Impact of Pre-Conception Health Care: Evaluation of a Social Determinants Focused Intervention

• Published in: Maternal and child health journal Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 382 - 391
• Main Authors: Livingood, William C., Brady, Carol, Pierce, Kimberly, Atrash, Hani, Hou, Tao, Bryant, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.05.2010; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: African Americans - ethnology; Analysis; Birth Weight; Case Management - organization & administration; Chi-Square Distribution; Female; Florida - epidemiology; Gynecology; Health aspects; Health care industry; Health Status Disparities; Healthcare Disparities; Humans; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Maternal and Child Health; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Models, Organizational; Organizational Objectives; Patient outcomes; Pediatrics; Population Economics; Preconception Care - organization & administration; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome - ethnology; Program Evaluation; Public Health; Retrospective Studies; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - ethnology; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - prevention & control; Social aspects; Social Class; Socioeconomic Factors; Sociology; Stress, Psychological - ethnology; Stress, Psychological - prevention & control; Florida; Multiple determinants; Social status; Inter-conception care; Stress
• ISSN: 1092-7875; 1573-6628
• DOI: 10.1007/s10995-009-0471-4

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of the social determinants component of a multiple determinants model of pre- and inter-conception care. Health department vital statistics and infectious disease data on birth and factors influencing birth outcomes were analyzed for participants in a program designed to mitigate the effects of social class and stress in contrast to a matched comparison group and other relevant populations. The program showed promising results related to reducing infant mortality and reducing other high-risk factors for poor birth outcomes, including low birth weight and sexually transmitted disease. Social determinant interventions, designed to mitigate the impact of social class and stress, should be considered with efforts to reduce infant mortality, particularly the disparities associated with infant mortality. Additional research should be conducted to refine replicable social determinant focused interventions and confirm and generalize these results.