Home visitation programs for at-risk young families. A systematic literature review.
BACKGROUND
This systematic literature review is stimulated by the perceived need of investigator, practice and policy stakeholders for a complete but parsimonious summary of key elements of programs that use home visitation for at-risk young families as the major delivery method.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the program components, practices, outcomes, and reliability of the evaluation approaches.


METHODS
Computer and hand searches of literature were carried out. Reports of established programs, from the last five years, that describe home visitation services to at-risk families were included. A comprehensive data collection tool was used in the analysis of the findings.


RESULTS
Improvements over the previous five years were seen in the following areas: use of early intervention model, inclusion of comparison groups and adequate sampling.


CONCLUSIONS
Challenges remain in development, targeting and reporting of home visitation practice, overall lack of impact, differential effects by program site, retention of participants and appropriate measurement.
Drummond
J E
JE
Faculty of Nursing, 3rd Floor Clinical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G3. jane.drummond@ualberta.ca
Weir
A E
AE
Kysela
G M
GM
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005192:Family Health; D006701:Home Nursing; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009679:Nuclear Family; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors