1. The Impact of Local Education and Resource Distribution on Maternal Health Behaviors.
- Author
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Hydery T, Shields S, Hen E, Rizzo P, Sullivan K, and Savageau JA
- Subjects
- Educational Status, Female, Health Behavior, Health Promotion methods, Humans, Infant, Retrospective Studies, Breast Feeding, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Maternal Behavior, Mothers education
- Abstract
Introduction: Community forum participants voted for an education and resource distribution program (using a baby box) to help reduce local infant mortality. Although multiple sites have implemented similar programs, there is limited peer-reviewed literature about outcomes., Methods: A retrospective pre- and immediate post-survey design with an intervention (video and written education and resource distribution) in between was utilized with a follow-up survey. The primary research objectives were whether viewing educational videos led to change in self-reported likelihood of select maternal behaviors. Other objectives were whether demographic characteristics were associated with self-reported likelihood of behaviors, and to assess the actual self-reported postpartum behavior., Results: Participants reported a change in likelihood in: asking a WIC counselor for help (p < 0.001); talking with a provider about substance use (p = 0.014), postpartum depression (p < 0.001) and birth control (p = 0.025); and using the baby box as a sleeping space (p < 0.01). After watching the educational videos, college-educated participants were significantly more likely than participants with high school education or less to report likelihood to breastfeed (p = 0.039). Over half of the participants (59.2%) in the follow-up survey reported breastfeeding most to all of the time, compared to 91.5% who reported they were more likely to breastfeed in the post-education survey. The proportion of participants at the follow-up survey who reported bed-sharing most or all of the time (5.7%) was lower than those participants who had said they were likely or very likely to bed-share in the post-education survey (11.3%). Although nearly all participants (98.6%) in the post-education survey reported that they were likely to use the baby box, at the postpartum follow-up, 39.1% reported actual use of the baby box., Conclusions for Practice: The program positively impacted self-reported likelihood of several health behaviors. A community-driven approach to maternal education and resource distribution may be beneficial in other cities., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)
- Published
- 2022
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