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Olakkengil M, Said S, Abdalla O, Hofmann R, Hedt-Gauthier B, Fulcher I. Are populations of postpartum women differentially served by community health worker programs: an observational cohort study from Zanzibar, Tanzania. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2024; 24:183. [PMID: 38454323 PMCID: PMC10921749 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06356-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although community health worker (CHW) programs focus on improving access to healthcare, some individuals may not receive the intended quality or quantity of an intervention. The objective of this research was to examine if certain populations of pregnant women differentially experience the implementation of a community health worker-led maternal health intervention in Zanzibar. METHODS We included pregnant women enrolled in the Safer Deliveries (Uzazi Salama) program, which operated in 10 of 11 districts in Zanzibar, Tanzania between January 1, 2017, and June 19, 2019 (N = 33,914). The outcomes of interest were receipt of the entire postpartum intervention (three CHW visits) and time to first postpartum CHW visit (days). Visits by CHWs were done at the women's home, however, a telehealth option existed for women who were unable to be reached in-person. We conducted statistical tests to investigate the bivariate associations between our outcomes and each demographic and health characteristic. We used multivariate logistic regression to estimate the relationships between covariates and the outcomes and multivariate linear regression to estimate the association between covariates and the average time until first postpartum visit. RESULTS Higher parity (OR = 0.85; P = 0.014; 95%CI: 0.75-0.97), unknown or unreported HIV status (OR = 0.64; p < 0.001; 95%CI: 0.53-0.78), and receipt of phone consultations (OR = 0.77; p < 0.001; 95%CI: 0.69-0.87) were associated with a lower odds of receiving all postpartum visits. Similarly, women with an unknown or unreported HIV status (estimated mean difference of 1.81 days; p < 0.001; 95%CI: 1.03-2.59) and those who received a phone consultation (estimated mean difference of 0.83 days; p < 0.001; 95%CI: 0.43-1.23), on average, experienced delays to first visit. In addition, current delivery at a referral hospital was associated with lower odds of receiving a postpartum visit and longer time to first visit compared to delivery at home, cottage hospital, PHCU + , or district hospital. Women from all other districts received their first visit earlier than women from Kaskazini B. There were no differences in the odds of receiving the entire postpartum intervention by sociodemographic variables, including age, education, and poverty assessment indicators. CONCLUSION The results indicate no differences in intervention contact across wealth and education levels, suggesting that the program is effectively reaching women regardless of SES. However, women with other characteristics (e.g., higher parity, unknown or unreported HIV status) had lower odds of receiving the complete intervention. Overall, this work generates knowledge on existing disparities in intervention coverage and enables future programs to develop approaches to achieve equity in health care utilization and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Olakkengil
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA.
| | - Samira Said
- D-Tree International, IRCH Building, Kidongo Chekundu, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Omar Abdalla
- D-Tree International, IRCH Building, Kidongo Chekundu, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Rachel Hofmann
- D-Tree International, IRCH Building, Kidongo Chekundu, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Bethany Hedt-Gauthier
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Isabel Fulcher
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
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Raeber F, Haldemann MI, Ray S, Huber J, Firima E, Fernandez LG, Amstutz A, Gerber F, Labhardt ND, Belus JM. Community-based models of care for adolescent and adult depression, suicidal behavior, anxiety, trauma, and substance use in Africa: a scoping review. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1241403. [PMID: 38406302 PMCID: PMC10885163 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1241403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Community-based care (CBC), where care is delivered outside of the traditional health facility setting, has been proposed to narrow the mental health (MH) and substance use (SU) treatment gap in Africa. Objective This scoping review aims to comprehensively summarize CBC models addressing adolescent and adult MH (depression, anxiety, trauma, suicidal behavior) and (non-tobacco) SU problems in Africa. Methods We searched PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and Medline Ovid. Studies and protocols were included if they reported on CBC intervention's effects on MH or SU symptoms/ diagnoses, acceptability, feasibility, or patient engagement in care, regardless of whether the intervention itself was designed specifically for MH or SU. Results Among 11,477 screened publications, 217 were eligible. Of the unique intervention studies (n = 206), CBC models were classified into the following approaches (non-mutually exclusive): psychotherapeutic (n = 144), social (n = 81), lifestyle/physical health (n = 55), economic (n = 26), and psychopharmacological (n = 2). While quantitative results suggest possible efficacy of CBC models, description of CBC location was often poor. Fewer interventions addressed suicidal behavior (n = 12), the needs of adolescents (n = 49), or used traditional healers or religious figures as providers (n = 3). Conclusion Many CBC models have been tested on MH and SU in Africa and should be critically appraised and meta-analyzed in subsequent reviews, where possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Raeber
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria-Inés Haldemann
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Somidha Ray
- Research Consultant, International Center for Research on Women, New Delhi, India
| | - Jacqueline Huber
- Swiss TPH Library, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Firima
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Lucia Gonzalez Fernandez
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Alain Amstutz
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Felix Gerber
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Niklaus D. Labhardt
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer M. Belus
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Ariff S, Jiwani U, Rizvi A, Muhammad S, Hussain A, Ahmed I, Hussain M, Usman M, Iqbal J, Memon Z, Soofi SB, Bhutta ZA. Effect of Maternal and Newborn Care Service Package on Perinatal and Newborn Mortality: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2356609. [PMID: 38372998 PMCID: PMC10877450 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.56609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance In resource-constrained settings where the neonatal mortality rate (NMR) is high due to preventable causes and health systems are underused, community-based interventions can increase newborn survival by improving health care practices. Objectives To develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based maternal and newborn care services package to reduce perinatal and neonatal mortality in rural Pakistan. Design, Setting, and Participants This cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted between November 1, 2012, and December 31, 2013, in district Rahim Yar Khan in the province of Punjab. A cluster was defined as an administrative union council. Any consenting pregnant resident of the study area, regardless of gestational age, was enrolled. An ongoing pregnancy surveillance system identified 12 529 and 12 333 pregnancies in the intervention and control clusters, respectively; 9410 pregnancies were excluded from analysis due to continuation of pregnancy at the end of the study, loss to follow-up, or miscarriage. Participants were followed up until the 40th postpartum day. Statistical analysis was performed from January to May 2014. Intervention A maternal and newborn health pack, training for community- and facility-based health care professionals, and community mobilization through counseling and education sessions. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was perinatal mortality, defined as stillbirths per 1000 births and neonatal death within 7 days per 1000 live births. The secondary outcome was neonatal mortality, defined as death within 28 days of life per 1000 live births. Systematic random sampling was used to allocate 10 clusters each to intervention and control groups. Analysis was conducted on a modified intention-to-treat basis. Results For the control group vs the intervention group, the total number of households was 33 188 vs 34 315, the median number of households per cluster was 3092 (IQR, 3018-3467) vs 3469 (IQR, 3019-4075), the total population was 229 155 vs 234 674, the mean (SD) number of residents per household was 6.9 (9.5) vs 6.8 (9.6), the number of males per 100 females (ie, the sex ratio) was 104.2 vs 103.7, and the mean (SD) number of children younger than 5 years per household was 1.0 (4.2) vs 1.0 (4.3). Altogether, 7598 births from conrol clusters and 8017 births from intervention clusters were analyzed. There was no significant difference in perinatal mortality between the intervention and control clusters (rate ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.69-1.08; P = .19). The NMR was lower among the intervention than the control clusters (39.2/1000 live births vs 52.2/1000 live births; rate ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.58-0.95; P = .02). The frequencies of antenatal visits and facility births were similar between the 2 groups. However, clean delivery practices were higher among intervention clusters than control clusters (63.2% [2284 of 3616] vs 13.2% [455 of 3458]; P < .001). Chlorhexidine use was also more common among intervention clusters than control clusters (55.9% [4271 of 7642] vs 0.3% [19 of 7203]; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance This pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial demonstrated a reduction in NMR that occurred in the background of improved household intrapartum and newborn care practices. However, the effect of the intervention on antenatal visits, facility births, and perinatal mortality rates was inconclusive, highlighting areas requiring further research. Nevertheless, the improvement in NMR underscores the effectiveness of community-based programs in low-resource settings. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01751945.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabina Ariff
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Uswa Jiwani
- Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Arjumand Rizvi
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sajid Muhammad
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Amjad Hussain
- Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Imran Ahmed
- Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Masawar Hussain
- Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Usman
- Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Junaid Iqbal
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Zahid Memon
- Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sajid Bashir Soofi
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Zulfiqar A. Bhutta
- Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Institute of Global Health and Development, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
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Mzembe T, Chikwapulo V, Kamninga TM, Vellemu R, Mohamed S, Nthakomwa L, Chifungo C, Wazny K, Musau K, Abdullahi L, Peterson M, Madise N, Chipeta MG. Interventions to enhance healthcare utilisation among pregnant women to reduce maternal mortality in low- and middle-income countries: a review of systematic reviews. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1734. [PMID: 37674154 PMCID: PMC10481488 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16558-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) has reduced considerably over the past three decades, but it remains high. Effective interventions are available, but their uptake and coverage remain low. We reviewed and synthesised evidence from systematic reviews on interventions to increase healthcare services utilisation to reduce maternal mortality in LMICs. METHODS We searched Medline PubMed and Cochrane Library databases for systematic reviews published between January 2014 and December 2021, investigating interventions to increase healthcare services uptake among pregnant women in LMICs. We used the AMSTAR tool (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) to assess the methodological quality of the included reviews. We extracted data on the interventions and their effects and grouped them into broad groups based on the outcomes reported in each systematic review. RESULTS We retrieved 4,022 articles. After removing duplicates and screening, we included 14 systematic reviews. Male-partner interventions were effective in increasing skilled birth attendance (SBA) postnatal visits and maternal antiretroviral (ART) uptake for HIV-positive pregnant women. However, there was no evidence of their effectiveness on increased early ANC initiation or adequate ANC visits. Mobile health interventions were effective in increasing adequate ANC visits, SBA, facility-based service utilisation, early ANC initiation, and adherence to nutritional supplements. Incentive-based interventions, particularly financial incentives, were effective in increasing the number of ANC visits but not postnatal visits. Facility-based interventions were effective in increasing postnatal visits, maternal ART initiation and uptake, immunisation uptake and follow-up ANC visits. None of the reviews assessed their impact on SBA or adequate ANC visits. Community-based interventions were effective in increasing SBA, ANC service utilisation, ART initiation and uptake, and nutritional supplements and immunisation uptake. CONCLUSION Our findings show that the different interventions effectively improved different outcomes on the maternal healthcare continuum. Implementing these interventions in combination has the potential to enhance healthcare service uptake further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Themba Mzembe
- African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Lilongwe, Malawi.
