Voorham, A.J.

An urban perinatal health programme of strategies to improve perinatal health (Article)

2012-11-01T00:00:00Z

Promotion of a healthy pregnancy is a top priority of the health care policy in many European countries. Perinatal mortality is an important indicator of the success of this policy. Recently, it was shown that the Netherlands has relatively high perinatal death rates when compared to other European countries. This is in particular true for large cities where perinatal mortality rates are 20-50% higher than elsewhere. Consequently in the Netherlands, there is heated debate on how to tackle these problems. Without the introduction of measures throughout the entire perinatal health care chain, pregnancy outcomes are difficult to improve. With the support of health care professionals, the City of Rotterdam and the Erasmus University Medical Centre have taken the initiative to develop an urban perinatal health programme called 'Ready for a Baby'. The main objective of this municipal 10-year programme is to improve perinatal health and to reduce perinatal mortality in all districts to at least the current national average of 10 per 1000. Key elements are the understanding of the mechanisms of the large health differences between women living in deprived and nondeprived urban areas. Risk guided care, orientation towards shared-care and improvement of collaborations between health care professionals shapes the interventions that are being developed. Major attention is given to the development of methods to improve risk-selection before and during pregnancy and methods to reach low-educated and immigrant groups.

Determinants of the intention of preconception care use: lessons from a multi-ethnic urban population in the Netherlands (Article)

2012-08-08T00:00:00Z

Objectives: To investigate the determinants of the intention of preconception care use of women in a multi-ethnic urban population. Methods: The ASE-model-a health behaviour model-was used as an explanatory framework. A representative sample was taken from the municipal population registers of two districts in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 2009-2010. 3,225 women (aged 15-60 years) received a questionnaire, which was returned by 631: 133 Dutch, 157 Turkish and Moroccan, and 341 Surinamese and Antillean. Descriptive, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: The multiple logistic analyses showed that intention to attend preconception care was significantly higher in women with a Turkish and Moroccan background (β 1.02, P = 0.006), a higher maternal age (β 0.04, P = 0.008) and a positive attitude (β 0.50, P < 0.001). Having no relationship (β -1.16, P = 0.004), multiparity with previous adverse perinatal outcome (β -1.32, P = 0.001), a high educational level (β -1.23, P = 0.03), having paid work (β -0.72, P = 0.01) and experienced barriers level (β -0.15, P = 0.003) were associated with less intention to use preconception care. Conclusions: Modifiable determinants as attitude and barriers can be addressed to enhance preconception care attendance.

Effectiveness of a health promotion programme for long-term unemployed subjects with health problems: A randomised controlled trial (Article)

2009-11-01T00:00:00Z

Background: Employment status is an important determinant of health inequalities. Among unemployed people, poor health decreases the likelihood of re-employment. Methods: A randomised controlled trial with 6 months' follow-up among unemployed people with health complaints receiving social security benefits from the city of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. In total, 456 people were assigned to the control group and 465 people to the intervention group. The intervention consisted of three sessions weekly over 12 weeks. One session a week was focused on education to enhance the ability to cope with (health) problems, and two weekly sessions consisted of physical activities. The primary outcome measures were perceived health, measured by the Short Form 36 Health Survey, and psychological measures mastery, self-esteem and pain-related fear of movement. Secondary outcome measures were work values, job search activities and re-employment. Results: Enrolment in the intervention programme was 65%, and 72% completed the programme with over 70% attendance at all sessions. The intervention had a good reach among subjects with lower education, but had no effect on mental and physical health, mastery, self-esteem and pain-related fear of movement. Participation in the programme had no influence on work values, job search activities or re-employment. Conclusion: This intervention programme aimed at the promotion of physical and mental health in unemployed people with health complaints did not show beneficial effects. The lack of integration into regular vocational rehabilitation activities may have interfered with these findings. This particular health programme cannot be recommended for implementation.