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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Jane N. Bolin, PhD, JD, RN and Linnae L. Hutchison, MBA, MT. Health Policy and Management, The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1266, 979-862-4238, jbolin@srph.tamhsc.edu

Home visitation (HV) services have been an effective and valuable public health strategy for helping improve health status and reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortality with first time, high risk mothers. However, where multiple programs are operating, often with substantial programmatic and operational variation, cost effectiveness assessment provides valuable insight for program planners, funders, and program administrators. The purpose of this study is to conduct a cost-effectiveness assessment of three different HV programs serving high-risk, low income mothers and babies to assess their relative “success”; identify a “hybrid model” which incorporates the efficiencies of the three individual programs; and recommend baseline standards for outcomes and data gathering by key stakeholders in evaluating home visitation programs. The study finds differences in HV program approaches to providing HV services created differences in health inputs and cost inputs, and limited capacity to conduct program model comparisons. However, while each HV program model demonstrated varying success in achieving goals, some program models appeared able to do so more cost-efficiently. We make recommendations for state agencies wishing to conduct economic evaluations and cost comparisons of public health programs in order to conduct reliable cost comparisons.

Learning Objectives:

• Define the key elements in conducting economic analysis of home visitation programs.
• Identify baseline standards for outcomes and data gathering.
• Articulate the programmatic elements of efficient and effective home visitation programs.

Keywords: Prenatal Care, Pregnancy Outcomes

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No