| | | | | | - Ruth Vellemu
- African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Sahra Mohamed
- African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Lilongwe, Malawi
| | | | | | - Kerri Wazny
- The Children's Investment Fund Foundation, London, UK
| | - Kelvin Musau
- The Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Leila Abdullahi
- African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Maame Peterson
- African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Nyovani Madise
- African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Lilongwe, Malawi
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Tiruneh GT, Hirschhorn LR, Fesseha N, Emaway D, Eifler K, Betemariam W. Care-seeking behaviours of mothers and associated factors for possible serious bacterial infection in young infants during COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia: mixed-methods formative research. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e073118. [PMID: 37407046 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Implementation research was employed to examine rates and contextual factors associated with mothers' care-seeking for their sick neonates and identify challenges for community-based possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) services access and implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN We conducted formative research involving household survey and programmatic qualitative study. SETTING This formative study was conducted in Dembecha and Lume woredas of Amhara and Oromia regions. PARTICIPANTS Data were captured from 4262 mothers aged 15-49 years who gave live birth 2-14 months before data collection, and interviews with 18 programme managers and 16 service providers in April to May 2021. ANALYSIS A multilevel regression model was employed to identify predictors of maternal care-seeking for PSBI and thematic qualitative analysis to inform strategy development to strengthen PSBI implementation. RESULTS Overall, 12% (95% CI 11.0% to 12.9%) and 8% (95% CI 7.9% to 9.6%) of mothers reported any newborn illness and severe neonatal infection (PSBI), respectively. More than half of mothers sought formal medical care, 56% (95% CI 50.7% to 60.8%) for PSBI. Women who received postnatal care within 6 weeks (adjusted OR (AOR) 2.08; 95% CI 1.12 to 3.87) and complete antenatal care (ie, weight measured, blood pressure taken, urine and blood tested) (AOR 2.04; 95% CI 1.12 to 3.75) had higher odds of care-seeking for PSBI. Conversely, fear of COVID-19 (AOR 0.27; 95% CI 0.15 to 0.47) and residing more than 2 hours of walking distance from the health centre (AOR 0.39; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.93) were negatively associated with care-seeking for severe newborn infection. Multiple pre-existing health system bottlenecks were identified from interviews as barriers to PSBI service delivery and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION We found gaps in and factors associated with care-seeking behaviour of mothers for their sick young infants including fear of COVID-19 and pre-existing health system-level barriers. The findings of the study were used to design and implement strategies to mitigate COVID-19 impacts on management of PSBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizachew Tadele Tiruneh
- Improving Primary Healthcare Project, JSI Research & Training Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Behavioral Science, Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Lisa R Hirschhorn
- Feinberg School of Medicine and Havey Institute of Global Health, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Nebreed Fesseha
- Improving Primary Healthcare Project, JSI Research & Training Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Dessalew Emaway
- Improving Primary Healthcare Project, JSI Research & Training Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Kristin Eifler
- International Division, JSI Research & Training Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wuleta Betemariam
- Center for Healthy Women, Children, and Communities, JSI Research & Training Institute, Washington, DC, USA
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Rafizadeh EB, Rice E, Smith J, Bell J, Harvath TA. Understanding How Community Health Workers Build Trust with Low-Income Women of Color At-Risk for Maternal Child Health Disparities: A Grounded Theory Study. J Community Health Nurs 2023; 40:219-231. [PMID: 36999664 DOI: 10.1080/07370016.2023.2168124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
This article examines how Community Health Workers (CHWs) build trust with low-income women of color who have a historical distrust of the healthcare system, and are at risk for maternal-child health disparities. This qualitative study used a grounded theory methodology guided by Charmaz's inductive social constructivist approach. Data were collected using open-ended semi-structured interviews and focus groups with CHWs who worked in community-based and hospital-based programs in California, Oregon, Illinois, Texas, South Carolina, New York, and Maine. Thirty-two CHWs participated, with 95% of participants being of Latinx and African American ethnicity. They served women from Latinx, African American, and Migrant communities. The CHW communication strategies represent aspects of respect and client-centered care and are applied in the development of a theoretical framework. CHWs were able to build and sustain trust at the initial encounter through these specific strategies: 1) addressing immediate needs related to social determinants of health; 2) embodying mannerisms and dress; 3) speaking appropriately to the client's age, culture, and knowledge; 4) easing client's fears through locus of control, and 5) allowing for time flexibility. These findings have implications for practice through interventions to train healthcare providers to build trust with low-income women of color who have a historical distrust of the healthcare system and who are at risk for maternal-child health disparities. Future research is recommended to explore how the communication trust-building constructs also benefit all other groups at similar risk, including those with mental health disorders and infectious diseases. The findings indicate specific communication strategies through which trust can be built, beginning at the initial encounter with low-income women at risk for maternal-child health disparities and who have a historical distrust of the healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth Rice
- School of Nursing, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - James Smith
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Janice Bell
- School of Nursing, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Theresa A Harvath
- School of Nursing, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
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Regan M, Cheng C, Mboggo E, Larson E, Lema IA, Magesa L, Machumi L, Ulenga N, Sando D, Mwanyika-Sando M, Barnhart DA, Hong B, Mungure E, Li N, Siril H, Mujinja P, Naburi H, Kilewo C, Ekström AM, Geldsetzer P, Fawzi W, Bärnighausen T, Sudfeld CR, Spiegelman D. The impact of a community health worker intervention on uptake of antenatal care: a cluster-randomized pragmatic trial in Dar es Salaam. Health Policy Plan 2023; 38:279-288. [PMID: 36377764 PMCID: PMC10019560 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czac100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The provision of high-quality antenatal care (ANC) is important for preventing maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, but only around half of pregnant women in Tanzania attended four or more ANC visits in 2019. Although there is emerging evidence on the benefit of community health worker (CHW) interventions on ANC uptake, few large-scale pragmatic trials have been conducted. This pragmatic cluster-randomized trial, implemented directly through the public sector health system, assessed the impact of an intervention that trained public sector CHWs to promote the uptake of ANC. We randomized 60 administrative wards in Dar es Salaam to either a targeted CHW intervention or a standard of care. The impact of the intervention was assessed using generalized estimating equations with an independent working correlation matrix to account for clustering within wards. A total of 243 908 women were included in the analysis of our primary outcome of four or more ANC visits. The intervention significantly increased the likelihood of attending four or more ANC visits [relative risk (RR): 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05, 1.92] and had a modest beneficial effect on the total number of ANC visits (percent change: 7.7%; 95% CI: 0.2%, 15.5%). While slightly more women in the intervention arm attended ANC in their first trimester compared with the standard-of-care arm (19% vs 18.7%), the difference was not significant (RR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.84, 1.22). Our findings suggest that trained CHWs can increase attendance of ANC visits in Dar es Salaam and similar settings. However, additional interventions appear necessary to promote the early initiation of ANC. This study demonstrates that routine health system data can be leveraged for outcome assessment in trials and programme evaluation and that the results are likely superior, both in terms of bias and precision, to data that are collected specifically for science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilda Regan
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Chao Cheng
- Department of Biostatistics, Center for Methods in Implementation and Prevention Science, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Eric Mboggo
- African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF), Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, Plot 1019, P.O. Box 2773, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Elysia Larson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Irene Andrew Lema
- Management and Development for Health, P.O Box 79810. Plot #802, Mwai Kibaki Road, Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Lucy Magesa
- Management and Development for Health, P.O Box 79810. Plot #802, Mwai Kibaki Road, Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Lameck Machumi
- Management and Development for Health, P.O Box 79810. Plot #802, Mwai Kibaki Road, Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Nzovu Ulenga
- Management and Development for Health, P.O Box 79810. Plot #802, Mwai Kibaki Road, Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - David Sando
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mary Mwanyika-Sando
- Africa Academy for Public Health, 82A Light Industrial Area, Mikocheni, P.O. Box 32273, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Dale A Barnhart
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Research Department, Partners In Health, Rwinkwavu, Rwanda
| | - Biling Hong
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ester Mungure
- Management and Development for Health, P.O Box 79810. Plot #802, Mwai Kibaki Road, Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Nan Li
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hellen Siril
- Management and Development for Health, P.O Box 79810. Plot #802, Mwai Kibaki Road, Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Phares Mujinja
- Department of Behavioural Sciences, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Helga Naburi
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Charles Kilewo
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Anna Mia Ekström
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Norrbackagatan 4, Stockholm 171 76, Sweden
- Department of Infectious Diseases, South General Hospital, Sjukhusbacken 10, Stockholm 118 83, Sweden
| | - Pascal Geldsetzer
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Stanford University, 1265 Welch Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, Marsilius Arkaden - 6, Heidelberg Stock 69120, Germany
| | - Wafaie Fawzi
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, Marsilius Arkaden - 6, Heidelberg Stock 69120, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute, Africa Centre Building, Via R618 to Hlabisa, Somkhele, P.O. Box 198, Somkhele, KwaZulu-Natal, Mtubatuba 3935, South Africa
| | - Christopher R Sudfeld
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Donna Spiegelman
- Department of Biostatistics, Center for Methods in Implementation and Prevention Science, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, 60 College St., New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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Al-Zubayer MA, Shanto HH, Kumkum R, Alam ST, Ahammed B. Prevalence and socioeconomic determinants of awareness and visitation of community clinic among ever married women: evidence from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2017-2018. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e067823. [PMID: 36759030 PMCID: PMC9923255 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in improving the population's health, but maternal health and healthcare facilities are still in a vulnerable situation. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and determinants of awareness and visitation of community clinics (CCs) in Bangladesh. DESIGN A population-based cross-sectional study. SETTING The data were collected from the most recent Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2017-2018. PARTICIPANTS This study's participants are 18 893 women aged 15-49 years throughout all administrative regions. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES The outcomes are awareness and visitation of CCs, defined as if women are aware and visit of CCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate binary logistics analysis were used to determine the prevalence and associated factors of awareness and visitation of CCs. RESULTS The prevalence of awareness and visitation to CCs were 60.26% and 15.92%, respectively. The result of the multivariate analysis revealed that higher education, division and higher number of children were significantly positively associated, whereas the richest wealth index was significantly negatively associated with both awareness and visitation to CCs. Furthermore, the urban residence was negatively and respondent involvement in currently working was positively significantly related to awareness of CCs. Moreover, male household heads and exposure to media were significantly positively related to visitation to CCs. CONCLUSION The study result highlights that more than half of the women were aware of CCs however, the CCs' visit rates were comparatively low. Priority-based public health programmes for women through community health workers are urgently needed to increase the awareness and visitation of CCs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rabeya Kumkum
- Statistics Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | | | - Benojir Ahammed
- Statistics Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh
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Khatib MN, Gaidhane A, Upadhyay S, Telrandhe S, Saxena D, Simkhada PP, Sawleshwarkar S, Quazi SZ. Interventions for promoting and optimizing breastfeeding practices: An overview of systematic review. Front Public Health 2023; 11:984876. [PMID: 36761137 PMCID: PMC9904444 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.984876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Optimal breastfeeding (BF) practices are essential for child survival and proper growth and development. The purpose of this overview is to evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions for promoting and optimizing breastfeeding. Methods We included systematic reviews (SRs) [including trials from Low-Income (LICs) and Low Middle-Income countries (LMICs)] that have evaluated the effect of various interventions for promoting and optimizing breastfeeding and excluded non-systematic reviews, and SRs based on observational studies. We searched various electronic databases. We followed the standard methodology as suggested by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Two sets of reviewers undertook screening followed by data extraction and assessment of the methodological quality of included SRs. Result We identified and screened 1,002 Cochrane SRs and included six SRs in this overview. Included SRs reported only two of the primary outcomes, early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) and/or exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). None of the included SR reported continued BF up to 2 years of age. The results were evaluated using two major comparisons groups: BF intervention against routine care and one type of BF intervention vs. other types of BF intervention. Overall results from included SRs showed that there were improvements in the rates of EIBF and EBF among women who received BF intervention such as BF education sessions and support compared to those women who received only standard care. However, BF intervention via mobile devices showed no improvements. In Target Client Communication (TCC) via mobile devices intervention group, no significant improvements were reported in BF practices, and also the reported evidence was of very low certainty. Conclusion Community Based Intervention Packages (CBIP) delivered to pregnant and reproductive-age women during their Antenatal care (ANC) and/or Postnatal care (PNC) periods by Ancillary Nurse-Midwives reported the highest improvement in EIBF compared to women who received standard care. However, insufficient evidence was reported to suggest that BF intervention showed improvements in EBF in both the comparison groups. This overview highlighted the gaps in primary research regarding the uncertainty about the settings such as LICs or LMICs, lack of evidence from LMICs, and also identified gaps in the availability of reliable up-to-date SRs on the effects of several BF interventions to promote and optimize practices. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020174998, PROSPERO [CRD42020174998].
