Project Description
The Prospective Study of Infant Development is a randomized control trial evaluation of the Family Connects program (formerly Durham Connects). In order to examine the ways in which family characteristics and community services are associated with family well-being, the Prospective Study of Infant Development interviewed families who had participated in Durham Connects on multiple aspects of family life, including parents’ opinions about parenting, child health and medical care, access and receipt of family services, and mothers’ well-being.
Following the 6-month interview, participant families were invited to participate in a variety of follow-ups, including an 18-month, 24-month, 30-month, 42-month, and 60-month survey.
The project builds off previous projects including the Durham Family Initiative and Durham Connects.
Project Goals
The primary goal of the Prospective Study of Infant Development is to find out how family characteristics and the community services that families receive predict child health and development, parent well-being, and parenting behaviors. With this knowledge, we are developing better ways to match families, both in Durham County and in other communities, with resources that will benefit them.
Project Findings
- Impact of the Family Connects Program on Maternal and Infant Health and Well-Being
- The effects of a universal short-term home visiting program: Two-year impact on parenting behavior and parent mental health (Child Abuse & Neglect, June 2023)
- Effect of a Universal Postpartum Nurse Home Visiting Program on Child Maltreatment and Emergency Medical Care at 5 Years of Age A Randomized Clinical Trial
- Effect of a Community Agency-Administered Nurse Home Visitation Program on Program Use and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes: A Randomized Clinical Trial
- Randomized controlled trial of Family Connects: Effects on child emergency medical care from birth to 24 months
- Can typical US home visits affect infant attachment? Preliminary findings from a randomized trial of Healthy Families Durham