Elsevier

The Journal of Pediatrics

Volume 115, Issue 6, December 1989, Pages 927-931
The Journal of Pediatrics

Original article
Family support and parenting education in the home: An effective extension of clinic-based preventive health care services for poor children*

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(89)80744-9Get rights and content

A study was designed to assess the effect and cost of providing parenting and child care education in the home to inner-city mothers of poor infants receiving comprehensive health care in a large federal Children and Youth Program. Randomly selected, healthy neonates weighing more than 2000 gm and born to black women aged 18 years and older (n=131) and to comparable control subjects (n=132) were followed for a mean of 23.4 and 22.9 months, respectively. A community woman, with educational, social service, and medical backup support from the Children and Youth Program, made home visits 7 to 10 days after the birth and between regularly scheduled well-child-care visits. Improved compliance with well-child care, fewer illness visits, and sharp reductions in hospitalization and in neglect or abuse were found in the visited group compared with the control group, and substantial cost was averted. Prerequisite and concomitant to focusing the mother's attention on the infant was the resolution of the numerous crises and survival problems experienced by these poor women. Only then was parenting education accepted by the mother.

References (5)

  • HardyJB et al.

    The Johns Hopkins Adolescent Pregnancy Program: an evaluation

    Obstet Gynecol

    (1987)
  • OldsDL et al.

    Improving the delivery of prenatal care and outcomes of pregnancy: a randomized trial of nurse home visitation

    Pediatrics

    (1986)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

*

Supported in part by the Morris Goldseker Foundation of Maryland, Inc.

View full text