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahalaqua Nazli Khatib
- Global Evidence Synthesis Initiative, Division of Evidence Synthesis, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, Maharashtra, India
| | - Abhay Gaidhane
- Centre of One Health, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shilpa Upadhyay
- Department of Research and Development, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shital Telrandhe
- Department of Research and Development, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, Maharashtra, India
| | - Deepak Saxena
- i Health Consortium, Department of Epidemiology, Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Padam Prasad Simkhada
- Global Consortium of Public Health Research, School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, United Kingdom
| | - Shailendra Sawleshwarkar
- Postgraduate Coursework Programs, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases (Sydney ID), University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Syed Zahiruddin Quazi
- South Asia Infant Feeding Research Network (SAIFRN), Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, Maharashtra, India
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10
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Chen Y, Wu Y, Dill SE, Guo Y, Westgard CM, Medina A, Weber AM, Darmstadt GL, Zhou H, Rozelle S, Sylvia S. Effect of the mHealth-supported Healthy Future programme delivered by community health workers on maternal and child health in rural China: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e065403. [PMID: 36669837 PMCID: PMC9872510 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Millions of young rural children in China still suffer from poor health and malnutrition, partly due to a lack of knowledge about optimal perinatal and child care among rural mothers and caregivers. Meanwhile, there is an urgent need to improve maternal mental health in rural communities. Comprehensive home visiting programmes delivered by community health workers (CHWs) can bridge the caregiver knowledge gap and improve child health and maternal well-being in low-resource settings, but the effectiveness of this approach is unknown in rural China. Additionally, grandmothers play important roles in child care and family decision-making in rural China, suggesting the importance of engaging multiple caregivers in interventions. The Healthy Future programme seeks to improve child health and maternal well-being by developing a staged-based curriculum that CHWs deliver to mothers and caregivers of young children through home visits with the assistance of a tablet-based mHealth system. This protocol describes the design and evaluation plan for this programme. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We designed a cluster-randomised controlled trial among 119 rural townships in four nationally designated poverty counties in Southwestern China. We will compare the outcomes between three arms: one standard arm with only primary caregivers participating in the intervention, one encouragement arm engaging primary and secondary caregivers and one control arm with no intervention. Families with pregnant women or infants under 6 months of age are invited to enrol in the 12-month study. Primary outcomes include children's haemoglobin levels, exclusive breastfeeding rates and dietary diversity in complementary feeding. Secondary outcomes include a combination of health, behavioural and intermediate outcomes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval has been provided by Stanford University, Sichuan University and the University of Nevada, Reno. Trial findings will be disseminated through national and international peer-reviewed publications and conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ISRCTN16800789.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunwei Chen
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yuju Wu
- West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Sarah-Eve Dill
- Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yian Guo
- Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christopher Michael Westgard
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alexis Medina
- Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ann M Weber
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Gary L Darmstadt
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Huan Zhou
- West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Scott Rozelle
- Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sean Sylvia
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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11
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Montoya-Sanabria SM, Hernández-Sandoval YT, Cáceres-Maldonado SA, Díaz-Barrero DC, Zapata-Matheus AM, Mejia-Pérez DL, De La Torre-Arias A, Caballero-Diaz YE, González-Uribe C, Domínguez-Torres MT, Nguyen HL, Yepes-Nuñez JJ. Community-Based Knowledge Translation Strategies for Maternal, Neonatal, and Perinatal Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Quantitative and Qualitative Data. Int J Public Health 2023; 68:1605239. [PMID: 37153698 PMCID: PMC10157638 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1605239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: To identify and assess the effect of community-based Knowledge Translation Strategies (KTS) on maternal, neonatal, and perinatal outcomes. Methods: We conducted systematic searches in Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, PsycInfo, LILACS, Wholis, Web of Science, ERIC, Jstor, and Epistemonikos. We assessed the certainty of the evidence of the studies using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. Results: We identified seven quantitative and seven qualitative studies. Quantitative findings suggest that there is a possible effect on reducing maternal mortality (RR 0.65; 95% CI, 0.48-0.87; moderate evidence certainty); neonatal mortality (RR 0.79; 95% CI 0.70-0.90; moderate evidence certainty); and perinatal mortality (RR 0.84; 95% CI 0.77-0.91; moderate evidence certainty) in women exposed to KTS compared to those who received conventional interventions or no intervention at all. Analysis of qualitative studies identified elements that allowed to generate benefit effects in improving maternal, neonatal, and perinatal outcomes. Conclusion: The KTS in maternal, neonatal, and perinatal outcomes might encourage the autonomy of communities despite that the certainty of evidence was moderate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Juan José Yepes-Nuñez
- School of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Pulmonology Service, Internal Medicine Section, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá University Hospital, Bogotá, Colombia
- *Correspondence: Juan José Yepes-Nuñez,
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12
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Larrea-Schiavon S, Vázquez-Quesada LM, Bartlett LR, Lam-Cervantes N, Sripad P, Vieitez I, Coutiño-Escamilla L. Interventions to Improve the Reproductive Health of Undocumented Female Migrants and Refugees in Protracted Situations: A Systematic Review. GLOBAL HEALTH, SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022; 10:e2100418. [PMID: 36562449 PMCID: PMC9771456 DOI: 10.9745/ghsp-d-21-00418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Limited evidence exists on interventions aimed at enabling reproductive health (RH) services access for undocumented female migrants and refugee women. We aimed to identify intervention characteristics and impacts on RH outcomes among migrants and refugee women in protracted situations. METHODS We conducted a systematic literature review of RH intervention studies that reported on migrants and refugee women in protracted situations. We applied 2 search strategies across 6 databases to identify peer-reviewed articles in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Eligible studies were assessed for content and quality. RESULTS Of the 21,453 screened studies, we included 10 (all observational) for final data extraction. Interventions implemented among migrant and refugee women included financial support (n=2), health service delivery structure strengthening (n=4), and educational interventions (n=4). Financial support intervention studies showed that enabling women to obtain RH services for free or at a low cost promoted utilization (e.g., increased use of contraception). Interventions that established or strengthened health service delivery structures and linkage demonstrated increased prenatal visits, decreased maternal mortality, and facilitated access to safe abortion through referral services or access to medical abortion. Educational interventions indicated positive effects on RH knowledge and the importance of involving peers and meeting the unique needs of a mobile population. All intervention studies emphasized the need to accommodate migrant security concerns and cultural and linguistic needs. CONCLUSION Interventions in protracted situations reported positive outcomes when they were migrant or refugee-centered and complementary, culturally acceptable, geographically proximate, and cost-sensitive, as well as recognized the concerns around legality and involved opportunities for peer learning. Free or low-cost RH services and greater availability of basic and emergency maternal and neonatal care showed the most promise but required further community outreach, education, and stronger referral mechanisms. We recommend further participatory implementation research linked to policy and programming.
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Rai RK, Barik A, Chowdhury A. Use of antenatal and delivery care services and their association with maternal and infant mortality in rural India. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16490. [PMID: 36192467 PMCID: PMC9529891 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20951-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Optimum use of antenatal care (ANC) and delivery care services could reduce morbidity and mortality among prospective mothers and their children. However, the role of ANC and delivery services in prevention of both maternal and child mortality is poorly understood, primarily because of dearth of prospective cohort data. Using a ten-years population-based prospective cohort data, this study examined the use of ANC and delivery services and their association with maternal and infant mortality in rural India. Descriptive statistics were estimated, and multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to attain the study objective. Findings revealed that consumption of ≥ 100 iron-and-folic acid (IFA) tablet/equivalent syrup during pregnancy had a protective association with maternal and infant mortality. Lack of maternal blood group checks during pregnancy was associated with increased odds of the death of infants. Caesarean/forceps delivery and delivery conducted by untrained personnel were associated with increased odds of maternal mortality. Findings from this study reemphasizes on increasing coverage and consumption of IFA tablets/equivalent syrup. Improved ANC and delivery services and increased uptake of all types of ANC and delivery care services are equally important for improvement in maternal and child survival in rural India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Kumar Rai
- Department of Economics, University of Göttingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany. .,Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Göttingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany. .,Society for Health and Demographic Surveillance, Suri, West Bengal, 731101, India. .,Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Anamitra Barik
- Society for Health and Demographic Surveillance, Suri, West Bengal, 731101, India.,Suri District Hospital, Suri, West Bengal, 731101, India
| | - Abhijit Chowdhury
- Society for Health and Demographic Surveillance, Suri, West Bengal, 731101, India.,School of Digestive and Liver Disease, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700020, India.,John C Martin Centre for Liver Research and Innovations, Indian Institute of Liver and Digestive Sciences, Liver Foundation West Bengal, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700150, India
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14
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Muacevic A, Adler JR. A Study of Maternal Anemia and Utilization of Antenatal and Postnatal Care Services in Devbhumi Dwarka, Gujarat. Cureus 2022; 14:e30427. [PMID: 36407162 PMCID: PMC9671086 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.30427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and objective Despite significant gains and achieving progress in the last decade, maternal anemia remains a major public health concern in India. Both antenatal (AN) and postnatal (PN) women are populations adversely affected by anemia. Reducing anemia among AN and PN women is one of the national priorities of Anemia Mukt Bharat. The present study aimed at assessing the prevalence of anemia, utilization of AN and PN care (ANC and PNC) services, and drivers of anemia among pregnant and lactating women (PLWs) in Devbhumi Dwarka district, Gujarat. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in four blocks of Devbhumi Dwarka district, Gujarat. A total of 1,185 PLWs were interviewed. Anemia was determined based on the last Hb test record on the Mamta Card (Mother and Child Protection Card). Results The mean age of the study population was 25.19 ±3.91 years: 24.95 ±3.94 years for pregnant women and 25.45 ±4.01 years for lactating women. The prevalence of anemia among pregnant women (Hb: <11 g/dL) was 72.92%; 33.91% had moderate and 0.83% had severe anemia. The prevalence of anemia among lactating women (Hb: <12 g/dL) was 26%; 63.93% had moderate and 1.29% had severe anemia. The utilization of nutrition and health services was found to be limited. Of the other sociodemographic factors, age (p=0.045), birth spacing (p=0.014), and education (p=0.017) were significant determinants of anemia among pregnant women, whereas parity (p=0.002), birth spacing (p=0.003), religion (p=0.041), and receipt of take-home ration (THR) (p=0.018) were significantly associated with anemia among lactating women. Conclusion The study revealed a high prevalence of anemia among PLWs and sub-optimal utilization of nutritional and healthcare services in Devbhumi Dwarka. Implementing interventions such as comprehensive nutrition education and counseling can contribute toward improving maternal and child health outcomes.
