Online Program

329018
Process Evaluation of an Abusive Head Trauma Prevention Program – Are Those Who Need It Getting It?


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Sarah Duzinski, MPH, Trauma Services, Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, Austin, TX
Karla Lawson, PhD, Trauma Services, Dell Children's Hospital, Austin, TX
Amanda Barczyk, PhD, Trauma Services, Dell Children's Medical Center, Austin, TX
Background: Abusive head trauma (AHT) is the leading cause of child abuse death among infants in the United States. Males (biological fathers, parent partners, and other male caregivers) comprise the majority of AHT perpetrators (77%) while mothers comprise 8% of the perpetrator population. The purpose of this study was to describe the reach and audience of an abusive head trauma (AHT) prevention program implemented in a hospital perinatal unit.

Methods: A retrospective medical record review of perinatal patients was conducted in a community birthing hospital between March 1, 2014 and June 30, 2014 to evaluate the Period of PURPLE Crying AHT intervention.

Results: Participants (n=305) were new mothers aged 15 to 46 years (mean=27.2), primarily single (63.3%), who preferred the Spanish language (72.8%), with the father of the baby living at home 57.4% of the time. The vast majority of mothers (97.4%) utilized public insurance.  Among participants, 237 (77.7%) received the Period of PURPLE Crying intervention during their hospital stay according to documentation in the electronic medical record. “Fathers/parent partners” received the intervention in 32.9% of cases.

Discussion: Among this study population, less than a third of fathers and parent partners received the Period of PURPLE Crying intervention. Fathers and parent partners of the mother comprise the majority of AHT perpetrators. There is a need to target AHT interventions to fathers and parent partners in addition to mothers and other family members. Further study is required to determine the best ways to overcome barriers and target fathers and parent partners.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Name the leading cause of child abuse death for infants and young children. List risk factors for abusive head trauma and how they may impact new parents. Describe an evidence-based abusive head trauma prevention program

Keyword(s): Child Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked on abusive head trauma prevention programming and research for new parents for several years and oversaw this study.
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.