Program of Resources, Information and Support for Mothers

PRISM is a health promotion program designed for evaluation purposes as a cluster randomised trial. It involved an integrated program of community-based and primary care strategies to improve the emotional and physical health of women after childbirth.

Sixteen municipalities in Victoria have taken part in PRISM since June 1998, with half of these randomised to participate in establishment and integration of a new program which was developed and implemented in a two year period from November 1998.

The key strategies in the PRISM program in each intervention community included:

the formation of a local steering committee supported by a community development officer to adapt and implement the intervention locally;

educational programs for primary care professionals (GPs and maternal and child health nurses);

the development and distribution of mothers' information kits to all women giving birth; and

the development of a range of local befriending initiatives to reduce the isolation women so often experience at home with young children and provide opportunities for the development of supportive friendships.

Evaluation in PRISM has involved process and impact evaluation to document and assess the different program elements and to enhance the reproducibility of the program if successful; and assessment of the major health outcomes for mothers.

PRISM was conducted by a research team at the Centre for the Study of Mothers' and Children's Health at La Trobe University in Melbourne in conjunction with participating communities.

The members of the PRISM research team are:
Professor Judith Lumley
Dr Rhonda Small
Dr Stephanie Brown
Ms Lyndsey Watson
Ms Creina Mitchell
Ms Wendy Dawson (till Oct 1999)
Contact us at: csmch@latrobe.edu.au

PRISM was conducted in collaboration with two other research teams, GAPP (Guidelines for the Assessment of Postnatal Problems, the general practitioner education program) and EcoPRISM (the economic ecological evaluation of PRISM). EcoPRISM conducted a range of independent studies. Click here [PDF] for a summary of the range of studies in EcoPRISM.

The GAPP research team comprised:
Associate Professor Jane Gunn
Ms Donna Southern
Dr Kathryn Robertson
Ms Nancy Carabella
Ms Patty Chondros
- all at the Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne.

The EcoPRISM research team comprised:
Professor Alan Shiell
Professor Penny Hawe
- both at the University of Calgary, Canada.
Dr Therese Riley
Ms Lisa Gold
- both at the Centre for the Study of Mothers' and Children's Health.

The local community development staff in PRISM were:
Wendy Arney, Deborah Brown, Kay Dufty, Serena Everill, Annie Lanyon, Melanie Sanders, Leanne Skipsey, Jennifer Stone, Scilla Taylor.

Debby McGorlick-Appelman, Anna Crozier and Mimi Murrell also worked as community development officers for a short period in two PRISM areas, at the end of 2000.

The participating municipalities in PRISM are:
Comparison communities:
Shire of Campaspe
Cardinia Shire Council
City of Moonee Valley
Greater Sheppparton City Council
City of Stonnington
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Warrnambool City Council
Wyndham City Council

Intervention communities:
Bayside City Council
City of Greater Bendigo
Glenelg Shire Council
Latrobe City Council
Maroondah City Council
Melton shire Council
Mornington Peninsula Shire
Wellington Shire Council

There are many others who have supported or participated in PRISM in a range of ways. Click here [PDF]

PRISM has been funded from a range of sources
We acknowledge the following grant support:

La Trobe University and the Victorian Department of Human Services Collaborative Industry grant 1997, National Health and Medical Research Council project grants 1997-99 and 1999-2001, 2002-2004, Victorian Department of Human Services program implementation and evaluation grants 1998-2000, Victorian Health Promotion Foundation grants for program resources and implementation 1998-2000, Felton Bequest grant 1998, Sidney Myer Fund grant 1999, beyondblue grant 2002 and financial and in-kind contributions from participating municipalities throughout the life of PRISM.

This website aims to provide information about what happened in PRISM, to give access to a number of the resources developed for use in the project and to provide links to the documents and publications arising from the trial.

On the following pages you will find information about:

The background and development of PRISM

Key minimum elements of the PRISM Program

Local PRISM initiatives undertaken in support of mothers

Support for program implementation, feedback to communities and monitoring activities PRISM results

Contact us at: mchr@latrobe.edu.au