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Gadsden T, Sujarwoto S, Purwaningtyas N, Maharani A, Tampubolon G, Oceandy D, Praveen D, Angell B, Jan S, Palagyi A. Understanding community health worker employment preferences in Malang district, Indonesia, using a discrete choice experiment. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:bmjgh-2022-008936. [PMID: 35953209 PMCID: PMC9379506 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-008936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Community health workers (CHWs) play a critical role in supporting health systems, and in improving accessibility to primary healthcare. In many settings CHW programmes do not have formalised employment models and face issues of high attrition and poor performance. This study aims to determine the employment preferences of CHWs in Malang district, Indonesia, to inform policy interventions. Methods A discrete choice experiment was conducted with 471 CHWs across 28 villages. Attributes relevant to CHW employment were identified through a multistage process including literature review, focus group discussions and expert consultation. Respondents’ choices were analysed with a mixed multinomial logit model and latent class analyses. Results Five attributes were identified: (1) supervision; (2) training; (3) monthly financial benefit; (4) recognition; and (5) employment structure. The most important influence on choice of job was a low monthly financial benefit (US$~2) (β=0.53, 95% CI=0.43 to 0.63), followed by recognition in the form of a performance feedback report (β=0.13, 95% CI=0.07 to 0.20). A large monthly financial benefit (US$~20) was most unappealing to respondents (β=−0.13, 95% CI=−0.23 to −0.03). Latent class analysis identified two groups of CHWs who differed in their willingness to accept either job presented and preferences over specific attributes. Preferences diverged based on respondent characteristics including experience, hours’ worked per week and income. Conclusion CHWs in Malang district, Indonesia, favour a small monthly financial benefit which likely reflects the unique cultural values underpinning the programme and a desire for remuneration that is commensurate with the limited number of hours worked. CHWs also desire enhanced methods of performance feedback and greater structure around training and their rights and responsibilities. Fulfilling these conditions may become increasingly important should CHWs work longer hours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Gadsden
- Health Systems Science, George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | | | - Asri Maharani
- Faculty of Health and Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Gindo Tampubolon
- Global Development Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Delvac Oceandy
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Devarsetty Praveen
- Better Care India, The George Institute for Global Health India, Hyderabad, India.,Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Blake Angell
- Health Systems Science, George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephen Jan
- Health Systems Science, George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Anna Palagyi
- Health Systems Science, George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Olaniran A, Briggs J, Pradhan A, Bogue E, Schreiber B, Dini HS, Hurkchand H, Ballard M. Stock-outs of essential medicines among community health workers (CHWs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): a systematic literature review of the extent, reasons, and consequences. HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH 2022; 20:58. [PMID: 35840965 PMCID: PMC9287964 DOI: 10.1186/s12960-022-00755-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This paper explores the extent of community-level stock-out of essential medicines among community health workers (CHWs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and identifies the reasons for and consequences of essential medicine stock-outs. METHODS A systematic review was conducted and reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Five electronic databases were searched with a prespecified strategy and the grey literature examined, January 2006-March 2021. Papers containing information on (1) the percentage of CHWs stocked out or (2) reasons for stock-outs along the supply chain and consequences of stock-out were included and appraised for risk of bias. Outcomes were quantitative data on the extent of stock-out, summarized using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data regarding reasons for and consequences of stock-outs, analyzed using thematic content analysis and narrative synthesis. RESULTS Two reviewers screened 1083 records; 78 evaluations were included. Over the last 15 years, CHWs experienced stock-outs of essential medicines nearly one third of the time and at a significantly (p < 0.01) higher rate than the health centers to which they are affiliated (28.93% [CI 95%: 28.79-29.07] vs 9.17% [CI 95%: 8.64-9.70], respectively). A comparison of the period 2006-2015 and 2016-2021 showed a significant (p < 0.01) increase in CHW stock-out level from 26.36% [CI 95%: 26.22-26.50] to 48.65% [CI 95%: 48.02-49.28] while that of health centers increased from 7.79% [95% CI 7.16-8.42] to 14.28% [95% CI 11.22-17.34]. Distribution barriers were the most cited reasons for stock-outs. Ultimately, patients were the most affected: stock-outs resulted in out-of-pocket expenses to buy unavailable medicines, poor adherence to medicine regimes, dissatisfaction, and low service utilization. CONCLUSIONS Community-level stock-out of essential medicines constitutes a serious threat to achieving universal health coverage and equitable improvement of health outcomes. This paper suggests stock-outs are getting worse, and that there are particular barriers at the last mile. There is an urgent need to address the health and non-health system constraints that prevent the essential medicines procured for LMICs by international and national stakeholders from reaching the people who need them the most.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jane Briggs
- Management Sciences for Health, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Ami Pradhan
- New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Erin Bogue
- UNICEF, New York, NY, United States of America
| | | | | | | | - Madeleine Ballard
- Department of Global Health and Health System Design, Arnhold Institute for Global Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1216 5th Ave, New York, NY, 10029, United States of America.
- Community Health Impact Coalition, London, UK.
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Molina Carrasco PA, Cerda Rioseco RJ, Egaña Rojas DA, Iglesias Véjar LA, Gálvez Espinoza YPA. 'Un nexo, un poco de todo': perspectivas sobre la práctica del promotor comunitario de salud en chile. Glob Health Promot 2022; 29:17579759221076583. [PMID: 35491866 DOI: 10.1177/17579759221076583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Daniel Andrés Egaña Rojas
- Departamento de Atención Primaria y Salud Familiar, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
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Gai Tobe R, Haque SE, Mubassara S, Rahman R, Ikegami K, Mori R. Maternal and child health handbook to improve continuum of maternal and child care in rural Bangladesh: Findings of a cluster randomized controlled trial. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266074. [PMID: 35385542 PMCID: PMC8986009 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of maternal and child health handbook (MCH) enhanced by mobile tools and to generate evidence informing the adoption of the program in Bangladesh. A cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been implemented in Lohagora of Narail District and Dhamrai of Dhaka District. Unions of the study settings were randomly allocated in either one of three groups: (1) Intervention 1 using both mobile platform and MCH, (2) Intervention 2 using MCH alone, or (3) the Control. A total of 3,002 participants were recruited. The interventions were designed to promote two-way communications between pregnant women/their families and community health workers by an empowering approach. A total of 3,002 pregnant women were recruited. As the results, the interventions both significantly improved the utilization of CoC, although the overall proportion of CoC was relevantly low: 2.79% in the Control (95% CI: 1.37–3.54%), 6.16% in Intervention 2 (95% CI: 4.67–7.86%), and 7.89% in Intervention 1 (95% CI: 6.29–9.90%). Neonatal mortality rate with and without CoC was 5.43 per 1,000 (95% CI: 3.63–9.57 per 1,000) and 34.8 per 1,000 (95% CI: 24.3–45.4 per 1,000), respectively. Our study indicated the effectiveness of the interventions by leveraging MCH and a mobile platform to promote uptake of CoC throughout prepartum, intrapartum and postpartum/neonatal periods, potentially bringing long-lasting benefits to mothers and their offspring. The explicit approach is expected to guide policy makers to adopt MCH interventions in primary healthcare strengthening at the community level. Trial registration:UMIN000025628 Registered June 13, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyan Gai Tobe
- Department of Social Security Empirical Research, National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Health Policy, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Sanzida Mubassara
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rushdana Rahman
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kiyoko Ikegami
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University NCGM Satellite, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rintaro Mori
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Malwela T, Maputle MS. The Preterm Birth Rate in a Resource-Stricken Rural Area of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. NURSING: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS 2022. [DOI: 10.2147/nrr.s338161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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20
