Established Evidence Results

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Individual Supports,

Intervention Description: Focuses on the mentor-mentee relationship and aims to provide a detailed understanding of mentors' lived experiences within the construct of the mentor-mentee relationship

Intervention Results: themes related to mentors' experiences in high school, the impact of mentors' experiences on their mentorship, and the rewarding nature of mentors' roles in the mentor-mentee relationship

Conclusion: The conclusion of the study emphasized the importance of exploring the mentor-mentee relationship experience from the mentor's perspective and highlighted the impact of mentor experience, mentoring style, and the nature of mentor-mentee identification and engagement on the outcomes of the mentoring relationship , .

Study Design: qualitative research study using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to interpret mentors' lived experiences in mentor-mentee relationships at the high school level

Setting: School-based: Prince George County high schools in the state of Maryland

Population of Focus: mentors of high school-level mentees

Sample Size: 12 mentors

Age Range: high school

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Educational Material, Individual Supports, Social Supports, Lactation Consultant

Intervention Description: The current statement updates the evidence for this conclusion and serves as a basis for AAP publications that detail breastfeeding management and infant nutrition, including the AAP Breastfeeding Handbook for Physicians,2 AAP Sample Hospital Breastfeeding Policy for Newborns,3 AAP Breastfeeding Residency Curriculum,4 and the AAP Safe and Healthy Beginnings Toolkit.

Intervention Results: Given the documented short- and long-term medical and neurodevelopmental advantages of breastfeeding, infant nutrition should be considered a public health issue and not only a lifestyle choice. The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirms its recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding as complementary foods are introduced, with continuation of breastfeeding for 1 year or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant. Medical contraindications to breastfeeding are rare. Infant growth should be monitored with the World Health Organization (WHO) Growth Curve Standards to avoid mislabeling infants as underweight or failing to thrive. Hospital routines to encourage and support the initiation and sustaining of exclusive breastfeeding should be based on the American Academy of Pediatrics-endorsed WHO/UNICEF “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.” National strategies supported by the US Surgeon General’s Call to Action, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and The Joint Commission are involved to facilitate breastfeeding practices in US hospitals and communities. Pediatricians play a critical role in their practices and communities as advocates of breastfeeding and thus should be knowledgeable about the health risks of not breastfeeding, the economic benefits to society of breastfeeding, and the techniques for managing and supporting the breastfeeding dyad. The “Business Case for Breastfeeding” details how mothers can maintain lactation in the workplace and the benefits to employers who facilitate this practice.

Conclusion: Research and practice in the 5 years since publication of the last AAP policy statement have reinforced the conclusion that breastfeeding and the use of human milk confer unique nutritional and nonnutritional benefits to the infant and the mother and, in turn, optimize infant, child, and adult health as well as child growth and development. Recently, published evidence-based studies have confirmed and quantitated the risks of not breastfeeding. Thus, infant feeding should not be considered as a lifestyle choice but rather as a basic health issue. As such, the pediatrician’s role in advocating and supporting proper breastfeeding practices is essential and vital for the achievement of this preferred public health goal.

Study Design: N/A

Setting: N/A

Data Source: N/A

Sample Size: N/A

Age Range: N/A

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Material, Other Education, Telephone Support, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Individual Supports,

Intervention Description: Pregnancy mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular, with parents-to-be seeking information related to their pregnancy and their baby through mobile technology. This increase raises the need for prenatal apps with evidence-based content that is personalized and reliable. The primary objective of this study is to assess whether the use of a health system–sponsored mobile app—Circle by Providence—aimed at providing personalized and reliable health information on pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and infant care is associated with improved health outcomes and increased healthy behaviors and knowledge among users.

Intervention Results: A total of 567 participants were enrolled in the study—167 in the app user group and 400 in the nonuser group. We found statistically significant differences between the two groups for certain behavior outcomes: subjects who used the app had 75% greater odds of breastfeeding beyond 6 months postpartum (P=.012), were less likely to miss prenatal appointments (P=.046), and were 50% more likely to exercise 3 or more times a week during pregnancy (P=.04). There were no differences in nutritional measures, including whether they took prenatal vitamins, ate 5 fruits or vegetables a day, or drank caffeine. We found no differences in many of the infant care outcomes; however, there was an increase in awareness of “purple crying.” Finally, there were no significant differences in measured clinical health outcomes, including cesarean births, length of hospital stays (in minutes), low birth weight infants, preterm births, small-for-gestational-age births, large-for-gestational-age births, and neonatal intensive care unit stays.

Conclusion: The use of the Circle app, which provides access to personalized and evidence-based health information, was associated with an increase in certain healthy behaviors and health knowledge, although there was no impact on clinical health outcomes. More research is needed to determine the impact of mobile prenatal apps on healthy pregnancies, clinical health outcomes, and infant care.

Study Design: Observational study using surveys and electronic medical records

Setting: Providence St. Joseph Health's Consumer Innovation Team launched app in Portland, Oregon and greater Seattle, Washington areas/Online

Population of Focus: Women with four or more prenatal encounters at one of the seven selected clinics that gave birth to a live infant at a Providence hospital in the past 4-6 months

Sample Size: 567 women (167 in the app user group and 400 in the comparison nonuser group)

Age Range: Women 18 years and older

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Individual Supports, Social Supports, Housing Supports

Intervention Description: We linked Massachusetts emergency housing assistance data with Medicaid claims between July 2008 and June 2015, constructing episodes of health care 12 months before and 12 months after families entered a shelter. We modeled emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and expenditures over the 24-month period separately for children and adults.

Intervention Results: Emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and expenditures rose steadily before shelter entry and declined gradually afterward, ending, in most cases, near the starting point. Infants, pregnant women, and individuals with depression, anxiety, or substance use disorder had significantly higher rates of all outcomes. Many children’s emergency department visits were potentially preventable.

Conclusion: Increased service utilization and expenditures begin months before families become homeless and are potentially preventable with early intervention. Infants are at greater risk.

Study Design: longitudinal study

Setting: Massachusetts

Population of Focus: social worker, medical professional, public health practitioner

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Individual Supports, Social Supports, Policy/Guideline (State),

Intervention Description: county-level Pay for Success initiative, Partnering for Family Success.

Intervention Results: explored implementation findings of treatment and control group clients participating in a randomized control trial of housing-unstable clients with children in out-of-home placement. Quantitative housing, public assistance, and child welfare administrative data findings, measured over three years were contextualized by qualitative content analyses of case management contacts, examinations of service patterns based on progress notes, and qualitative interviews

Conclusion: Determining what interventions are most effective for stabilizing housing-unstable, child welfare-involved families is a challenge that is increasingly being prioritized as society recognizes the high social and economic costs of both housing these families in emergency shelter and funding out of home placement for their children. Though our findings were mixed regarding quantitative indicators of client’s housing, public assistance receipt, and child welfare outcomes,

Study Design: convergent parallel mixed method design

Setting: County Level

Sample Size: treatment (N = 90) and control (N = 73)

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Peer Counselor, Assessment (PATIENT_CONSUMER), Professional Support, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Other (Provider Practice), COMMUNITY, Social Supports, Individual Supports,

Intervention Description: In 2014, the New York State WIC program launched the You Can Do it (YCDI) initiative in 12 WIC clinics. This multicomponent intevention, which was originally developed by the Vermont WIC program, was designed to improve participants' knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and social support to breastfeed exclusively through a screening and tailored counseling protocol combined with peer counselor and professional support spanning the prenatal and early postpartum periods. This multicomponent intervention paired with a yearlong learning community in the 12 clinics.

Intervention Results: Prevalence of exclusive BF at 7 and 30 days was significantly higher among BAPT women compared with non-BAPT or baseline cohorts. Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women in the BAPT cohort achieved significantly higher exclusive BF rates at 30 and 60 days compared with those in non-BAPT and baseline cohorts.

Conclusion: The initiative seems to be effective at increasing exclusive BF, particularly among non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women in the New York State WIC program.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental study

Setting: 12 WIC clinics in New York State

Population of Focus: Prenatal women enrolled in WIC during the first trimester of pregnancy who intended to breastfeed or were undecided

Sample Size: Baseline cohort of 688 mother-infant dyads and two intervention cohorts: Breastfeeding Attrition Prediction Tool (BAPT) (n=362 monther-infant dyads) and non-BAPT (n=347 mother-infant dyads); 12 WIC clinics; 47 WIC staff members

Age Range: Women 18 years and older

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Policy/Guideline (National), Social Supports, Individual Supports, Housing Supports

Intervention Description: Family Unification Program

Intervention Results: Intent-to-treat analyses suggested families randomly assigned for FUP exhibited slower increases in rates of foster placement following housing intervention compared with families referred for housing advocacy alone. The program generates average savings of nearly $500 per family per year to the foster care system. Housing subsidies provide the foster care system small but significant benefits for keeping homeless families together. Findings inform the design of a coordinated child welfare response to housing insecurity.

Conclusion: The present study tests the impact of the Family Unification Program – a HUD-funded housing intervention for inadequately housed families involved in the child welfare system – on foster care placement and costs among intact families whose inadequate housing threatened out of home placement of one or more children. A longitudinal randomized controlled trial embedded within the child welfare system shows FUP relates with significant declines in the rate of foster care placement

Study Design: randomized controlled trial

Setting: Chicago, IL

Population of Focus: social workers, policy makers, public health practitioners

Sample Size: n = 89 families with 257 children

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Material, Lactation Consultant, Provision of Breastfeeding Item, Group Education, Incentives, Professional Support, COMMUNITY, Individual Supports,

Intervention Description: The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) aims to improve birth outcomes and promote and support breastfeeding among vulnerable women. Using charitable donations, the Parkdale Parents' Primary Prevention Project (5Ps) CPNP provides postnatal lactation support to its clients in addition to standard prenatal services (group education workshops, individualized support from public health nurses and dieticians, community referrals, snacks, two public transit tokens, grocery store gift card, self-serve food bank, and childcare). This lactation support program was designed and implemented by 5Ps CPNP staff and includes three components: 1) gift package of breastfeeding and infant care supplies; 2) IBCLC visits within 48 h of referral; and 3) double electric breast pump.

Intervention Results: Ninety-one percent of participants were born outside of Canada; 55% had incomes below the Low-Income Cut-Off; and 55% reported food insecurity. All participants initiated breastfeeding, 84% continued for 6 months and 16% exclusively breastfed for 6 months. Among breastfed infants, ≥76% received vitamin D supplementation. Approximately 50% of infants were introduced to solids before 6 months. Only high school education or less and food insecurity were associated with lower breastfeeding rates. Overall, 75% of participants received at least one visit with a lactation consultant and 95% of these received a breast pump.

Conclusion: This study provides initial evidence that postnatal lactation support can be delivered within a CPNP site, with high uptake by clients. While all participants initiated breastfeeding and 84% continued for 6 months, adherence to the recommended 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding was low. Further research is needed to better understand the barriers to exclusive breastfeeding and how to support this practice among vulnerable women.

