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Prevention Research Center for
Family and Child Health
Research
The Prevention Research Center for Family and Child Health has three follow-up studies of randomized trials of a program of prenatal and infancy home visitation by nurses.
With funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), we are now beginning a 27-year follow-up of young adults whose mothers participated in the study during their pregnancies and the first two years of their children's lives. This work is being conducted in collaboration with Professor John Eckenrode, professor of human development and an affiliated faculty member at Cornell University. We are interested in the young adults' life-course trajectories, including their work histories; quality of partnered relationships; involvement with the criminal justice system; parenting; and mental health and substance abuse disorders. This study also will examine the role of specific genetic polymorphisms that in previous studies have been shown to interact with environmental conditions to increase the risk for severe antisocial behavior, depression and schizophrenia (including MAOA, 5-HTT, the dopamine transporter and the 7 nicotinic receptor gene promoter). The work on genetic contributions to these disorders is led by Sherry Leonard, PhD, a molecular biologist in the UCD Department of Psychiatry.
With funding from NIMH, the Justice Department and the William T. Grant Foundation, we are currently conducting a 12-year follow-up of the children and families in the Memphis trial, looking at the children's school performance, cognitive skills, mental health and disruptive behavior and the life-course trajectories of the mothers. This work is being conducted in collaboration with affiliated faculty members Drs. Harriet Kitzman and Robert Cole, from the University of Rochester.
In addition, with funding from the NIMH, the Department of Justice, and the William T. Grant Foundation, we are also conducting a 9-year follow-up of the children and mothers enrolled in the Denver trial. The Denver trial examines the impact of the program when delivered by paraprofessionals and by nurses. The current phase of follow-up of children aged 9 examines the impact of the paraprofessional and nurse-delivered programs on children's academic performance, cognitive skills and mental health and the mothers' life-course trajectories.
Dr. Carole Hanks, Associate Professor of Nursing at Baylor University, is conducting a cross-site study funded by the Department of Justice that examines the role of neighborhood context in moderating and possibly mediating program effects on maternal, child and family functioning.
We are beginning a series of new trials that will test augmentations of the program as it is being replicated in hundreds of communities across the nation. One trial, funded by the William T. Grant Foundation is designed to increase participant engagement in the program; and another will examine ways of helping nurses address maternal depression more effectively. The work on maternal depression is led by Dr. Marshall Thomas, Associate Professor in the UCD Department of Psychiatry.
A growing focus of the PRC involves international work. In 2004, the PRC began responding to inquiries from researchers and/or government health agencies abroad that were interested in possibly developing the Nurse-Family Partnership program in their country. Over the past four years, the PRC has entered into five contractual agreements to consult on the research and development of NFP programs abroad. For further information, visit our Nurse-Family
Partnership International Program webpage.
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