or frequently visit your home under the age of 6?