Community Health Worker Home Visiting, Birth Outcomes, Maternal Care, and Disparities Among Birthing Individuals With Medicaid Insurance

Authors: Cristian I Meghea, Jennifer E Raffo, Xiao Yu, Ran Meng, Zhehui Luo, Peggy Vander Meulen, Celeste Sanchez Lloyd, Lee Anne Roman

This study investigated the impact of a home visiting program called Strong Beginnings, which involved community health workers collaborating with nurses and social workers, on birth outcomes and maternal care for Medicaid-insured individuals. The analysis included over 125,000 mother-infant pairs. Results showed that participation in Strong Beginnings was linked to lower rates of preterm birth, very preterm birth, and very low birth weight, as well as increased access to prenatal and postnatal care, compared to usual care. The program had a more significant effect on reducing adverse birth outcomes among Black participants. This suggests that community health worker-led home visiting programs can enhance maternal care, infant health, and reduce disparities.