Study Design: Evaluation data

Setting: A Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program site in Toronto

Population of Focus: Pregnant women in the catchment area

Sample Size: 199 women

Age Range: Women 18 years and older

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Material, Other Education, Telephone Support, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Individual Supports

Intervention Description: We assessed whether increased use of breastfeeding smartphone applications (apps) impacts breastfeeding rates for low-income women. Women were randomized to one of two novel apps: control app containing digital breastfeeding handouts and BreastFeeding Friend (BFF), an interactive app containing on-demand breastfeeding educational and video content. The BFF app was a novel smartphone app designed based on a cross-sectional breastfeeding survey and feeback from focus group of postpartum, low-income African American women. Specifically, a multidisciplinary team of lactation consultants, perinatologists, and neonatologists designed the BFF app. The educational content included interactive advice on overcoming breastfeeding challenges, educational content on breastfeeding benefits, normal infant behavior and maternal postpartum physiology, strategies to optimize breastfeeding and pumping at work or school, hyperlinks to on-demand videos with tips and troubleshooting for successful latching, common breastfeeding positions, and using and cleaning a breast pump, as well as links to resources. All participants were given a complimentary Android smartphone with assigned breastfeeding app preloaded by a telecom provider.

Intervention Results: In the RCT, BFF and control app median uses were 15 (interquartile range [IQR] 4–24) and 9 (IQR 5–19) (p = 0.1), respectively. Breastfeeding initiation did not differ with app usage (84.1% in highest quartile versus 78.2% for lowest quartile; p = 0.5). Rates of sustained and exclusive breastfeeding through 6 months were similar between groups. Among both groups, smartphone apps were the most preferred breastfeeding resource at 6 weeks. Low quartile users also preferred alternative online breastfeeding resources: >50% of all users preferred technology-based breastfeeding resources.

Conclusion: Increased usage of breastfeeding apps did not improve breastfeeding rates among low-income women. However, technology-based resources were the most preferred breastfeeding resource after hospital discharge, indicating ongoing development of technology-based interventions has potential to increase breastfeeding in this high-needs population. clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03167073).

Study Design: Secondary analysis of an RCT

Setting: Prenatal clinic serving women with Medicaid or no health insurance at an academic medical center/Online

Population of Focus: Pregnant women at approximately 36 weeks' gestation recruited during routine obstetric appointments

Sample Size: 169 women

Age Range: Women 18 years and older

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): COMMUNITY, Individual Supports

Intervention Description: A secondary analysis of data from 76 girls (mean ± SD, 10.5 ± 1.0 years) was conducted. Players were classified as high self-determined motivation (HSDM) or low self-determined motivation (LSDM) and randomised to trained (intervention) or untrained (control) coaches. Training included 2 workshops on strategies for activity-promoting practices. Girls were exposed to environmental contexts (practices and games) led by a trained/untrained coach (depending on arm) and one without coaches (free time) daily. Girls wore accelerometers each day. Using mixed random-effects models, the influence of motivation, context and training on %MVPA was analysed.

Intervention Results: Trained coaches' practices were associated with the greatest %MVPA with no difference between HSDM and LSDM players (38.28 ± 1.77%; 37.64 ± 1.80%; p = 0.66). HSDM players had significantly greater %MVPA versus LSDM players during untrained coaches' practices (23.58 ± 1.77%; 20.51 ± 1.78%; p = 0.03). During games with trained coaches, HSDM players had greater %MVPA compared to LSDM players (23.79 ± 1.76%; 18.56 ± 1.74%; p < 0.001). No between-group difference in %MVPA during free time was found (12.85 ± 0.82%; 13.39 ± 0.84%; p = 0.64).

Conclusion: The impact of individual differences in self-determined motivation on %MVPA during practices was attenuated when coaches were trained to implement activity-promoting practices.

Study Design: 2-arm parallel-group RCT

Setting: 5-day basketball youth sports camp

Population of Focus: Adolescent girls

Data Source: Accelerometer

Sample Size: 76 girls

Age Range: Ages 9-12

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Material, Other Education, Telephone Support, Peer Counselor, Lactation Consultant, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Individual Supports,

Intervention Description: LATCH -- Lactation Advice thru Texting Can Help is a pilot, web-based texting intervention designed to improve breastfeeding rates among mothers receiving WIC. The two-way texting intervention provided both evidence-based breastfeeding education through automated texts adn a mode for mothers to freely exchange texts with breastfeeding peer counselor (PC). In addition to providing breastfeeding education, the automated texts were personalized by addressing the mother by name and signed by the PC. These automatic personalized texts were sent out regularly both prenatally and in the immediate post-partum period to increase peer counselor points of contact with mom via text. The web-based texting platform allowed all text messages to be recorded, and thus, the on-site lactation consultants and WIC supervisors were able to monitor and supervise all text-based communication regularly.

