Epidemiol Health.
2025;47(1):e2025004. 10.4178/epih.e2025004.
A comparison of the outcomes of families with children aged less than 2 who received universal versus sustained nurse home visiting services in Korea: a cross-sectional study
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Preventive Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 2Department of Nursing, Chung Cheong University, Cheongju, Korea
- 3Department of Nursing, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
- 4Institute of Health Policy and Management, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea
- 5College of Nursing, Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
- 6Department of Nursing, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea
- 7Department of Family Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 8Department of Health Policy and Management, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- KMID: 2565614
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2025004
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to compare maternal outcomes and the home environment between non‑vulnerable families with children under 2 receiving universal home visiting services and vulnerable families receiving sustained home visiting services.
METHODS
This study was conducted in Seoul, Korea, where the country’s first nurse‑led early childhood home visiting program was introduced. A total of 551 mother‑child dyads participated in cross‑sectional surveys conducted at various child ages (6±2 weeks, 6±1 months, 12±1 months, and 24±1 months). Universal home visiting services were provided within six weeks postpartum to non‑vulnerable families, while vulnerable families received sustained services consisting of 25 visits over 24 months. Maternal knowledge of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and childcare, maternal distress, and the Korean Infant‑Toddler Home Observation for Measurement of Environment (K‑IT‑HOME) were assessed.
RESULTS
Overall, the universal home visitation group demonstrated higher levels of maternal knowledge regarding SIDS and childcare compared to the sustained home visitation group (all p-values <0.05), while the sustained home visitation group reported higher levels of maternal distress (p<0.001). The total K‑IT‑HOME score was 1.47 points higher in the universal home visitation group than in the sustained home visitation group (p<0.001). No significant differences were observed in the acceptance, organization, or involvement subscales of the K‑IT‑HOME (all p-values >0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that disparities in maternal outcomes and home environments persisted in early childhood between the sustained and universal home visitation groups.
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