Our Chief of Strategic Initiatives Nikki Shearman PhD recently released a report on emerging research that further demonstrates the impact of Reach Out and Read. In addition to providing the summaries below, we will update our research overview and other materials to reflect these exciting developments. What we are sharing below represents the work of many people, both clinicians and researchers, and reflects progress towards our collective goal of increasing Reach Out and Read’s position as a national thought leader in early childhood development.
“What we are sharing below represents the work of many people, both clinicians and researchers…”
The research featured in this write-up includes:
Attendance at Well-Child Visits After Reach Out and Read: Robert D. Needlman MD, Benard Dreyer MD, Perri Klass MD, and Alan L. Mendelsohn MD Clinical Pediatrics, 2019,
What does the study show? The study demonstrates a significant increase in compliance with Well-Child Visit (WCV) attendance after the introduction of Reach Out and Read, with the largest differences found among Latino families and children of less-educated families.
Why is this important? This is a significant pilot study indicating that the Reach Out and Read intervention could be employed to improve compliance with WCV attendance.
Encouraging parent-child book sharing: Potential additive benefits of literacy promotion in health care and the community Caitlin F. Canfield, Anne Seery, Adriana Weisleder, Catherine Workman, Carolyn Brockmeyer Cates, Erin Roby, Rachel Payne, Shari Levine, Leora Mogilner, Benard Dreyer, Alan Mendelsohn Pediatrics, 2019, In Press
What does the study show? This study provides important new evidence to support Reach Out and Read:
- Parents who received both a book and guidance about the importance of reading through Reach Out and Read were more likely to engage in literacy activities with their children through book sharing at home. This relation was not observed in families who only received a book.
- A synergistic impact of additional messaging from different platforms was demonstrated – specifically Reach Out and Read and the public library.
Why is this important? This study reinforces the established evidence base showing that implementation of Reach Out and Read enhances home literacy behavior.
LitNet Group Research on Reach Out and Read Training and Implementation in Residency Continuity Clinics The current research group consists of Marny Dunlap MD, Alexandria Caldwell DO, Elizabeth Erickson MD, M. Connor Garbe MPH, Holly Tyrrell MSSW, Nikki Shearman PhD, Iman Sharif MD, and Robert Needlman MD
What does the study show? The study shows that Reach Out and Read training and associated implementation of the intervention in residency continuity clinics is variable. Initial analysis indicates that the Reach Out and Read online CME course is most effective at providing the knowledge and skills required to implement Reach Out and Read with fidelity to the model.
Why is this important? A significant pipeline of Reach Out and Read expansion comes from pediatric residents who experience Reach Out and Read in a residency continuity clinic and consequently initiate it in their practice after graduation. This study provides valuable information as we seek to influence residency training to ensure high quality delivery of the Reach Out and Read model.
Rx for Success: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Technology-Based Dialogic Reading Training Incorporated Into Reach Out and Read The research group includes John S. Hutton MD, Thomas DeWitt MD, Catherine Wiley MD, Nikki Shearman PhD, Tom Lottman, Manny Jimenez MD
What is the objective of this study? This ongoing study, due for completion in July 2019, is designed to determine if additional messaging about sharing books from a specifically designed app, Rx for Success, recommended at the Reach Out and Read clinic increases the impact of Reach Out and Read on home literacy activities and children’s development.
Why is this important? If successful, recommendation of use of the Rx for Success app at Reach Out and Read clinics offers a way of delivering additional messaging about sharing books at a population level that can improve our impact on the families and children that we serve.
Book Sharing: In-home Strategy to Advance Early Child Development Globally Barry Zuckerman MD, Mei Elansery MD and Robert Needlman MD Pediatrics, 2019
A commentary citing the value of book sharing in supporting early child development in low- and middle-income countries. Reach Out and Read is cited as “extensively validated for low-income families in the United States” and being successfully implemented in a variety of international settings.
