Authors

  1. Bae, Dayoung PhD
  2. Cho, Junhan PhD
  3. Terris, Darcey D. PhD
  4. Glisson, Rachael E. MPH
  5. Brown, Anita PhD
  6. Nelson, Twanna MCH

Abstract

Informed by ecological and family system frameworks, our study investigated the relationship between family- and community-level factors, and their cross-level interactions, with evidence-based home visiting program participation in a sample of 2409 mothers (mean age: 24.15 years). Using 2-level hierarchical linear modeling, we observed that mothers living in disadvantaged communities demonstrated less active engagement in evidence-based home visiting. Cross-level interaction effects revealed that mothers' unstable living conditions and psychiatric problems amplified the negative influence of disadvantaged communities on program engagement. Conversely, mothers who were first-time parents showed higher levels of participation in family support programs when they resided in disadvantaged communities.