Abstract
This three-group randomized controlled trial assessed the effectiveness of a postpartum public health nurse telephone visit on infant-care behaviours of primiparous women in Ottawa-Carleton. The impact of a clerk call on recruiting mothers to parent-baby groups was also described. Low risk primiparas were randomized into telephone visit, clerk call and control groups. At three months post-partum, there were no significant differences in infant-care behaviour scores among the study groups. Women who received the telephone visit had the highest parent-baby group attendance rates and among attenders, the highest rates of smoking during pregnancy, the least education, and lowest incomes. Analysis of variance revealed a significant interaction term between attendance at parent-baby groups and assigned study group. This effect disappeared after adjusting for age and education. The telephone visit was no more effective in producing the desired infant-care behaviour changes than a mailed out information package with or without a clerk phone call. However, the intervention did increase the utilization of parent-baby support groups by women who were more socioeconomi-cally disadvantaged.
Résumé
Cette étude sur échantillons aléatoires et contrôlés répartis en trois groupes visait à évaluer l’efficacité des interventions téléphoniques faites par des infirmières de la santé publique au sujet des soins donnés aux nouveau-nés, dans le cadre d’un programme de suivi postpartum auprès de mères primipares de la région d’Ottawa-Carleton. L’étude décrit également les résultats obtenus avec les simples appels téléphoniques destinés à inviter les mères à assister aux réunions de groupes de soutien aux parents et nouveau-nés. Les mères primipares à faible risque ont été réparties au hasard entre le groupe des interventions téléphoniques, le groupe des simples appels téléphoniques, et le groupe de contrôle. Trois mois après leur sortie, on ne constatait pas de différences significatives dans les comportements en matière de soins aux nouveau-nés des trois groupes de mères. Les mères appartenant au groupe des interventions téléphoniques sont celles qui ont eu le taux le plus élevé de présence aux réunions de soutien aux parents et nouveau-nés et, de toutes, étaient celles qui avaient eu le taux le plus élevé de tabagisme pendant la grossesse, avaient fait le moins d’études et disposaient des plus faibles revenus. L’analyse de la variance a montré une corrélation importante entre le groupe étudié et la présence aux réunions des groupes de soutien aux parents et nouveau-nés. L’interaction a disparu une fois fait l’ajustement en fonction de l’âge et de l’éducation. Les interventions téléphoniques n’ont pas mieux réussi à susciter le comportement désiré en matière de soins aux nouveau-nés que l’envoi d’une trousse de documentation avec ou sans appel téléphonique préalable. Toutefois, elles ont amené les femmes plus démunies au plan socio-économique à davantage faire appel aux groupes de soutien aux parents et nouveau-nés.
Footnotes
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. Publication does not imply any endorsement of these views by either of the participating partners of the Community Health Research Unit or by the Ontario Ministry of Health.
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