The process of protection by parents of young children at risk or exposed to lead in the environment

The purpose of the study was to explore the nature of protection by parents of young children at risk or exposed to lead in their environment. Grounded theory methodology guided the research design. Participants were obtained through purposive sampling of families known from previous research and by referral from a pediatric clinic where lead screening was done. Further enrollment was done by snowball sampling. Theoretical sampling provided exploration of protection along themes guided by the developing theory. Data were collected from parents with children from 0--5 years old who were exposed or had been exposed and who may or may not have been poisoned. Data were observations, medical records information, and semi-structured interviews. Twenty-two interviews from eighteen participants were analyzed using dimensional analysis methods to configure an explanatory matrix about parental protection. Data were analyzed using software for nonnumerical, unstructured data indexing, searching, and theorizing (NUD*IST, N6). Dimensions of context included uncertain risk and vulnerability of children. Conditions that influenced the process of protection were unequivocal commitment to responsibility, the likelihood of assurance, and the resources of parents and timing of awareness. The processes of protection were the control of uncertain risk by moving and removing, and the control of vulnerability by vigilant presence and general interventions embedded with protection. The consequences of protection were assurance of uncertainty by elimination, and moderation of vulnerability by avoidance. Protection at the intersection of risk and vulnerability required control from multiple environmental levels. The overarching explanation of protection was controllability. The significance of this study was the development of a substantive theory of parental protection from lead exposure and poisoning and contribution to an ecological perspective of protection.