Effects of an Internet Intervention on Mothers’ Psychological, Parenting, and Health Care Utilization Outcomes

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this pilot study was to test the effects of an Internet-based intervention, the New Mothers Network, on single, low-income, adolescent, African American mothers' psychological, parenting, and health care utilization outcomes. BACKGROUND: The study was based on social support theory. METHODS: For mothers in the Intervention Group, MSNTV™ was installed in subjects' homes and connected to the Internet. Data were collected at 1 week, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months following the infant's birth. RESULTS: For infant health services utilization, 70.6% of those in the Control Group took their infant to the emergency room at least once during the study compared to 35.7% of mothers in the Intervention Group. The New Mothers Network allowed mothers to share their experiences and acquire information from nurses about caring for themselves and their infants. CONCLUSION: The New Mothers Network Web site is well poised for nursing driven social support intervention via the Internet, even though access devices are evolving over time.