Lee, E., Mitchell-Herzfeld, S., Lowenfels, A. A., Greene, R., Dorabawila, V., & DuMont, K. A. (2009). Reducing low birth weight through home visitation: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36(2), 154–160.
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Not reported
| Design | Attrition | Baseline equivalence | Confounding factors | Valid, reliable measures? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randomized controlled trial | Low | Established on race/ethnicity and SES; outcomes not feasible to assess at baseline. |
None |
This manuscript reports findings for a subgroup of mothers who were randomized at 30 or fewer weeks of gestation and who had a singleton birth.
Findings that rate moderate or high in this manuscript
No findings found that rate moderate or high.
Potential participants at three Healthy Families New York sites (Healthy Families America program) were screened for socioeconomic risk factors and administered the family stress checklist. Eligible participants lived at or under 200 percent of the federal poverty level and were pregnant or had given birth within three months of enrollment. In total, 1,297 pregnant mothers or mothers who had recently given birth were eligible and agreed to participate in the study and were randomized to either a Healthy Families New York group or a comparison group. This study focused on the subsample of mothers who were randomized at 30 or fewer weeks of gestation and who had a single birth. Within this subsample, 264 mothers were randomized to the intervention group and 291 to the comparison group. Among the total 501 mothers in the study, 44.9 percent were black, 22.4 percent were Hispanic, and 30.1 percent were white; 21.8 percent were below the age of 18, 23.2 percent participated in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, 26.9 percent had smoked while pregnant, and 56.3 percent were first-time mothers.
The study took place within three Healthy Families of New York sites: Erie, Rensselaer, and Ulster counties.
Mothers assigned to the Healthy Families of New York (based on Healthy Families America) group received bi-weekly visits. On average, home visits were an hour in duration. The home visits focused on improving the mothers' social support, providing prenatal education, and linking the mothers to other community services. Home visitors discussed preparedness for motherhood, helped the mothers develop problem-solving skills and healthy prenatal behaviors, encouraged mothers to follow all medical advice and attend all medical appointments, and helped the mothers obtain a health care provider and connect with other services, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
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Members of the comparison group received information about and referrals to other community services.
• Race/ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, or White) • Gestational age at study enrollment (less than 16 weeks, less than 24 weeks, or less than 30 weeks)