Citation

Jacobs F, Easterbrooks MA, Goldberg J, Mistry J, Bumgarner E, Raskin M, Fosse N, Fauth R. Am. J. Public Health 2015; 106(2): 342-349.

Affiliation

Francine Jacobs, M. Ann Easterbrooks, Jessica Goldberg, Jayanthi Mistry, Maryna Raskin, Nathan Fosse, and Rebecca Fauth are with the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, Tufts University, Medford, MA. Francine Jacobs is also with the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, Tufts University. Erin Bumgarner is with Abt Associates, Cambridge, MA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2015.302919

PMID

26562107

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to estimate the effects of Healthy Families Massachusetts, a statewide home visiting program serving first-time adolescent parents, on parenting, child development, educational attainment, family planning, and maternal health and well-being.

METHODS: We used a randomized controlled trial design to randomly assign the 704 participants to a group receiving home visiting services or a control group. Between 2008 and 2012, telephone and in-person interviews were conducted and administrative data obtained at 12 and 24 months after enrollment. Intention-to-treat analyses compared group differences across 5 outcome domains: parenting, child health and development, educational and economic achievement, family planning, and parental health and well-being.

RESULTS: The home visiting program had a positive influence on parenting stress, college attendance, condom use, intimate partner violence, and engagement in risky behaviors. No negative findings were observed.

CONCLUSIONS: A paraprofessional home visiting program specifically targeting young mothers appears effective in domains of particular salience to young parents and their infants and toddlers. Expanding participation in the program appears a worthy goal for program administrators and policymakers. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print November 12, 2015: e1-e8. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2015.302919).

Language: en