Nurse Home Visiting for Child Development

No longer recruiting at 1 trial location

Age: Any Age

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Maryland, Baltimore

Disqualifiers: Non-Baltimore residents, Non-English speakers, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores the impact of home visits from a nurse on child development and family well-being. The goal is to determine if families receiving these visits experience better outcomes, such as fewer infant emergency room visits, improved use of community resources, and enhanced home environments. The trial compares families who receive nurse visits with those who do not. This study may suit mothers who recently gave birth at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, MD, and reside in Baltimore City. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to research that could enhance family support systems and improve community health outcomes.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on evaluating child development and family outcomes, so it's best to ask the trial coordinators for specific guidance.

What prior data suggests that the nurse home visiting program is safe for child development?

Research has shown that nurse home visiting programs are safe and well-received by families. Studies find that these programs often lead to positive outcomes, such as fewer emergency room visits for children and better use of local services by families. They also improve mothers' well-being and enhance home safety. Strong evidence indicates that these programs help prevent child abuse and injuries. Overall, nurse home visiting programs have a proven record of safety and positive effects on families. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Nurse Home Visiting Program because it offers a proactive approach to child development by providing personalized support directly in the family's home environment. Unlike traditional child development interventions that might take place in clinics or educational settings, this program delivers care through trained nurses who can tailor their advice and support to the specific needs of the family. This hands-on, in-home approach may lead to more immediate and practical improvements in child development outcomes by addressing issues in real-time within the child's daily environment.

What evidence suggests that the Nurse Home Visiting Program is effective for child development?

Research has shown that nurse home visiting programs, like the one tested in this trial, can positively impact early child development. Some studies have found that these programs improve children's language, thinking, math, and reading skills. Although these programs might not significantly reduce child injuries or prevent additional pregnancies in mothers, they are associated with better child development as reported by mothers. Reviews of multiple studies suggest that home visits can enhance overall child outcomes. The evidence supports that these programs help create a supportive home environment and encourage early educational success. Participants in this trial will be divided into two groups: one receiving the nurse home visiting program and the other not receiving any intervention. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Lisa J Berlin, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Maryland

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for mothers and infants living in Baltimore City, where the birth took place at Sinai Hospital starting around July 15, 2019. Participants must speak English. It's not open to those who don't meet these location, hospital birth timing, or language requirements.

Inclusion Criteria

Mother and Infant are Baltimore City Residents

Mother gave birth to infant at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, MD beginning approximately July 15, 2019

Exclusion Criteria

Mother and Infant are not Baltimore City Residents

Mother did not give birth to infant at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, MD beginning approximately July 15, 2019

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Enrollment and Initial Assessment

Nurse home visitors enroll new mothers into the nurse home visiting program while they are still in the hospital/maternity ward.

Immediate post-birth

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

Participants in the experimental group receive services from the nurse home visiting program.

6 months

Regular home visits

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for outcomes such as infant emergency room use, family use of community resources, and maternal wellbeing.

6 months

Structured interviews and data collection

Long-term Follow-up

Exploration of long-term differences in child maltreatment investigations and early educational achievement.

5.5 years

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Nurse Home Visiting Program

Trial Overview The study tests if a nurse home visiting program can improve child development and family outcomes. This includes reducing infant ER visits/hospital stays, increasing use of community resources/quality childcare, improving maternal wellbeing, and enhancing home safety/supportive parenting.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Nurse Home Visiting Group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This group will be offered services from the nurse home visiting program.

Group II: Non-intervention Group Active Control 1 Intervention

This group will not be offered services from the nurse home visiting program.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Lead Sponsor

Trials

729

Recruited

540,000+

LifeBridge Health

Collaborator

Trials

32

Recruited

4,500+

Citations

1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37464862/

Effectiveness of nurse-home visiting in improving child and ... Conclusions: NFP did not reduce child injuries or subsequent maternal pregnancies but did improve maternal-reported child language and mental ...

2. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40522648/?utm_source=SimplePie&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pubmed-2&utm_content=1xgjY15FSEnM08BkUJAPtKRrCbdCxnt6lonHr5p3-CWMNYSszy&fc=20220523101529&ff=20250616182016&v=2.18.0.post9+e462414

Intensive Nurse Home Visiting and Early Childhood ... In this randomized clinical trial, assignment to intensive nurse home visiting services did not reduce the likelihood of adverse outcomes in early childhood.

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145213425003564

Effectiveness of Nurse-Family Partnership on child ... NFP program data, including the timing and number of home visits provided, were collected and recorded by NFP nurses via health authority electronic health ...

4. bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-025-05580-1

Systematic review and meta-analysis of home visiting ... Overall, our results indicate that there is some evidence showing that home visiting interventions may improve child outcomes although there was ...

5. nhvrc.org nhvrc.org/yearbook/2023-yearbook/about-home-visiting/results/

Results In the long run, children of home visiting participants demonstrate improved early language and cognitive development, greater math and reading achievement, ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11964293/

Impact of nurse home visiting on take-up of social safety net ... Nurse home visiting moderately increased take-up of social safety net programs in pregnancy and the first years of life, even in a context with already high ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2839449/

Effects of Nurse Home Visiting on Maternal and Child ... Nurse-visited women had longer intervals between births of first and second children, fewer cumulative subsequent births per year, and longer relationships ...

8. countyhealthrankings.org countyhealthrankings.org/strategies-and-solutions/what-works-for-health/strategies/early-childhood-home-visiting-programs

Early childhood home visiting programs There is strong evidence that early childhood home visiting programs prevent child maltreatment6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and injury, and ...

9. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2834897

Intensive Nurse Home Visiting and Early Childhood ... This randomized clinical trial conducted in South Carolina evaluates how a home visiting program designed to support young and low-income