Costs and benefits of community postnatal support workers: a randomised controlled trial.

• DOI: 10.3310/hta4060
• Publication Date: 2019-03-14T12:16:43Z
• Authors: Morrell; Spiby; Stewart; Walters; Morgan
• Keywords: Adult; Mental Health Services; Postnatal Care; Adolescent; Nurse Midwives; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Health Status; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Pregnancy; Medical technology; Humans; Prospective Studies; R855-855.5; Health Services Needs and Demand; Social Support; Health Care Costs; United Kingdom; 3. Good health; Self-Help Groups; Research Design; Female; Needs Assessment; Follow-Up Studies

This study aimed to measure the effect and total cost per woman of providing postnatal support at home, based on a Dutch model. The research hypothesis was furnished by some existing evidence that could reduce risk depression encourage breastfeeding. randomised controlled trial differences in health status group women who were offered from community midwifery worker (SW) compared with control not this support. Women followed-up postal questionnaire 6 weeks months postnatally. All delivered baby recruiting hospital eligible take part if they lived within area, aged 17 years or over, understand English. intervention consisted SW offering practical emotional help rest recover after childbirth. ten visits first 28 days postnatally, for up 3 hours day. SW's activities included housework, talking mother, care other siblings. service provided addition routine midwife. primary outcome general perception domain Short Form-36 weeks. Secondary outcomes mean Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Duke Functional Social Support (DUFSS) scores breastfeeding rates. 623 well-matched good response follow-up. At there no significant difference between two groups outcome. There non-significant trend have better DUFSS EPDS Breastfeeding rates significantly different months, both had similar status. Satisfaction higher than all services received. incremental introducing comprised setting running service. resource use (general practitioner contacts, services, prescriptions medicines bought mothers babies) 6-month NHS follow-up pound180 greater (confidence interval, pound79.60, pound272.40). Although valued service, any benefit 6-week follow-up, additional provision would be around pound 180 woman.