Evaluating Care Integration Between Pediatric Primary Care Providers and WIC Nutritionists for Early Obesity Prevention Among WIC Mothers and Children
Penn State University
Summary
This study looks at whether using secure digital systems to share information between pediatric health care providers (during regular well-child visits) and social care providers (during regular visits with WIC nutritionists) can help mothers receive consistent guidance on responsive parenting to support healthy child growth and development. Responsive parenting means learning how to respond to a baby's needs in ways that support healthy eating, sleep, activity, and emotion regulation habits. The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. Does using secure digital systems to share information between pediatric health care providers and social care providers help mothers receive consistent guidance on responsive parenting to support healthy growth from birth to 24 months? 2. Does using secure digital systems to share information between pediatric health care providers and social care providers help mothers receive consistent guidance on responsive parenting, improve responsive parenting practices and child diet quality? The investigators will compare the group that receives secure digital systems for sharing information on responsive parenting to a group that receives standard care (does not receive this) to see if secure digital systems for sharing information on responsive parenting work to support healthy child growth and development. The goal is to see if this approach can improve early health behaviors and reduce health disparities for families in rural, low-income communities.
Description
The first two years of a child's life lay the foundation for developing healthy eating, sleep, activity, and emotion regulation habits. These habits can help lower the risk of obesity later in childhood. However, young children in low-income rural communities are more likely to experience poverty and have limited access to nutritious and affordable foods, contributing to a higher risk of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases. To reduce health disparities among young children living in rural low-income communities, there is a critical need for effective and scalable evidence-based interventions…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * People who are a) pregnant and \>34 weeks' gestation or b) who have an infant \<2 months old * 18-40 years old * English and/or Spanish speaking and reading * Access to a smartphone or internet-connected device * Not planning to move out of Pennsylvania within 2 years * Not planning to change health care providers outside of Geisinger within 2 years * Custody of and lives with (or will live with) the child enrolled in the study * Child must have a Geisinger PCP and be a WIC participant or eligible for WIC at enrollment Exclusion Criteria: * Mother is not interested (or…
Interventions
- BehavioralData integration around responsive parenting
The integrated PCP-WIC nutritionist care intervention group will receive 1) behavioral risk screening using a patient-reported outcome measure that is completed in the child's electronic health record; 2) an evidence-based responsive parenting curriculum ; 3) electronic integration and coordination between care settings to document and inform patient-centered messaging; and 4) telehealth coaching sessions and online educational modules to reinforce responsive parenting messaging at home.
- BehavioralStandard Care (in control arm)
Standard siloed care from PCPs and WIC nutritionists
Location
- The Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, Pennsylvania