Peer Review Article Versus Popular Press Article on Lead Poisening

Lead poisoning has been a concern for many years. In fact, because of the affects of lead poisoning, there has been an extensive decline in its use. "Many people believe lead poisoning is no longer a threat, yet millions of homes contain lead based paint" (Heck, J., 2005, para. 1). Exposure to lead at any level is unhealthy, especially in infants, children, and pregnant women and continues to be an ongoing dilemma in this country. I read two articles concerning lead poisoning; the first article is from FineTuning, a popular press and the second article is from Pediatrics, a peer-review journal. In this paper, I will clearly summarize each article by comparing the content of both articles. In addition, I will summarize the attention to details communicated in each article. Next, I will discuss the reasons for the research, who conducted the research, the methods used during the research, and the conclusions reached based upon the research. Finally, in this paper, I will discuss what I learned about peer-review journal articles versus popular press articles.

The first article, entitled Lead Poisoning - It's Not an Illness of the Past by Joanne Heck discusses the history of lead based paint in the United States. Joanne Heck's main purpose for writing the article is to help the public understand why lead based paint is an ongoing issue in this country. The article is easy to read, as the author uses headings to break the article into different sections. The author writes the article in nonprofessional's terminology, which allows the average person to understand. A reader that wants to scan the article for specific details can do so with ease. The author provides a history of lead in order for the reader to "understand why lead poisoning continues to be prevalent in the United States" (Heck, para. 5). After the history, the author continues by discussing what lead poisoning is, who is at risk for lead poisoning, how a person can get lead poisoning, where lead poisoning comes from, the health effects of lead, the symptoms of lead poisoning, and the ways to prevent lead poisoning. The author further goes on to explain what is being done about lead poisoning, and finally explaining how to know for sure if a person has lead poisoning and how to have your home tested for lead poisoning. The author pays great attention to detail by providing facts to support the information provided in the article. For example, the author states, "75% of houses and other buildings built before 1978 have lead-based paint. When the paint is in good condition it does not pose a threat. When it chips and peels however, it can make a child very ill" (Heck, Where does lead come from section, para. 1). This article clearly achieves its purpose, which is to inform the public about prevalence of lead and the ongoing risks associated with lead poisoning. This article is not about one specific case of lead poisoning, which is evident because the author talks about the history of lead use and the laws relating to lead use in this country.

Similarly, in the article, The Need for Vigilance: the Persistence of Lead Poisoning in Children published in Pediatrics, a peer-review journal, the authors write the article with the intent of reiterating the need for medical professionals to remain vigilant with the accurate treatment of lead poisoning. The article in Pediatrics is written by doctors for clinical professionals and is based upon a report of "a case of lead poisoning associated with ingestion of a toy necklace in a 4-year-old child" (Florin, T., Brent, R., & Weitzman, M., para. 1). The article reinforces that

Although there is a reason to celebrate the great decline in the prevalence of lead poisoning in this country, this case report reinforces that lead poisoning remains a concerning problem for children and deserves appropriate attention in clinical settings. It therefore is essential that adequate and accurate information about childhood lead exposure continues to accompany such reminders. This report overlooks several significant biochemical and clinical details that are important for clinicians to understand in their care of the many children who continue to be exposed to and harmed by lead (Florin, Brent, & Weitzman, 2005, para. 1).

While both articles were written to inform the reader about the ongoing dangers of lead poisoning, unlike the previous article, this article was not written for the nonprofessional. This article is filled with details pertaining to the case of the 4-year-old child. The article is filled with scientific terminology, such as, acronyms that the nonprofessional most likely would not understand, even though the authors write out the words of each acronym. This article is detail-oriented about the medical issues pertaining to the symptoms of the 4-year-old child. The article further stresses the importance of managing the treatment of the child's lead poisoning. In addition, this article gives recommendations for clinical professionals to investigate further additional possible sources of lead that is causing the lead poison in the 4-year-old by suggesting,

Those involved in the management of this child's

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