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Dada S, Tunçalp Ö, Portela A, Barreix M, Gilmore B. Community mobilization to strengthen support for appropriate and timely use of antenatal and postnatal care: A review of reviews. J Glob Health 2022; 11:04076. [PMID: 35003714 PMCID: PMC8710228 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.11.04076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) are critical opportunities for women, babies and parents/families to receive quality care and support from health services. Community-based interventions may improve the accessibility, availability, and acceptance of this vital care. For example, community mobilization strategies have been used to involve and collaborate with women, families and communities to improve maternal and newborn health. Objective To synthesize existing reviews of evidence on community mobilization strategies that strengthen support for appropriate and timely use of ANC and PNC. Methods Six databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO) were searched for published reviews that describe community mobilization related strategies for ANC and/or PNC. Reviews were eligible for inclusion if they described any initiatives or strategies targeting the promotion of ANC and/or PNC uptake that included an element of community mobilization in a low- or middle-income country (LMIC), published after 2000. Included reviews were critically appraised according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Checklist for Systematic Reviews and Evidence Syntheses. This review of reviews was conducted following JBI guidelines for undertaking and reporting umbrella reviews. Results In total 23 papers, representing 22 reviews were included. While all 22 reviews contained some description of community mobilization and ANC/PNC, 13 presented more in-depth details on the community mobilization processes and relevant outcomes. Seventeen reviews focused on ANC, four considered both ANC and PNC, and only one focused on PNC. Overall, 16 reviews reported at least one positive association between community mobilization activities and ANC/PNC uptake, while five reviews presented primary studies with no statistically significant change in ANC uptake and one included a primary study with a decrease in use of antenatal facilities. The community mobilization activities described by the reviews ranged from informative, passive communication to more active, participatory approaches that included engaging individuals or consulting local leaders and community members to develop priorities and action plans. Conclusions While there is considerable momentum around incorporating community mobilization activities in maternal and newborn health programs, such as improving community support for the uptake of ANC and PNC, there is limited evidence on the processes used. Furthermore, the spectrum of terminology and variation in definitions should be harmonized to guide the implementation and evaluation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Dada
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Özge Tunçalp
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anayda Portela
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - María Barreix
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Brynne Gilmore
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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21
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Community Health Worker Impact on Knowledge, Antenatal Care, And Birth Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Matern Child Health J 2022; 26:79-101. [PMID: 34981332 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-021-03299-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Community health worker (CHW) interventions have been shown to be effective in areas of maternal and child health (MCH), mostly in relation to infant and neonatal mortality. The specific aims of this review were to expand outcomes to include improving knowledge related to pregnancy and infant health and the receipt of antenatal care (ANC), along with birth outcomes. We also summarized the role, characteristics and activities of CHWs in interventions conducted in settings with demonstrated improvements in key MCH outcomes. METHODS Articles were retrieved from: PubMed, CINAHL, Global Health, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from January 2008 through 2018. We included evaluation studies that utilized CHWs as all or part of an intervention to improve outcomes, were printed in English, and published in peer-reviewed journals. RESULTS Initial electronic database search identified 816 studies and 123 studies met inclusion criteria for full text review. The quality assessment resulted in 0 strong-, 19 moderate-, and 25 weak-rated studies. In most interventions, CHWs were a component of a larger intervention. The majority of the studies (n = 10) found that a CHW intervention can have a positive impact on outcomes. CHW interventions showed improvements in knowledge and ANC. When combined with clinical services, the interventions positively impacted birth outcomes. Most conducted home visits and utilized CHW that were members of the community. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE CHWs serve an important role as health educators conducting home visits as a member of the community they serve. They should also continue to collaborate with clinical providers to address MCH outcomes.
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22
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Haque MA, Choudhury N, Ahmed SMT, Farzana FD, Ali M, Naz F, Raihan MJ, Rahman SS, Siddiqua TJ, Faruque ASG, Ahmed T. The large-scale community-based programme 'Suchana' improved maternal healthcare practices in north-eastern Bangladesh: Findings from a cluster randomized pre-post study. MATERNAL & CHILD NUTRITION 2022; 18:e13258. [PMID: 34467636 PMCID: PMC8710100 DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Adequate maternal healthcare practices are crucial to both maternal and infant nutrition outcomes. The Sylhet region of Bangladesh is vulnerable and performs poorly, as maternal and child health indicators are falling behind compared to other areas. Suchana, a large-scale intervention programme aims to improve the health and nutritional status of mothers and children in this region. The objective of the present analysis is to assess the changes in indicators related to maternal healthcare practices among Suchana beneficiaries. We obtained data from the Suchana baseline and endline evaluation survey. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize data. The following maternal healthcare practices were considered: if a Suchana beneficiary mother received antenatal care (ANC) from skilled service providers, took day time resting during pregnancy, consumed additional diet during pregnancy, took at least 100 iron-folic acid (IFA) tablets during pregnancy and took a vitamin A capsule after delivery. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the impact of the Suchana intervention on maternal healthcare practices. The prevalence of the outcome variables at endline in the intervention area were as follows: 40% of mothers received at least four ANC from skilled service providers, 50% practiced daytime resting during pregnancy, 51% consumed additional diet during pregnancy, 41% took at least 100 iron-folic acid tablets during pregnancy, 39% received postnatal care and 30% took a vitamin A capsule after delivery. The Suchana intervention significantly, positively improved indicators related to maternal healthcare practices; these findings support future larger-scale programmes to improve maternal healthcare practices among vulnerable people in rural Bangladesh.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Ahshanul Haque
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Nuzhat Choudhury
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - S M Tanvir Ahmed
- Child Poverty Sector, Save the Children Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Mohammad Ali
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Farina Naz
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | | | | | | | - Tahmeed Ahmed
- Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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23
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Shirindza KJ, Malwela T, Maputle MS. Early Postnatal Care: Exploring Primary Caregivers' Experiences of Continuity of Care After Discharge at Selected Districts in Limpopo Province South Africa. Patient Prefer Adherence 2022; 16:2009-2020. [PMID: 35966223 PMCID: PMC9373990 DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s366948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early postnatal discharge is perceived as a factor that contributes to possible maternal, neonatal complications and deaths during the first week of delivery. Continuing with provision of home-based postnatal care by the primary caregivers is crucial to prevent morbidity and mortality. PURPOSE The purpose was to explore the experiences of primary caregivers of continuing with the provision of early postnatal care at home. METHOD A qualitative research approach, which was explorative, descriptive, and contextual was conducted in the three selected districts of different ethnic groups at Limpopo Province in October 2019. A non-probability, purposive sampling was used to conveniently sample 20 primary caregivers of postnatal women. Data were collected during the first 2 weeks of delivery through in-depth individual semi-structured interviews until data saturation was reached. Data were analysed through a thematic analysis framework applying Tesch's open coding method. The study was done in Limpopo district, South Africa. FINDINGS The findings revealed a theme, namely, knowledge and skills of providing community-based postnatal care and three sub-themes; early postnatal care to detect and prevent possible complications to the mother; general postnatal care, and early neonatal care to detect and prevent possible complications. CONCLUSION Primary caregivers displayed acceptable indigenous skills and knowledge of providing early postnatal care. However, the skills of detecting potential danger signs were not adequately displayed. It was recommended that midwives need to create awareness to primary caregivers from the antenatal through postnatal care period. Community Health Workers to assist during immediate postnatal check-ups (mother and neonate) which is done within 72hours of delivery. The health education, counseling, and community-based awareness campaigns are to be done with a focus on the detection and prevention of possible complications to mother and baby.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katekani Joyce Shirindza
- University of Venda, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Advanced Nursing, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Thivhulawi Malwela
- University of Venda, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Advanced Nursing, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Maria Sonto Maputle
- University of Venda, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Advanced Nursing, Thohoyandou, South Africa
- Correspondence: Maria Sonto Maputle, University of Venda, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Advanced Nursing, Private Bag X 5050, Thohoyandou, South Africa, Tel +271 5 962 8125, Email
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24