Intervention Results: Primary outcomes included early post-partum (PP) contact and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates at 2 weeks PP. Feasibility outcomes included text messaging engagement and mother's satisfaction with texting platform. Fifty-eight women were enrolled, 52 of whom were available for intention-to-treat analysis (n = 30 texting, n = 22 control). Contact between mothers and PCs within 48 hr of delivery was greater in the texting group (86.6% vs. 27.3%, p < .001). EBF rates at 2 weeks PP among participants in the texting intervention was 50% versus 31.8% in the control arm (p = .197). Intervention group mothers tended to be more likely to meet their breastfeeding goals (p = .06).

Conclusion: Participants were highly satisfied with the Lactation Advice thru Texting Can Help intervention, and findings suggest that it may improve early post-delivery contact and increase EBF rates among mothers enrolled in WIC who receive PC. A large, multicentre trial is feasible and warranted.

Study Design: Pilot RCT

Setting: WIC breastfeeding programs at a hospital-based primary care center and a federally qualified community health center/Cell phone

Population of Focus: Pregnant women at 18-30 weeks gestation from local WIC breastfeeding peer counselor programs

Sample Size: 52 women (30 texting and 22 control)

Age Range: Women 18 years and older

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Material, Professional Support, HEALTH_CARE_PROVIDER_PRACTICE, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, COMMUNITY, Individual Supports,

Intervention Description: The Westside Healthy Start Program (WHS), located in Chicago, Illinois, developed an ongoing multilevel approach to breastfeeding promotion. Key elements of the WHS breastfeeding model include individual education and counseling from pregnancy to 6 months postpartum and partnership with a local safety-net hospital to implement the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative and provide lactation support to delivering patients. All WHS participants receive general breastfeeding education from case managers throughout pregnancy (such as information about breastfeeding benefits) and one face-to-face visit from a BFC in the third trimester for more personalized and comprehensive support. WHS collaborates with the largest delivering hospital in the service area, a safety-net provider, to improve the breastfeeding environment and systems of care.

Intervention Results: In the year our model was implemented, 44.6% (49/110) of prenatal WHS participants reported that they planned to breastfeed, and 67.0% (183/273) of delivered partici- pants initiated. Among participants reaching 6 months postpartum, 10.5% (9/86) were breastfeeding. WHS also had 2667 encounters with women delivering at our partner hospital during breastfeeding rounds, with 65.1% of contacts initiating. Community data was not available to assess the efficacy of our model at the local level. However, WHS participants fared better than all delivering patients at our partner hospital, where 65.0% initiated in 2015.

Conclusion: Healthy Start programs are a promising vehicle to improve breastfeeding initiation at the individual and community level. Additional evaluation is necessary to understand barriers to duration and services needed for this population.

Study Design: Evaluation data

Setting: Westside Healthy Start program located in Chicago, IL

Population of Focus: Low-income, African-American women who are pregnant

Sample Size: 652 women

Age Range: Women <17 to 45 years old

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Enabling Services, Individual Supports, Community Health Workers (CHWs),

Intervention Description: conducted a cross-sectional cohort study, measuring 3 domains of obstetric racism as defined for, by, and with Black birthing people: humanity (violation of safety and accountability, autonomy, communication and information exchange, and empathy); kinship (denial or disruption of community and familial bonds that support Black birthing people); and racism in the form of anti-Black racism and misogynoir (weaponization of societal stereotypes and scripts in service provision that reproduce gendered anti-Black racism in the hospital).

