Potential Economic Impact of a Coordinated Home Visitation Program

Preventing Adverse Birth Outcomes

Abstract

Background and Purpose Evidence about the efficacy of healthy pregnancy home visitation programs is needed in California’s underserved Hispanic population, where preterm birth rates are higher than nonHispanic Whites. This study describes birth outcome data in a sample of families participating in the MOMS Orange County home visitation program. Methods: A descriptive comparative design was used. Birth outcome data for 1,102 women who participated in MOMS Orange County and had a live birth in 2010 were compared with data from the county of Orange (N = 38, 237) and the state of California (N = 509, 979) for the same time period, derived from county and state birth and death reports. Measures included social background, birth outcomes, and potential cost savings. Results: Although MOMS program mothers were less educated and had a higher level of poverty compared to both county and state samples, they had significantly fewer preterm births compared with the countywide and statewide samples. It was estimated that the provision of a home visitation program both countywide and statewide would result in a potential cost saving that $1.1 and $ 2.1 million, respectively. Conclusion: This coordinated prenatal program may improve birth outcomes among communities of impoverished women at potentially reduced costs.