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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2014 Feb;104 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S136-43.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301361. Epub 2013 Dec 19.

Implementation and randomized controlled trial evaluation of universal postnatal nurse home visiting

Kenneth A Dodge  1 , W Benjamin Goodman, Robert A Murphy, Karen O'Donnell, Jeannine Sato, Susan Guptill
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Implementation and randomized controlled trial evaluation of universal postnatal nurse home visiting

Kenneth A Dodge et al. Am J Public Health. 2014 Feb.

Abstract

Objectives: We evaluated whether a brief, universal, postnatal nurse home-visiting intervention can be implemented with high penetration and fidelity, prevent emergency health care services, and promote positive parenting by infant age 6 months.

Methods: Durham Connects is a manualized 4- to 7-session program to assess family needs and connect parents with community resources to improve infant health and well-being. All 4777 resident births in Durham, North Carolina, between July 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010, were randomly assigned to intervention and control conditions. A random, representative subset of 549 families received blinded interviews for impact evaluation.

Results: Of all families, 80% initiated participation; adherence was 84%. Hospital records indicated that Durham Connects infants had 59% fewer infant emergency medical care episodes than did control infants. Durham Connects mothers reported fewer infant emergency care episodes and more community connections, more positive parenting behaviors, participation in higher quality out-of-home child care, and lower rates of anxiety than control mothers. Blinded observers reported higher quality home environments for Durham Connects than for control families.

Conclusions: A brief universal home-visiting program implemented with high penetration and fidelity can lower costly emergency medical care and improve family outcomes.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01406184.

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Figures

FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Mean cumulative number of emergency care episodes across the first 6 months of life, by intervention group: Durham County, NC, July 1, 2009–December 31, 2010.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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