Intervention Results: Analyses were based on 806 Black birthing people, 720 (89.3%) of whom had at least 1 CSP present throughout their labor, birth, and immediate postpartum care. The presence of CSPs was associated with fewer acts of obstetric racism across all 3 domains, with statistically significant reductions in scores in the CSP group of one-third to two-third SD units relative to the no-CSP group.

Conclusion: findings suggest that CSPs may be an effective way to reduce obstetric racism as part of quality improvement initiatives, emphasizing the need for democratizing the birthing experience and birth space, and incorporating community members as a way to promote the safety of Black birthing people in hospital settings.

Study Design: Crossectional Cohort Study

Setting: Clinical

Population of Focus: Black birthing people

Sample Size: 806

Age Range: 24-36

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Material, Other Education, Telephone Support, Peer Counselor, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Individual Supports,

Intervention Description: The LATCH study was a multisite study designed to test the effectiveness of a 2-way text messaging intervention encouraging exclusive breastfeeding among women enrolled in WIC, combining in-person prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding education and support (breastfeeding peer counseling) with mobile health technology (text messaging). Four WIC BFPC sites in Connecticut participated in the study. The effectiveness of BFPCs was clearly established in the literature; thus, the text messaging intervention was designed to faciliate the BFPCs' work, not replace it.

Intervention Results: Lactation Advice Through Texting Can Help had a significant impact on early contact between participants and BFPCs (odds ratio = 2.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.35–6.37) but did not have a significant impact on EBF (odds ratio = 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.54–2.66).

Conclusion: Lactation Advice Through Texting Can Help has the potential to facilitate the work of BFPCs by shortening the time-to-first-contact with clients after giving birth. Research is needed to identify the level of breastfeeding support staff coverage that WIC clinics must have to meet the demand for services created by Lactation Advice Through Texting Can Help.

Study Design: Multisite, single-blind RCT

Setting: WIC breastfeeding peer counselor program/Cell phone

Population of Focus: Low-income women participating in the WIC BFPC program

Sample Size: 174 women

Age Range: Women 18 years and older

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Material, Other Education, Telephone Support, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Individual Supports

Intervention Description: To test the effects of weekly SMS for improving infant feeding practices and infant weight. SMS were sent automatically using a web-based SMS messaging platform from the time the participant enrolled in the study until the end (4 months later). Participants were randomized to receive SMS about infant's general health issues (control) or SMS for improving feeding practices (intervention) for 4 months. Intervention SMS were created with a focus on reinforcing WIC messages on breastfeeding, preventing overfeeding, delaying introduction of solid foods, and delaying and reducing baby juice comsumption. A total of 18 messages (1 per week for 4 months) were sent. All messages were written at a grade 5 level in Spanish for PR or English for HI.

Intervention Results: A total of 170 participants completed the study (n = 86 control and n = 84 intervention). Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. At the end, exclusive breastfeeding rates were similar between groups (67.4% control and 59.1% intervention). Introduction of other foods and beverages, addition of foods to the bottle, placing infants to sleep with milk bottles, caregiver's method and response to feeding infants and distractions while feeding infants were similar between groups. Also, weight status or rate of weight gain was similar between groups.

Conclusion: There were no significant improvements in feeding practices or in weight with the intervention. The timeline of the messages in relation to the targeted behavior may have affected the effectiveness of the intervention. Earlier dissemination of messages, higher level of intensity, longer intervention, additional contacts and inclusion of other caregivers may be needed to achieve the desired effects.

Study Design: Multisite RCT

Setting: WIC programs in Puerto Rico and Hawaii/Cell phone

Population of Focus: Caregivers of infants 0-2 months old participating in the WIC program

Sample Size: 170 participants (86 control and 84 intervention)

Age Range: Women 18 years and older

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Individual Supports, Social Supports,

Intervention Description: We used exact propensity score matching without replacement to select a reference population to compare with the sample of women with unstable housing using a one-to-one ratio, matching for maternal age, race/ethnicity, parity, prior preterm birth, body mass index, tobacco use during pregnancy, drug/alcohol abuse during pregnancy, hypertension, diabetes, mental health condition during pregnancy, adequacy of prenatal care, education, and type of hospital. Odds of an adverse obstetric outcome were estimated using logistic regression.

Intervention Results: Of 2794 women with unstable housing identified, 83.0% (n = 2318) had an exact propensity score–matched control. Women with an unstable housing code had higher odds of preterm birth (odds ratio, 1.2, 95% confidence interval, 1.0–1.4, P < .05), preterm labor (odds ratio, 1.4, 95% confidence interval, 1.2–1.6, P < .001), long length of stay (odds ratio, 1.6, 95% confidence interval, 1.4–1.8, P < .001), emergency department visits within 3 months (odds ratio, 2.4, 95% confidence interval, 2.1–2.8, P < .001) and 1 year after birth (odds ratio, 2.7, 95% confidence interval, 2.4–3.0, P < .001), and readmission within 3 months (odds ratio, 2.7, 95% confidence interval, 2.2–3.4, P < .0014) and 1 year after birth (odds ratio, 2.6, 95% confidence interval, 2.2–3.0, P < .001).

Conclusion: Unstable housing documentation is associated with adverse obstetric outcomes and high health care utilization. Housing and supplemental income for pregnant women should be explored as a potential intervention to prevent preterm birth and prevent increased health care utilization.

Setting: California

Population of Focus: Pregnant women experiencing housing instability

Sample Size: 2794 women with a live singleton birth in unstable housing

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): COMMUNITY, Individual Supports

Intervention Description: To investigate the impact of a health educational program for children composed of 5 days of camp and a 12-week follow up on the physical activity level, sedentary behaviour, anthropometric data and food intake in overweight and obese children.

Intervention Results: After the follow up, 25% of the children became active (>1500 and <3000 Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks per week). In contrast, the number of sedentary children (<600 Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks per week) decreased by 15% and insufficiently active (600-1500 Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks per week) increased by 15%. The physical activity level of leisure time increased significantly throughout weekdays (26.0%) and weekends (14.1%) after the follow up compared to before the camp. Sedentary behaviour showed a significant reduction of 177.14 and 41.43 minutes on weekdays and weekends, respectively. Before the camp, the consumption of sugar and sweets was out of control (100% inadequate), and after the intervention, 58.4% started to consume these foods in a balanced way.

Conclusion: The Health Educational Program for Children (5-day camp and the 12 weeks of follow up) contributed to an increase in the physical activity level and a reduction in the sedentary behaviour and anthropometric measures in overweight and obese children.

Study Design: Cohort study

Setting: Participants in summer camp for overweight and obese children in Brazil

Population of Focus: Overweight or obese children participating in summer camp who did not have physical problems that limited their participation

Data Source: Anthropometric, questionnaires (physical activity and eating habits)

Sample Size: 20 children

Age Range: Ages 9-11

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): COMMUNITY, Individual Supports

Intervention Description: Preliminary evidence suggests acceptance-based behavioral treatments (ABTs) may increase PA; however, this approach has not been tested in adolescents. This was a nonrandomized experimental pilot study that examined feasibility, acceptability, and treatment outcomes of a school-based, acceptance-based behavioral intervention for PA. Adolescents (n = 20) with low activity received a PA tracking device and were allocated to device use only or device use plus 10-weeks of ABT. PA, cardiovascular fitness, and physiological outcomes were measured pre- and postintervention.

Intervention Results: The intervention was found to be feasible and acceptable. PA, cardiovascular fitness, and physiological outcomes improved over time in the intervention group, but not in the comparison condition.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary treatment efficacy based on effect sizes for an acceptance-based behavioral intervention to increase PA in adolescents.

