Study on the Effects of Infant Fostering Interventions in Xuhui District,Shanghai

Objective To assess the effects of fostering interventions on the infants and their families through the community. Methods A total of 309 infants born on 1st August, 2003 to 30th August, 2004 and their families were recruited as participants by cluster sampling in Longhua and Kangjian sub-districts of Xuhui district, Shanghai. The newborns were randomly assigned to intervention group (156 cases) and control group (153 cases). The infants and their families will be followed up during 3-year interventions. Results After 6 months’ intervention, the proportion of infants who could turn over the body in the intervention group (88.46%) was higher than that in control group (75.16%). The morbidity of upper-respiratory tract infection in intervention group (20.51%) was significantly lower than that in control group (32.68%). The incidence rates of pneumonia, diarrhea and anemia in intervention group were all lower than that in control group, except for pneumonia, the differences were not significant. Both of the knowledge about how to foster infants and service utility in intervention group were higher than that in control group. Conclusion The fostering interventions through the community promote the preven- tion and control of infants disease, increase the knowledge level and service util- ity of families.