NCT02203617

Using Baby Books to Promote Maternal and Child Health

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 198 (actual)
• Sponsor: Vanderbilt University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The Baby Books Project tests whether embedding educational information into baby books can improve the health and wellbeing of first-time mothers and their young children.

Detailed description

This study tests the efficacy of embedding educational information (i.e., pediatric anticipatory guidance) into baby books that first-time mothers read to their infants. This 3-group longitudinal study recruited first-time mothers in their third trimester of pregnancy, randomly assigned them to conditions, and followed them until the child was 18 months of age. One group received educational baby books, another group was given the same illustrated books with non-educational text, and the third group was not given any books. Thus, the effects of educational reading could be parsed from the effects of reading alone. The study aimed to test whether embedding pediatric anticipatory guidance in picture books is an effective method for increasing maternal knowledge of child development, parenting strategies, and safety practices, improving parenting beliefs and attitudes (e.g., parenting efficacy, importance of reading, use of corporal punishment), supporting optimal parenting practices (e.g., breastfeeding and nutrition, responsiveness, safety practices), improving maternal health (stress, depression), and supporting children's healthier development (injuries, illness, immunizations, and linguistic, social, and cognitive development). Survey and observational data collection occurred in participants' homes during their third trimester of pregnancy and when their child was 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months of age. Twelve phone call interviews were conducted between these home visits. When children were 18 months, a retrospective medical chart audit was conducted.

Conditions

• Condition 1 - Educational Condition (Educational Book Group)
• Condition 2 - Non-educational Condition (Non-educational Book Group)
• Condition 3 - Control Condition (No-book Group)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Educational Content/Pediatric Anticipatory Guidance	educational information from Bright Futures Guidelines for Health Supervision for birth to 18 months
BEHAVIORAL	Book provision	Given free books prenatally and at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months postpartum

Timeline

• Start date: 2005-04-01
• Primary completion: 2009-06-01
• Completion: 2010-07-01
• First posted: 2014-07-30
• Last updated: 2017-04-14

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United States