1. Does adopting a prenatal substance use protocol reduce racial disparities in CPS reporting related to maternal drug use? A California case study.
- Author
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Roberts SC, Zahnd E, Sufrin C, and Armstrong MA
- Subjects
- Adult, California epidemiology, Ethnicity statistics & numerical data, Female, Humans, Infant Welfare statistics & numerical data, Infant, Newborn, Interrupted Time Series Analysis, Pregnancy, Preventive Health Services methods, Preventive Health Services organization & administration, Socioeconomic Factors, Delivery Rooms statistics & numerical data, Healthcare Disparities statistics & numerical data, Patient Care Management methods, Pregnancy Complications ethnology, Pregnancy Complications prevention & control, Prenatal Care methods, Substance-Related Disorders ethnology, Substance-Related Disorders prevention & control
- Abstract
Objective: This study examined whether adopting a standardized prenatal substance use protocol (protocol) in a hospital labor and delivery unit reduced racial disparities in reporting to child protective services (CPS) related to maternal drug use during pregnancy., Study Design: This study used an interrupted time series design with a non-equivalent control. One hospital adopted a protocol and another hospital group serving a similar geographic population did not change protocols. Data on CPS reporting disparities from these hospitals over 3.5 years were analyzed using segmented regression., Result: In the hospital that adopted the protocol, almost five times more black than white newborns were reported during the study period. Adopting the protocol was not associated with reduced disparities., Conclusion: Adopting a protocol cannot be assumed to reduce CPS reporting disparities. Efforts to encourage hospitals to adopt protocols as a strategy to reduce disparities may be misguided. Other strategies to reduce disparities are needed.
- Published
- 2015
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