Characteristics of substance-addicted mothers that predict graduation from the family treatment court.

INTRODUCTION: In the United States, substance addiction is a major contributing factor to incarceration of mothers and separation of children from their families. Five hundred Family Treatment Courts (FTC) operate across the country to combat the growing problem of women addicted to drugs. The FTC model provides mothers with substance addiction treatment, intensive judicial monitoring, repeated drug testing, counseling, incentives or sanctions, and case management with the goal of reaching long-term sobriety and reunification with their children. DESIGN: This retrospective study examined the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and substance use characteristics, in predicting participants' graduations from the FTC program. METHODS: Data were gathered from 317 participants from five Family Treatment Courts in the southeastern United States and analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Participants who completed the FTC program were more likely to be older, completed Cognitive Behavioral Training, completed high school, and Caucasian. CONCLUSION: Age and completion of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy were the greatest predictors of graduating from the Family Treatment Court. These results convey the need for development of interventions tailored to each participant's age to maximize the success of the FTC participants. In addition, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy should be integrated into all FTC programs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The findings from this study will offer research scholars a foundation for designing future studies, aid researchers in creating interventions to increase success in substance addiction treatment programs, and contribute to the framework for theory development. In addition, understanding characteristics that may influence graduation from the Family Treatment Court will provide valuable information on developing interventions to support participants' success.

Knowledge of immediate newborn care and management of complications among midwives in Ghana.

OBJECTIVE: Midwives are instrumental in improving maternal/newborn health outcomes. Since complications after childbirth are leading causes of maternal deaths, midwives' knowledge of how to manage complications and care for the newborn is important. This study assessed midwives' knowledge of immediate newborn care and management of postpartum complications. DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was used. SETTING: Four hospitals that provide inpatient maternity services in Tamale, Ghana. PARTICIPANTS: 245 midwives who worked in the four hospitals. MEASUREMENTS: Data were collected in December 2018 using an electronic survey questionnaire by the Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics, and analyzed using descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate statistics. FINDINGS: About 98% of midwives were female. The mean age of midwives was 31.87 years. The percentage of midwives who responded correctly to questions on newborn care and management of postpartum complications ranged from 29.80% to 89.39%, and 32.17% to 91.43% respectively. Midwives were most knowledgeable about breastfeeding and immediate hemorrhage intervention, and least knowledgeable about cord care, thermal protection, newborn resuscitation, contraindications for vacuum extraction, treating metritis, and performing a cervical repair. Years of experience and age are predictive factors of midwives' knowledge. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS: There remains the opportunity for continuing education on complication management. Additional training of midwives on newborn resuscitation is recommended.

Pilot Feasibility Study of an Educational Intervention in Women With Gestational Diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: To pilot test the feasibility of an educational intervention, Start Understanding Gestational Diabetes and Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes (SUGAR), in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). DESIGN: A pretest-posttest, two-group study design. SETTING: Three obstetrics and gynecology offices in the southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three women with a first-time diagnosis of GDM. METHODS: Women diagnosed with GDM were recruited and placed in a control group or educational intervention group. Women completed six self-report, standardized questionnaires at baseline (third trimester) and posttest (6-8 weeks postpartum). Women in the intervention group (n = 18) received the SUGAR educational intervention after the baseline data collection with a booster session at 2 to 4 weeks postpartum. Women in the control group (n = 5) received an attention control treatment. RESULTS: Study participants had obesity, and most had a family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The attrition rate was low (n = 2; 8%). The educational intervention significantly increased diabetes mellitus knowledge for women in the SUGAR group. In addition, 39% of participants received the recommended postpartum glucose screening. CONCLUSION: Although the effect of the SUGAR intervention with a small sample was not expected to produce statistically significant changes, we add our pilot study to the limited research of diabetes mellitus preventative care for women with GDM and provide preliminary findings to develop meaningful education and support for women diagnosed with GDM. Future researchers need to focus on prevention programs that center on self-efficacy, postpartum glucose screening, and adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors.