title: Effects of a home visiting program for older people with poor health status: a randomized, clinical trial in The Netherlands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of a home visiting program on health-related measures in a population of older people with poor health status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-dwelling citizens in The Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred thirty people aged 70 to 84 randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=160) or a control group (n=170).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight home visits, lasting 1 hour or more, with telephone follow-up, over an 18-month period, conducted by experienced home nurses under supervision of a public health nurse; key elements of the (systematic) visits were assessment of health problems and risks, advice, and referral to professional and community services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-rated health, functional status, quality of life, and changes in self-reported problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were found between the intervention and control group in these and other outcome measures at the end of the intervention period (18 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The home visiting program did not appear to have any effect on the health status of older people with poor health and are probably not beneficial for such persons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. ans.nicolaides@epid.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: Ans
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouman
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Rossum
authors.forename: Ton
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ambergen
authors.forename: Gertrudis
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kempen
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knipschild
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006304:Health Status; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome