Toxic remedy: a case of a 3-year-old child with lead colic treated with lead monoxide (greta).

This article reports the case of a 3-year-old male with an elevated blood lead level. The child had a history of consuming imported lead-contaminated candies resulting in abdominal pains for which he was given a Hispanic folk remedy, called greta, by his mother. The home remedy aggravated the child's symptoms which prompted medical consultation. Analysis of the powdered folk remedy revealed a lead concentration of 140 000 ppm. This case highlights the complexities associated with identifying unfamiliar sources of lead poisoning, and their potential relationships to cultural practices.

The status of childhood lead poisoning and prevention in Nevada, USA.

One of the first steps in addressing the problem of childhood lead poisoning is to identify the possible sources of exposure in specific communities and target high-risk populations with appropriate interventions. Due to several factors, such as lack of funding and lack of blood lead reporting, little information exists regarding the occurrence of childhood lead poisoning and the prevalence of potential exposure sources in the state of Nevada. Following the recent establishment of a Nevada-based Lead Poisoning Program, we compiled the most current information available on Nevadans, and use this knowledge to suggest future research objectives and outreach activities for the state. Accordingly, we identify the characteristics of the vulnerable Nevada populations, explore possible sources of lead exposure unique to Nevada, and summarize the existing data on childhood lead poisoning. Emerging data indicates that Nevada is an area of rapid population growth, characterized by increasing immigration from Latin America, increasing numbers of children from low-income families with no health insurance. Also, childhood lead poisoning may arise from exposure to non-paint sources of lead. After presenting the Nevada statistics, we propose and recommend a set of research and outreach strategies that best suit the needs of Nevada residents.

Factors for satisfaction among providers of ancillary health services in a community-based cancer prevention program: a pilot study in Nevada.

Providers of ancillary health services are essential members of any health care delivery system. They supply laboratory, radiology, and other diagnostic modalities necessary for quality medical care. Assessment of the providers' factors for satisfaction in participating in cancer prevention programs can contribute to better services and can serve as a model for other community-based health programs. We conducted a pilot survey of providers of ancillary services in the Nevada Women's Health Connection, a community breast and cervical cancer prevention program. Of the 93 participating providers, a total of 44 providers completed the survey. We subjected the survey data to factor analysis using iterative principal axis factoring with Varimax rotation. Three components of satisfaction were identified, comprising satisfaction with the (1) reimbursement process, (2) positive perception of the program, and (3) familiarity with program's requirements. All three components accounted for 72.08% of the total variance before the rotation. Amount of financial gain was not a significant factor for satisfaction among participating providers. Providers of ancillary health services were satisfied in their participation in this community-based cancer prevention program. There were three components of satisfaction identified. Further attention should be given on these issues as they have implications for quality improvement in health services for community-based programs dealing with low income and uninsured patients.