Background and rationale {6a}
hepatitis C, OUD, stress reduction
DISORDER, HEPATITIS C
In the past two decades, the rate of opioid use disorder (OUD) among pregnant women has more than quadrupled, constituting a US public health crisis [Addressing social and emotional determinants of health is a core focus of pediatric primary care clinicians, particularly in the context of well child care (WCC) visits. WCC visits, which occur at age-specific intervals defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics, emphasize anticipatory guidance, psychosocial screening, connection to community resources, and assessments of child growth, health, development, and behavior. There is evidence that WCC could be improved for children impacted by maternal OUD, who often experience multiple clinical and psychosocial concerns in infancy and early childhood such feeding difficulties, hepatitis C exposure, and developmental delays [One promising intervention for mothers in treatment for OUD and their children is group WCC, in which multiple mother–child dyads receive pediatric care together. Group WCC visits encourage increased breadth and depth of discussion, peer-to-peer support, and greater emphasis on self-care and behavior change. In addition to standard WCC topics focused on child health and development, the group WCC visit format places emphasis on maternal wellness including nutrition and exercise, family planning, stress reduction, and interpersonal relationships. Available research suggests this intervention increases patient-reported satisfaction and adherence to recommended care [