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Infants

Infancy—the period of life from birth to age 1—is associated with a unique set of public policy issues related to babies' health, development, and welfare. RAND's research on infants spans a wide range of topics for this brief but important period of life, including infant mortality, low birth weight, neonatal care, immunizations, breastfeeding and feeding practices, and cognitive development.

Multimedia
The Impact of the Opioid Crisis on Children
RAND adjunct physician policy researcher Stephen W. Patrick gives testimony at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on the impact of the opioid epidemic on children and families.
Feb 8, 2018
Journal Article
Health Care at Birth and Infant Mortality: Evidence from Nighttime Deliveries in Nigeria
Ensuring that Nigerian women giving birth have access to health facilities will likely reduce infant mortality.
Dec 29, 2017
Journal Article
The Emergence and Promise of Telelactation
Telehealth services to support lactation may hold particular promise, but additional research is needed to determine whether the benefits outweigh potential challenges.
Jun 2, 2017
Commentary
Parental Leave Would Cause a Boom in Breastfeeding
Doctors recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby's life. This provides health benefits to both mother and child and saves health care costs. Paid maternity leave can boost breastfeeding rates, but few U.S. firms offer it.
Apr 17, 2017
Journal Article
Engaging Human Rights in the Response to the Evolving Zika Virus Epidemic
Public health responses to the Zika virus that incorporate a human rights perspective have the potential to be more equitable, effective, and sustainable interventions.
Mar 16, 2017
Research Brief
The Economic Returns from Investing in Early Childhood Programs in the Granite State
We assessed investments in early childhood programs in New Hampshire, summarizing benefits and economic returns of three early intervention strategies and estimating costs and benefits of statewide investments in programs for at-risk children.
Feb 15, 2017
Report
The Costs and Benefits of Investing in Early Childhood in New Hampshire
Stakeholders in the public and private sectors in New Hampshire have been focused on investments in young children. What do they need to know?
Feb 15, 2017
Report
A Psychometric Study of the Modified Bridges for Newborns Screening Tool
This report describes RAND Corporation work evaluating the psychometric characteristics of the Modified Bridges for Newborns, a screening tool to identify high-risk mothers in Los Angeles Count who are eligible for supportive services.
Feb 6, 2017
Journal Article
New Parent Home Visiting Program Reduces Infants' Need for Medical Care
Infants whose families took part in a new parent home visit program were less likely to visit the emergency room and made fewer primary care visits during their first year of life. The program benefited at-risk families and those who had no risk factors.
Jan 27, 2017
News Release
New Parent Home Visiting Program Reduces Infants' Need for Medical Care During First Year of Life
Infants whose families participated in a new parent home visit program were less likely to visit the emergency room and made fewer primary care doctor visits during their first year of life. The program benefited both families who were at risk for problems, and those who had no risk factors.
Dec 15, 2016
Journal Article
Lactation Support Services and Breastfeeding Initiation: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act
The likelihood that mothers with private health insurance would start breastfeeding increased by 2.5 percentage points after the Affordable Care Act mandated the coverage of lactation support services.
Nov 28, 2016
Report
Delaware Stars for Early Success: Final Report
Based on findings from an evaluation of Delaware's quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for early care and education programs, RAND provided recommendations for state decisionmakers, including considering further refinements to the rating structure, strengthening quality improvement supports, and enhancing administrative data systems.
Nov 7, 2016
Commentary
How Can Europe Encourage Fathers to Take Parental Leave?
Whether fathers take parental leave depends on economic factors, but flexibility of timing and workplace culture also seem to make a difference. The link between fathers taking parental leave and improvements in child development makes it an important area for European policymakers to consider.
Oct 14, 2016
Journal Article
The Role of School Environments in Explaining Racial-Ethnic Disparities in Body Mass Index Among U.S. Adolescents
School characteristics in the fifth and eighth grades showed little additional influence on the racial and ethnic disparities in body mass index observed at school entry in a longitudinal study of elementary and middle school students.
Jun 24, 2016
Report
Professional Development for the Early Care and Education Workforce in Shelby County, Tennessee
This report examines how early care and education caregivers with licensed providers in Shelby County, Tennessee, gain through ongoing professional development the relevant knowledge for working with infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children.
Apr 13, 2016
Journal Article
Spending on Children's Personal Health Care in the United States, 1996–2013
Changes in pediatric health care spending across payor types over time, such as increased expenditures on inpatient well-newborn care and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, can help decision-makers plan for future pediatric health systems.Â
Mar 28, 2016
Commentary
Know Zika to Fight Zika
Scientists across universities, governments, and industry are doubling down to gain a better understanding of the Zika virus and develop the diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic tools needed to combat it. In the meantime, the public must be actively engaged.
Feb 12, 2016
Commentary
Fighting the Zika Virus: What Public Health Officials Need to Do
For now, public health officials and their partners must do all they can to control Zika virus, using the tools at hand. That may include instituting a public health campaign to reduce mosquito-breeding sites and promoting prudent protection against mosquito bites.
Jan 28, 2016
Report
The Urban Child Institute CANDLE Study
The Urban Child Institute developed the Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood (CANDLE) Study to identify what factors during pregnancy and early childhood affect a child's development and ability to learn.
Dec 21, 2015
Journal Article
Does a Ban on Informal Health Providers Save Lives? Evidence from Malawi
This study examines the effect of a ban on informal (traditional) birth attendants imposed by the Malawi government in 2007.
Nov 11, 2015

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RAND Topic:
Infants

Topic Synonyms:
Babies;
Baby;
Infancy

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