Nike-Footed Health Workers deal with the problems of adolescent pregnancy.
Working principally to prevent repeat teen pregnancy, improve birth outcomes to teen mothers, and build adolescent parenting skills, the Nike (sneaker)-Footed Health Worker Project (NFHW) draws trainees from the target population of parenting adolescents. The young mothers will participate in an education project that, after 1 year, will return them to serve the same population from which they were drawn. The Nike-Footed Health Worker Project is designed to allow adolescent mothers to complete high school while they are simultaneously trained in the principles of basic pre- and postnatal care, child development, nutrition, and counseling. After fully understanding and signing a contract detailing the expectations and requirements of the course, trainees will begin the project and receive a base salary in the form of a student loan. Eligible for merit wage increases, they are obligated to use their salaries to make pre-set contributions to the project for housing, food, and child care expenses. After graduating from the 12-month residential project, the NFHWs will be prepared to serve their community. Working out of local clinics and hospitals, they will bring basic care to the homes of pregnant teenagers. Acting as the advocates and counselors of adolescents, the NFHWs will help to prepare the expectant mothers for the arrival of their infant. Following the child's birth, the NFHWs will continue to work with the mother and her primary health care providers as the new mother learns the art of parenting. The NFHW will also ensure that the child has received the appropriate well-baby care (immunizations and so forth) and that the mother has received needed postnatal care and counseling about contraception.
Perino
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Columbia University School of Public Health, New York City.
D000293:Adolescent; D003150:Community Health Workers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012944:Social Support