ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Nurse home visiting may address challenges and resource disparities that threaten maternal and infant well-being in rural areas, but little is known about United States' program implementation. This qualitative study explored how family and community characteristics affected rural nurse home visiting. SAMPLE: The sample for content analysis included families beginning services in 2010-2011 living in the rural counties with the highest caseloads (433 families). DESIGN: Electronic nurse home visiting case files from three rural counties were analyzed using a content analysis approach. The partner agency provided input on key constructs of interest but independent coding was also done to capture additional themes. Quantitative county level data and comments from member checking informed interpretation. Member checking included individual nurses serving the selected counties (n = 3) and input from an agency level supervisory meeting for validation. RESULTS: Concerns of families served (e.g., mental health) may not be unique to rural areas, but challenges to accessing resources and constellation of needs were. Nurses adapted engagement and service strategies to meet these needs. CONCLUSION: Agencies serving rural areas should allocate resources and adapt training to support nurses based on unique community profiles. More research on rural nurse home visiting practice and outcomes is needed.
Subject(s)
Family , Nurses, Community Health/organization & administration , Rural Health Services/organization & administration , Vulnerable Populations , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Nurses, Community Health/statistics & numerical data , Nursing Records , Pregnancy , Program Evaluation , Qualitative Research , United States , Vulnerable Populations/statistics & numerical data , Young AdultABSTRACT
Home visitation (HV) interventions may hold promise to improve parenting and prevent child maltreatment recidivism in families reported to child protective services (CPS) with young children, but this has rarely been studied. Findings are presented from an 18-month randomized controlled trial in which intact families ( N = 122) with at least one CPS report were provided with a facilitated connection to a paraprofessional evidence-based HV program or usual care services from child protection. Results are reported for changes in maternal stress, depression, and social support outcomes and repeat reports to CPS. No significant changes were found in maternal outcomes by group. Among nondepressed mothers or families without multiple CPS reports prior to study enrollment, HV was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of CPS report recidivism. These results indicate potential for HV to prevent maltreatment recidivism but suggest that higher intensity intervention is warranted for mothers exhibiting significant depressive symptoms or families with extensive CPS histories.
Subject(s)
Child Abuse/prevention & control , Child Protective Services , Depression/psychology , Mother-Child Relations/psychology , Stress, Psychological/prevention & control , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Health Education/methods , Humans , Infant , MaleABSTRACT
This article examines the intersection of early childhood mental health and trauma. Working definitions, incidence, and prevalence of trauma events for this population are outlined with an emphasis on children younger than age 4 years. Trauma impacts on early childhood development are reviewed, with attention to clinical consequences, protective factors, and resilience. Best practices for assessment, screening tools, and treatment methods are presented based on the current research. Future implications include clinician and researcher partnerships to increase the number of effective screening and intervention tools for addressing trauma in very young children.
