Health Visiting Intervention Preterm Infant Study (HIPIS) V1.3
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The role of the health visitor in working towards positive outcomes for neonatal graduates and their families: developing a home-based, early intervention for preterm infants.
IRAS ID
224628
Contact name
Fiona Alderdice
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen's University Belfast
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
6 years, 0 months, 6 days
Research summary
Premature babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy are at increased risk of poor developmental and health outcomes compared to full-term babies. Current literature suggests there are opportunities to improve home care and support of these babies and their families after discharge from a neonatal unit. Research supports that early intervention, while a child's brain has the ability to re-organise itself, in response to experiences, can lessen the effects of prematurity. Health visitors (HVs), as specialist public health nurses, are optimally placed to influence outcomes through home-visits. However, there is a lack of research focusing on the professional care of premature babies by UK HVs. This study aims to identify key components for a home-based, early intervention designed to optimise outcomes for premature babies, whilst meeting the perceived needs of primary caregivers (PCGs) and HVs. PCGs (10-20) and HVs (10-20), across the five Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland (NI), will be interviewed (1 hour) by the primary researcher to explore experiences of HV home visits within six-months following the discharge of a preterm infant from a neonatal unit (Phase 1a). Phase 1a findings will be used to design an online survey (15 minutes), open to the NI HV workforce, to learn about experiences, procedures and needs while caring for premature babies and their families (Phase 1b). Phase 1a and 1b will inform the design of the home-based, early intervention with respect to key components, supporting theory, target population, outcomes, duration, intensity and acceptability (Phase 2). Study findings will be disseminated through a multidisciplinary stakeholder workshop (Phase 3). Taking part in this study will provide PCGs and HVs with a unique opportunity to help shape the development of a home-based intervention which has the potential to enhance care and improve outcomes for premature babies and their families.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0160
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jun 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion