Objectives: To evaluate the extent to which a program of universal home visits (UHVs), offering two post-natal home visits to all delivering mothers in a rural MN county, reaches rural families and the impact the program has on connecting families to needed agency services.
Methods: A longitudinal, multi-measure population study was performed. All mothers delivering between between 04/01/96 and 11/30/98 were contacted. Mothers with one-year olds were interviewed (N=305); mothers with 2-year olds were surveyed by mail (N=222). Interviews and surveys measured demographics, parenting outcomes, and connections to county agencies.
Results: 57% of the mothers (300 of 527) accepted UHVs. People who received UHVs were significantly different from those who did not: they were more likely to be white, unmarried, younger, have fewer children, smaller babies (also less gestation) with lower APGARs, higher numbers of birth complications, and fewer child deaths in the family’s history. Overall, those who received UHVs were significantly more connected to community agencies during the first year of life (p < 0.001) and more satisfied with those contacts (p < 0.001). Also, those whose children were identified as "at risk" were more likely to be connected to agencies in the first and second years of life (p=0.001 and p=0.01, respectively).
Conclusions: UHVs by PHNs in this rural county reached the majority of the families, and especially reached those with identified health risks. These UHVs effectively connected families to other agencies and services.
Learning Objectives: After hearing this presentation, the participant will be able to: 1. Describe how UHV can be provided in a rural setting; 2. Distinguish between the specific roles of UHV, PHNs, and a family collaborative of service agencies in serving families in a rural county; 3. List the documented (short-term) advantages of UHV is a rural county.
Keywords: Home Visiting, Rural Communities
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.