Authors' objectives:

To assess the effectiveness, efficiency and cost effectiveness of home visiting.

Authors' results and conclusions: Antenatal and Postnatal Periods: Home visiting is effective during both the antenatal and postnatal periods including the use of pregnancy related services. However, while there were positive effects of home visiting on the health behaviour of mothers, the evidence in relation to deliveries and medical and social outcomes were inconclusive. Child Health Care: There was evidence to show that home visiting was beneficial in various aspects of child health care. The positive effects included reduced rate of child injury, reduced recurrence of child maltreatment, improved growth among children with failure to thrive, reduced developmental delay, improved motor and cognitive development and behaviour with fewer behavioural problems, reduced acute care visits, as well as reductions in hospitalisation and re-hospitalisation, fewer acute care and emergency hospital visit, fewer missed well baby clinic visits and missed post-partum appointments. It also was effective in delivering preventive services, reducing the prevalence of infant health problems, increased immunisation coverage and supporting early hospital discharge. Although home visiting was cost effective in comparison to hospitalisation, in comparison to other strategies, telephones were found to be more cost-effective. Nutrition: With respect to breast feeding the evidence on effect of home visiting on compliance to breast-feeding was inconclusive. There was limited evidence on beneficial nutritional effects with home visiting. Elderly Care: There was evidence to show that home visiting helped in the detection of unrecognisable treatable problems in the elderly. Evidence on the beneficial effects on specific groups of elderly people was limited. There was inconclusive evidence on benefits of home visiting in prevention, while there was no evidence of improvement in immunisation acceptance among the elderly. Mental Health: There was inadequate evidence on the effectiveness of home visiting for mental health.

Authors' recommendations: After reviewing the literature, it was found that home visiting has positive effects in many aspects of health care. While some studies were inconclusive or did not support positive effects, there were no negative effects of home visiting reported.

Authors' methods: Systematic review

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.moh.gov.my/

Year Published: 2000

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Malaysia

Organisation Name: Malaysian Health Technology Assessment Unit

Contact Address: Health Technology Assessment Unit, Medical Development Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Level 21, PERKIM Building, Jalan Ipoh, 51200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 603 4045 7781, Fax: 603 4045 77 40

Copyright: Malaysian Health Technology Assessment Unit (MHTAU)