Community Mothers Programme - seven year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial of non-professional intervention in parenting

Background The Community Mothers Programme aims at using experienced volunt eer mothers in disadvantaged areas to give support to first-time parents in rearing their children up to 1 year of age. The programme was evaluated by randomized controlled trial in 1990. Methods Seven years later, trial participants were interviewed about child health, nutrition, cognitive stimulation, parenting skills, and maternal se lf-esteem. The aim of this study was to see whether the demonstrated benefi ts at 1 year of age of this programme could be sustained at age 8. Results One-third of the original group (38 intervention, 38 control), were contacted and interviewed. The risk for having an accident requiring a hos pital visit was lower in the intervention group: relative risk (RR) 0.59, 9 5 per cent confidence interval (CI) 0.31-1.11. Intervention children were m ore likely to visit the library weekly: RR 1.58, 95 per cent CI 1.10-2.26. Intervention mothers were more likely to check homework every night: RR 1.2 3, 95 per cent CI 1.05-1.43 (p = 0.006); and to disagree with the statement 'children should be smacked for persistently bad behaviour': RR 2.11, 95 p er cent CI 1.10-4.06. They were more likely to disagree with the statement 'I do not have much to be proud of': 88 1.24, 95 per cent CI 1.04-1.40; and to make a positive statement about motherhood than controls: RR 1.53, 95 p er cent CI 1.06-2.20. Subsequent children of intervention mothers were more likely to have completed Haemophilus influenzae b: RR 1.26, 95 per cent CI 1.06-1.51; and polio immunization: RR 1.19, 95 per cent CI 1.02-1.40. Conclusions The Community Mothers programme had sustained beneficial effect s on parenting skills and maternal self-esteem 7 years later with benefit e xtending to subsequent children.