Caution must therefore be exercised in interpreting results , but the case for investment in parenting and health visitor-related programmes appears most strong , especially when impacts beyond the health sector are taken into account .
In the workplace an economic return on investment in a number of comprehensive workplace health promotion programmes and stress management projects ( largely in the USA ) was reported , while group-based exercise and psychosocial interventions are of potential benefit to older people .
Role of home visiting in improving parenting and health in families at risk of abuse and neglect: results of a multicentre randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation
Objectives : To evaluate the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of an intensive home visiting programme in improving outcomes for vulnerable families . Design : Multicentre r and omised controlled trial in which eligible women were allocated to receive home visiting  ( n = 67 ) or  st and ard services ( n = 64 ) . Incremental cost analysis . Setting : 40 general practitioner practice s across 2 counties in the UK . Participants : 131 vulnerable pregnant women . Intervention : Selected health visitors were trained in the Family Partnership Model to provide a weekly home visiting service from 6 months antenatally to 12 months postnatally . Main outcome measures : Mother – child interaction , maternal psychological health attitudes and behaviour , infant functioning and development , and risk of neglect or abuse . Results : At 12 months , differences favouring the home-visited group were observed on an independent assessment of maternal sensitivity ( p<0.04 ) and infant cooperativeness ( p<0.02 ) . No differences were identified on any other measures . A non-significant increase in the likelihood of intervention group infants being the subject of child protection proceedings , or being removed from the home , and one death in the control group were found . The mean incremental cost per infant of the home visiting intervention was £ 3246 ( bootstrapped 95 % CI for the difference £ 1645–4803 ) . Conclusion : This intervention may have the potential to improve parenting and increase the identification of infants at risk of abuse and neglect in vulnerable families . Further investigation is needed , along with long-term follow-up to assess possible sleeper effects
Caution must therefore be exercised in interpreting results , but the case for investment in parenting and health visitor-related programmes appears most strong , especially when impacts beyond the health sector are taken into account .
In the workplace an economic return on investment in a number of comprehensive workplace health promotion programmes and stress management projects ( largely in the USA ) was reported , while group-based exercise and psychosocial interventions are of potential benefit to older people .