Development of a Methodology for Assessing the Effect of a Lay Home Visitation Program for Rural High-Risk Women and Infants.

摘要

Case management is a community-focused approach to augmenting prenatal and well child care which incorporates health education and social support. Lay health care workers from the clients community are thought to be influential in modifying behavioral and environmental determinants because of their common social, cultural, and environmental milieu. The positive impact of paraprofessional support programs on use of services was consistently documented in the literature. However, their effects on pregnancy and birth outcomes among low-income, rural women were less clear. This small pilot study tested a linked data set approach for evaluating the effectiveness of a community health worker program for women at risk for poor pregnancy and birth outcomes.