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Principal Investigator: John Landsverk
Funding: The California Wellness Foundation, California
State Department of Social Services, Stuart Foundations (5/95-4/00,
$3,730,000)
This study is following 488 high risk families randomized
into a three year clinical trial which is testing the effectiveness
of a para-professional home visitation program based on the
Hawaii Healthy Start and the Healthy Families America model.
The study is replicating a current randomized clinical trial
in Hawaii being conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins
University.
Project Overview
What is Healthy Families America?
Healthy Families America - San Diego Clinical Trial was started
in 1996. It is a program sponsored by the California Wellness
Foundation, the Stuart Foundation and the State of California
Department of Social Services to study the effects of a home
visitation program with families in San Diego. The program
was developed on the premise that high-risk families who receive
assistance - service referrals, childcare, transportation
and parenting classes - will break the cycle of abuse and
neglect. The Healthy Families America clinical trial is based
on the Johns Hopkins study of the original home-visitation
program in the state of Hawaii. The Healthy Families San Diego
study has generated valuable information on needed services
as well as improvements on existing services.
The Purpose of the Project: The
specific goal of this project is to find out if home visitation
services are helpful to new parents.
Investigators:
John Landsverk, Ph.D.
Terry Carrilio, Ph.D., San Diego State University
Richard Hough, Ph.D.
Nancy Saks, R.N., Clinical Research, Mary Birch Hospital for
Women;
Colette Jones, Ph.D., Associate Dean of University of San
Diego's School of Nursing.
Project Description: A
total of 488 families were enrolled in the study. Each family
was randomly assigned to the intervention (received home visitation
services) or control (no home visitation services) group.
The research team conducted an initial baseline interview,
follow-up phone interviews every four months and yearly in-home
interviews for three years.
Retention: An 89% retention
rate was achieved for the first year interview; an 83% retention
rate was achieved for the second year interview. For the third
and final interview, 389 interviews have been completed as
of 6/2000, thus far achieving an 80% retention rate. We currently
have 60 cases still active.
Of the 488 participants: 56 live out of State with 32 completed
to date.
Of the 56 out of State: 17 are out of the Continental United
States.
Of the 17 Out of USA: 13 live in Mexico with 4 completed to
date, 3 live in Hawaii with 1 completed to date, 1 lives in
Kuwait and has been bypassed.
A Message from the Project Coordinator: I
would like to thank the entire HFA Staff for their dedication
and tenacity.
Sincerely,
Kathi Hardy
Project Coordinator, Healthy Families America - San Diego
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2007
CASRC