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Wastnedge E, Waters D, Murray SR, McGowan B, Chipeta E, Nyondo-Mipando AL, Gadama L, Gadama G, Masamba M, Malata M, Taulo F, Dube Q, Kawaza K, Khomani PM, Whyte S, Crampin M, Freyne B, Norman JE, Reynolds RM. Interventions to reduce preterm birth and stillbirth, and improve outcomes for babies born preterm in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. J Glob Health 2021; 11:04050. [PMID: 35003711 PMCID: PMC8709903 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.11.04050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reducing preterm birth and stillbirth and improving outcomes for babies born too soon is essential to reduce under-5 mortality globally. In the context of a rapidly evolving evidence base and problems with extrapolating efficacy data from high- to low-income settings, an assessment of the evidence for maternal and newborn interventions specific to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is required. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was done. We included all studies performed in LMICs since the Every Newborn Action Plan, between 2013 - 2018, which reported on interventions where the outcome assessed was reduction in preterm birth or stillbirth incidence and/or a reduction in preterm infant neonatal mortality. Evidence was categorised according to maternal or neonatal intervention groups and a narrative synthesis conducted. RESULTS 179 studies (147 primary evidence studies and 32 systematic reviews) were identified in 82 LMICs. 81 studies reported on maternal interventions and 98 reported on neonatal interventions. Interventions in pregnant mothers which resulted in significant reductions in preterm birth and stillbirth were (i) multiple micronutrient supplementation and (ii) enhanced quality of antenatal care. Routine antenatal ultrasound in LMICs increased identification of fetal antenatal conditions but did not reduce stillbirth or preterm birth due to the absence of services to manage these diagnoses. Interventions in pre-term neonates which improved their survival included (i) feeding support including probiotics and (ii) thermal regulation. Improved provision of neonatal resuscitation did not improve pre-term mortality rates, highlighting the importance of post-resuscitation care. Community mobilisation, for example through community education packages, was found to be an effective way of delivering interventions. CONCLUSIONS Evidence supports the implementation of several low-cost interventions with the potential to deliver reductions in preterm birth and stillbirth and improve outcomes for preterm babies in LMICs. These, however, must be complemented by overall health systems strengthening to be effective. Quality improvement methodology and learning health systems approaches can provide important means of understanding and tackling implementation challenges within local contexts. Further pragmatic efficacy trials of interventions in LMICs are essential, particularly for interventions not previously tested in these contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Wastnedge
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Donald Waters
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sarah R Murray
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Brian McGowan
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Effie Chipeta
- Centre for Reproductive Health, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando
- Department of Health Systems & Policy, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Luis Gadama
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Gladys Gadama
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Martha Masamba
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Monica Malata
- Centre for Reproductive Health, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Frank Taulo
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Queen Dube
- Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Kondwani Kawaza
- Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | | | - Sonia Whyte
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mia Crampin
- Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Bridget Freyne
- Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Research Program, Blantyre, Malawi
- Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jane E Norman
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Rebecca M Reynolds
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
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25
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LeFevre AE, Mir F, Mitra DK, Ariff S, Mohan D, Ahmed I, Sultana S, Winch PJ, Shakoor S, Connor NE, Islam MS, El-Arifeen S, Quaiyum MA, Baqui AH, Gravett MG, Santosham M, Bhutta ZA, Zaidi A, Saha SK, Ahmed S, Soofi S, Bartlett LA. Validation of community health worker identification of maternal puerperal sepsis using a clinical diagnostic algorithm in Bangladesh and Pakistan. J Glob Health 2021; 11:04039. [PMID: 34912547 PMCID: PMC8645220 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.11.04039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Puerperal sepsis (PP sepsis) is a leading cause of maternal mortality globally. The majority of maternal sepsis cases and deaths occur at home and remain undiagnosed and under-reported. In this paper, we present findings from a nested case-control study in Bangladesh and Pakistan which sought to assess the validity of community health worker (CHW) identification of PP sepsis using a clinical diagnostic algorithm with physician assessment and classification used as the gold standard. Methods Up to 300 postpartum women were enrolled in each of the 3 sites 1) Sylhet, Bangladesh (n = 278), 2) Karachi, Pakistan (n = 278) and 3) Matiari, Pakistan (n = 300). Index cases were women with suspected PP Sepsis as diagnosed by CHWs clinical assessment of one or more of the following signs and symptoms: temperature (recorded fever ≥38.1°C, reported history of fever, lower abdominal or pelvic pain, and abnormal or foul-smelling discharge. Each case was matched with 3 control women who were diagnosed by CHWs to have no infection. Cases and controls were assessed by trained physicians using the same algorithm implemented by the CHWs. Using physician assessment as the gold standard, Kappa statistics for reliability and diagnostic validity (sensitivity and specificity) are presented with 95% CI. Sensitivity and specificity were adjusted for verification bias. Results The adjusted sensitivity and specificity of CHW identification of PP sepsis across all sites was 82% (Karachi: 78%, Matiari: 78%, Sylhet: 95%) and 90% (Karachi: 95%, Matiari: 85%, Sylhet: 90%) respectively. CHW-Physician agreement was highest for moderate and high fever (range across sites: K = 0.84-0.97) and lowest for lower abdominal pain (K = 0.30-0.34). The clinical signs and symptoms for other conditions were reported infrequently, however, the CHW-physician agreement was high for all symptoms except severe headache/ blurred vision (K = 0.13-0.38) and reported "lower abdominal pain without fever" (K = 0.39-0.57). Conclusion In all sites, CHWs with limited training were able to identify signs and symptoms and to classify cases of PP sepsis with high validity. Integrating postpartum infection screening into existing community-based platforms and post-natal visits is a promising strategy to monitor women for PP sepsis - improving delivery of cohesive maternal and child health care in low resource settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amnesty E LeFevre
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.,Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Fatima Mir
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Dipak K Mitra
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Public Health, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shabina Ariff
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Diwakar Mohan
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Imran Ahmed
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Shazia Sultana
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Peter J Winch
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sadia Shakoor
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Nicholas E Connor
- The Child Health Research Foundation, Department of Microbiology, Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.,Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mohammad Shahidul Islam
- The Child Health Research Foundation, Department of Microbiology, Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shams El-Arifeen
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - M A Quaiyum
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Abdullah H Baqui
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael G Gravett
- University of Washington, Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and of Global Health, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Mathuram Santosham
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Zulfiqar A Bhutta
- Centre of Excellence in Women & Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.,Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Anita Zaidi
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Samir K Saha
- The Child Health Research Foundation, Department of Microbiology, Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Saifuddin Ahmed
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sajid Soofi
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Linda A Bartlett
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Yang JE, Lassala D, Liu JX, Whidden C, Holeman I, Keita Y, Djiguiba Y, N'Diaye SI, Fall F, Kayentao K, Johnson AD. Effect of mobile application user interface improvements on minimum expected home visit coverage by community health workers in Mali: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:bmjgh-2021-007205. [PMID: 34815242 PMCID: PMC8609935 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Proactive community case management (ProCCM) has shown promise to advance goals of universal health coverage (UHC). ProCCM community health workers (CHWs) face operational challenges when pursuing their goal of visiting every household in their service area at least twice monthly to proactively find sick patients. We developed a software extension (UHC Mode) to an existing CHW mobile application featuring user interface design improvements to support CHWs in planning daily home visits. We evaluated the effect of UHC Mode on minimum expected home visit coverage. METHODS We conducted a parallel-group, two-arm randomised controlled trial of ProCCM CHWs in two separate regions in Mali. CHWs were randomly assigned to UHC Mode or the standard mobile application (control) with a 1:1 allocation. Randomisation was stratified by health catchment area. CHWs and other programme personnel were not masked to arm allocation. CHWs used their assigned intervention for 4 months. Using a difference-in-differences analysis, we estimated the mean change in minimum expected home visit coverage from preintervention to postintervention between arms. RESULTS Enrolment occurred in January 2019. Of 199 eligible CHWs randomised to the intervention or control arm, 196 were enrolled and 195 were included in the analysis. Households whose CHW used UHC Mode had 2.41 times higher odds of minimum expected home visit coverage compared with households whose CHW used the control (95% CI 1.68 to 3.47; p<0.0005). Minimum expected home visit coverage in the UHC Mode arm increased 13.6 percentage points (95% CI 8.1 to 19.0) compared with the control arm. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest UHC Mode is an effective tool that can improve home visit coverage and promote progress towards UHC when implemented in the ProCCM context. User interface design of health information systems that supports health workers' daily practices and meets their requirements can have a positive impact on health worker performance and home visit coverage. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04106921.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jenny X Liu
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Isaac Holeman
