Study compares care of at-risk infants

CHICAGO, Illinois (Reuters) -- Low birth-weight babies fared better at lower cost under a comprehensive care program that provided more clinic visits and 24-hour access to a caregiver than under a routine care plan, a study said Tuesday.

At-risk infants cared for under a program that allowed five clinic visits a week and 24-hour access to a nurse or physician's assistant had 48 percent fewer life-threatening illnesses and 57 percent fewer intensive-care admissions than babies who received routine follow-up care.

Infants receiving routine follow-up care could visit the health care clinic twice a week and got well-baby care that included immunizations, social services and assessment of the child's development. Comprehensive care provided routine care plus the additional services.

Out of the 887 babies in the study, 11 in the comprehensive care program died during the study period, compared to 13 in the routine care program.

Low birth weight babies, many born prematurely, can be more susceptible to illness and to developmental problems.

Families with infants assigned to the comprehensive care program took advantage by recording more clinic visits and telephone contacts with caregivers. But the average annual health care bill of comprehensive care babies was 58 percent lower at $6,625 per infant, compared to $9,913 for those in the routine care program due to more frequent and longer hospital stays.

"Our findings demonstrate that comprehensive follow-up care provided by highly experienced caregivers can be highly effective in reducing life-threatening illnesses without increasing the overall costs of care for high-risk inner-city infants," study author Sue Broyles of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas wrote.

The report was published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association.

Infants in the study either weighed less than 2 pounds, 3 ounces at birth, or weighed between that and 3 pounds, 5 ounces. They also needed a ventilator to breathe in the 48 hours after birth.

"Without prompt, effective treatment, minor illnesses or complications may quickly become life-threatening in these vulnerable infants. This problem is likely to contribute to their increased mortality, morbidity and cost of care throughout infancy," Broyles wrote.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Brooklyn baby deaths double the national average
April 1, 2000
Deadly virus strikes infants with lung impairment
February 21, 2000
Birth weight may impact adult career success
February 1, 2000
U.S. graded on well-being of its children
July 9, 1999

American Association for Premature Infants
Journal of the American Medical Association
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.