267553 Impact of Healthy Start Home Visiting Model on Reduction of Perinatal Health Disparities in Allegheny County, PA: Evaluation of Seven-Year Major Perinatal Outcomes

Monday, October 29, 2012

Raynard Washington, DrPH, MPH , Administration, Healthy Start, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
Objective: The objective of this analysis, as a part of ongoing evaluation activities, was to assess impact on major perinatal outcomes in Allegheny County over the last seven years (2003 – 2009), by comparing birth outcomes in Healthy Start participants to the general population. Methods: The primary outcome variables assessed were infant mortality, preterm birth, low birth weight, and first trimester entry into prenatal care. Given the racial demographics of Healthy Start participants (~88% African-American) and the persistent racial disparities in perinatal health, all races and African-Americans in Allegheny County and statewide were used as comparison groups. Results: The infant mortality rate in Healthy Start Participants was significantly lower throughout the six year period than African-Americans in Allegheny County and statewide. The percent of preterm births was lower for Healthy Start participants compared to the African-Americans in Allegheny County. The percent low birth weights declined significantly throughout the six year period in Healthy Start participants, reducing to be significantly different than the African-Americans in Allegheny County and statewide. The percent of women entering prenatal care was higher than the African-Americans statewide, but similar to the other comparison groups. There were no significant differences in the Healthy Start participants compared to all races in Allegheny County and statewide. Conclusions: The results of this analysis provide further evidence that the Healthy Start Home Visiting Model is an effective method of reducing infant mortality rates, increasing access to care for mothers and infants, and ultimately, decreasing the gap in perinatal health disparities.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Epidemiology
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based intervention on the reduction of perinatal health disparities.

Keywords: MCH Epidemiology, Health Disparities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the program evalutor for Healthy Start, Inc.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.