Increasing Medicaid child health screenings: the effectiveness of mailed pamphlets, phone calls, and home visits.
M Selby-Harrington,
J R Sorenson,
D Quade,
S C Stearns,
A S Tesh and
P L Donat
School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro 27412-5001, USA.
OBJECTIVES. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to testthe effectiveness and cost effectiveness of three outreach interventionsto promote well-child screening for children on Medicaid. METHODS.In rural North Carolina, a random sample of 2053 families withchildren due or overdue for screening was stratified accordingto the presence of a home phone. Families were randomly assignedto receive a mailed pamphlet and letter, a phone call, or ahome visit outreach intervention, or the usual (control) methodof informing at Medicaid intake. RESULTS. All interventionsproduced more screenings than the control method, but increaseswere significant only for families with phones. Among familieswith phones, a home visit was the most effective interventionbut a phone call was the most cost-effective. However, absoluterates of effectiveness were low, and incremental costs per effectwere high. CONCLUSIONS. Pamphlets, phone calls, and home visitsby nurses were minimally effective for increasing well-childscreenings. Alternate outreach methods are needed, especiallyfor families without phones.
This article has been cited by other articles:
M. Valenstein, D. Eisenberg, J. F. McCarthy, K. L. Austin, D. Ganoczy, H. M. Kim, K. Zivin, J. D. Piette, M. Olfson, and F. C. Blow Service Implications of Providing Intensive Monitoring During High-Risk Periods for Suicide Among VA Patients With Depression
Psychiatr Serv,
April 1, 2009;
60(4):
439 - 444.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
M. McFall, C. Malte, A. Fontana, and R. A. Rosenheck Effects of an Outreach Intervention on Use of Mental Health Services by Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Psychiatr Serv,
March 1, 2000;
51(3):
369 - 374.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
A. Kempe, C. Dempsey, and S. R. Poole Introduction of a Recorded Health Information Line Into a Pediatric Practice
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med,
June 1, 1999;
153(6):
604 - 610.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
M. A. Schuster, D. L. Wood, N. Duan, R. M. Mazel, C. D. Sherbourne, and N. Halfon Utilization of Well-child Care Services for African-American Infants in a Low-income Community: Results of a Randomized, Controlled Case Management/Home Visitation Intervention
Pediatrics,
June 1, 1998;
101(6):
999 - 1005.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
D. Wood, M. Schuster, C. Donald-Sherbourne, N. Duan, R. Mazel, and N. Halfon Reducing Missed Opportunities to Vaccinate During Child Health Visits: How Effective Are Parent Education and Case Management?
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med,
March 1, 1998;
152(3):
238 - 243.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
D. Wood, N. Halfon, C. Donald-Sherbourne, R. M. Mazel, M. Schuster, J. S. Hamlin, M. Pereyra, P. Camp, M. Grabowsky, and N. Duan Increasing Immunization Rates Among Inner-City, African American Children: A Randomized Trial of Case Management
JAMA,
January 7, 1998;
279(1):
29 - 34.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]