Study Design: Non-randomized experimental pilot study

Setting: Middle schools

Population of Focus: 7th grade (mid-adolescent students)

Data Source: Fitbit

Sample Size: 20 students

Age Range: Age 12

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): Social Supports, Individual Supports,

Intervention Description: Our goal was to examine the impact of maternal homelessness (mothers ever homeless or who lived in shelters during pregnancy) and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) during pregnancy in conjunction with air pollution exposure on birthweight in the Boston-based Children’s HealthWatch cohort from 2007 through 2015 (n = 3366).

Intervention Results: We included 3366 participants in our analysis (Figure 1). The median birthweight was 3272 g (Table 1). The majority of mothers in the cohort were non-Hispanic Black (50%), followed by Hispanic (33%). Nearly 40% of mothers were immigrants, and 84% participated in WIC during pregnancy. Most mothers did not smoke in the past 5 years (74%), and nearly half of the mothers attained more than a high school education (47%). Half of the study subjects reported that their household incomes were below $20,000 (data not shown). The majority of children had public health insurance (86%). The median PM2.5 concentrations across each trimester were similar (1st: 9.1 µg/m3, 2nd: 9.2 µg/m3, 3rd: 8.9 µg/m3).

Conclusion: Our study emphasizes the independent and combined effects of maternal social and environmental stressors on birthweight, including homelessness and exposure to PM2.5, as well as the potential protective effect of participating in WIC during pregnancy. Importantly, even within a predominantly low-income population, the association of prenatal PM2.5 with birthweight was stronger among non-Hispanic Black mothers and marginally significant among immigrants and single mothers, which indicates the need for special attention to the circumstances of these groups of mothers. These findings can be used to better target health interventions and support policy change for pregnant mothers at high risk to maximize a healthy start for newborns.

Study Design: cohort study

Setting: Boston, MA

Population of Focus: researchers, public health professionals

Sample Size: n = 3366

Age Range: infants up to 48 months of age

Intervention Components (click on component to see a list of all articles that use that intervention): PATIENT_CONSUMER, Educational Material, Other Education, Telephone Support, Partner-Level Intervention, Technology-Based Support, COMMUNITY, Social Supports, Individual Supports,

Intervention Description: Social support for breastfeeding, in particular the support of an infant's father, has been identified as a crucial element for successful breastfeeding. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions employing digital technologies provide a rapidly evolving means of engaging fathers and providing them with information and support to address their needs related to both breastfeeding and transitioning to fatherhood. The Parent Infant Feeding Initiative (PIFI) was a 4-arm, randomized controlled trial conducted in Perth, Australia. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of various father-focused breastfeeding interventions in terms of key infant feeding outcomes. The primary outcomes were duration of exclusive and any breastfeeding. The trial arms included a control group and 3 interventions, consisting of a face-to-face father-focused antenatal breastfeeding class facilitated by a male peer facilitator; Milk Man, a breastfeeding smartphone app designed specifically for fathers; and a combination of both interventions.

Intervention Results: A total of 1426 couples were recruited from public (443/1426, 31.1%) and private (983/1426, 68.9%) hospitals. Of these, 76.6% (1092/1426) of fathers completed the baseline questionnaire, 58.6% (836/1426) completed the 6-week follow-up questionnaire, and 49.2% (702/1426) completed the 26-week follow-up questionnaire. The average age of fathers who completed the baseline questionnaire was 33.6 (SD 5.2) years; the majority were born in Australia (76.4%) and had attended university (61.8%). There were no significant differences between the control and any of the intervention groups in any of the infant feeding outcomes or level of breastfeeding self-efficacy and postpartum partner support reported by mothers.

Conclusion: This study did not demonstrate that any intervention was superior to another or that any intervention was inferior to the standard care delivered in routine antenatal classes. Further studies are needed to test the effectiveness of these interventions in more socioeconomically diverse populations that are likely to benefit most from additional partner supports.

Study Design: RCT

Setting: Antenatal breastfeeding class/Online

Population of Focus: Couples from public and private hospitals in Perth, Australia

Sample Size: 1426 couples

Age Range: Adults 18 years and older