- Medic, San Francisco, California, USA.,Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Kassoum Kayentao
- Muso, Bamako, Mali.,Malaria Research & Training Centre, University of Sciences Techniques and Technologies, Bamako, Mali
| | - Ari D Johnson
- Muso, San Francisco, California, USA.,Department of Medicine, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Belaid L, Ansari U, Omer K, Gidado Y, Baba MC, Daniel LE, Andersson N, Cockcroft A. "I had to change my attitude": narratives of most significant change explore the experience of universal home visits to pregnant women and their spouses in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Arch Public Health 2021; 79:202. [PMID: 34794488 PMCID: PMC8600880 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-021-00735-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Universal home visits to pregnant women and their spouses in Bauchi State, northern Nigeria, discussed local evidence about maternal and child health risks actionable by households. The expected results chain for improved health behaviours resulting from the visits was based on the CASCADA model, which includes Conscious knowledge, Attitudes, Subjective norms, intention to Change, Agency to change, Discussion of options, and Action to change. Previous quantitative analysis confirmed the impact of the visits on maternal and child outcomes. To explore the mechanisms of the quantitative improvements, we analysed participants' narratives of changes in their lives they attributed to the visits. METHODS Local researchers collected stories of change from 23 women and 21 men in households who had received home visits, from eight male and eight female home visitors, and from four government officers attached to the home visits program. We used a deductive thematic analysis based on the CASCADA results chain to analyze stories from women and men in households, and an inductive thematic approach to analyze stories from home visitors and government officials. RESULTS The stories from the visited women and men illustrated all steps in the CASCADA results chain. Almost all stories described increases in knowledge. Stories also described marked changes in attitudes and positive deviations from harmful subjective norms. Most stories recounted a change in behaviour attributed to the home visits, and many went on to mention a beneficial outcome of the behaviour change. Men, as well as women, described significant changes. The home visitors' stories described increases in knowledge, increased self-confidence and status in the community, and, among women, financial empowerment. CONCLUSIONS The narratives of change gave insights into likely mechanisms of impact of the home visits, at least in the Bauchi setting. The compatibility of our findings with the CASCADA results chain supports the use of this model in designing and analysing similar interventions in other settings. The indication that the home visits changed male engagement has broader relevance and contributes to the ongoing debate about how to increase male involvement in reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loubna Belaid
- Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Participatory Research at McGill (PRAM), 5858 Cote des Neiges, suite 300, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Umaira Ansari
- Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET), Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Acapulco, Mexico
| | - Khalid Omer
- Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET), Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Acapulco, Mexico
| | - Yagana Gidado
- Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Bauchi Chapter, Bauchi, Nigeria
| | - Muhammed Chadi Baba
- Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Bauchi Chapter, Bauchi, Nigeria
| | | | - Neil Andersson
- Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Participatory Research at McGill (PRAM), 5858 Cote des Neiges, suite 300, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET), Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Acapulco, Mexico
| | - Anne Cockcroft
- Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Participatory Research at McGill (PRAM), 5858 Cote des Neiges, suite 300, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET), Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Acapulco, Mexico
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Bezerra IMP, Ramos JLS, Pianissola MC, Adami F, da Rocha JBF, Ribeiro MAL, de Castro MR, Bezerra JDF, Smiderle FRN, Sousa LVDA, Siqueira CE, de Abreu LC. Perinatal Mortality Analysis in Espírito Santo, Brazil, 2008 to 2017. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:11671. [PMID: 34770185 PMCID: PMC8583128 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
This is an ecological and time-series study using secondary data on perinatal mortality and its components from 2008 to 2017 in Espírito Santo, Brazil. The data were collected from the Mortality Information System (SIM) and Live Births Information System (SINASC) of the Unified Health System Informatics Department (DATASUS) in June 2019. The perinatal mortality rate (×1000 total births) was calculated. Time series were constructed from the perinatal mortality rate for the regions and Espírito Santo. To analyze the trend, the Prais-Winsten model was used. From 2008 to 2017 there were 8132 perinatal deaths (4939 fetal and 3193 early neonatal) out of a total of 542,802 births, a perinatal mortality rate of 15.0/1000 total births. The fetal/early neonatal ratio was 1.5:1, with a strong positive correlation early neonatal mortality rate, perinatal mortality rate, r (9) = 0.8893, with a significance level of p = 0.000574. The presence of differences in trends by health region was observed. Risk factors that stood out were as follows: mother's age ranging between 10 and 19 or 40 and 49 years old, with no education, a gestational age between 22 and 36 weeks, triple and double pregnancy, and a birth weight below 2499 g. Among the causes of death, 49.70% of deaths were concentrated in category of the tenth edition of the International Classification of Diseases, fetuses and newborns affected by maternal factors and complications of pregnancy, labor, and delivery (P00-P04), and 11.03% were in the category of intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia (P20-P21), both related to proper care during pregnancy and childbirth. We observed a slow reduction in the perinatal mortality rate in the state of Espírito Santo from 2008 to 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Italla Maria Pinheiro Bezerra
- Departamento de Pós-Graduação em Políticas Públicas e Desenvolvimento Local, Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória 29027502, Brazil
- Departamento de Enfermagem, Laboratório de Escrita Científica, Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória 29027502, Brazil; (J.L.S.R.); (M.C.P.); (F.R.N.S.)
| | - José Lucas Souza Ramos
- Departamento de Enfermagem, Laboratório de Escrita Científica, Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória 29027502, Brazil; (J.L.S.R.); (M.C.P.); (F.R.N.S.)
| | - Micael Colodetti Pianissola
- Departamento de Enfermagem, Laboratório de Escrita Científica, Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória 29027502, Brazil; (J.L.S.R.); (M.C.P.); (F.R.N.S.)
| | - Fernando Adami
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia do Centro Universitário ABC (FMABC), Santo André 09060590, Brazil;
| | - João Batista Francalino da Rocha
- Ciências da Saúde no Centro Universitário ABC (FMABC), Santo André 09060870, Brazil; (J.B.F.d.R.); (M.A.L.R.)
- Centro de Ciências da Saúde e do Desporto (CCSD), Universidade Federal do Acre (UFAC), Rio Branco 69920900, Brazil
| | - Mariane Albuquerque Lima Ribeiro
- Ciências da Saúde no Centro Universitário ABC (FMABC), Santo André 09060870, Brazil; (J.B.F.d.R.); (M.A.L.R.)
- Centro de Ciências da Saúde e do Desporto (CCSD), Universidade Federal do Acre (UFAC), Rio Branco 69920900, Brazil
| | - Magda Ribeiro de Castro
- Departamento de Enfermagem da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29075910, Brazil;
| | - Juliana da Fonsêca Bezerra
- Departamento de Enfermagem Materno Infantil (DEMI) da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941901, Brazil;
| | - Fabiana Rosa Neves Smiderle
- Departamento de Enfermagem, Laboratório de Escrita Científica, Escola Superior de Ciências da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Vitória (EMESCAM), Vitória 29027502, Brazil; (J.L.S.R.); (M.C.P.); (F.R.N.S.)
| | | | - Carlos Eduardo Siqueira
- Environment and Public Health, School for the Environment, Transnational Brazilian Project, The Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy, UMass Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA;
| | - Luiz Carlos de Abreu
- Departamento de Educação Integrada em Saúde na Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29027502, Brazil;
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Li Z, Zhou X, Ran S, Wehrmeister FC. Social protection and the level and inequality of child mortality in 101 low- and middle-income countries: A statistical modelling analysis. J Glob Health 2021; 11:04067. [PMID: 34737867 PMCID: PMC8561336 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.11.04067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Expanding social protection programme is a major target of the Sustainable Development Goals. Previous studies provided evidence for the relationship of social protection programme to greater use of health services and some improved health outcomes for children. Yet, its impact on child mortality has not been clearly revealed. In this study, we examined the association between social protection programmes and child mortality. Methods We obtained child mortality data from 379 nationally representative surveys involving 101 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We included five child mortality outcomes in the study, which were neonatal mortality rate (NMR), post-neonatal mortality rate (PMR), childhood mortality rate (CMR), infant mortality rate (IMR), and under-5 mortality rate (U5MR). We extracted data on social protection programmes from multiple data sources (eg, Atlas of Social Protection Indicators of Resilience and Equity). Social protection and labour programme (SPL) was the major type of social protection we included. We also included four subtypes of SPL - social assistance, cash transfer, social insurance, and labour market protection. Both unadjusted and adjusted regressions were conducted to measure the associations between characteristics of social protection programmes and child mortality, as well as inequalities in child mortality. Results Among the 101 countries, the median coverage rate of SPL was 28.5%, with an interquartile range between 6.5% and 55.2%. Using the adjusted model, we found a one-percentage-point increase in SPL coverage is associated with a reduction of 0.09 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.04, 0.14) per 1000 live births in NMR, 0.11 (95% CI = 0.04, 0.18) in PMR, and 0.25 (95% CI = 0.11, 0.38) in CMR. Social assistance programme was the only subtype of SPL to be significantly associated with lower mortality rates. A higher SPL coverage was associated with better equity in child mortality – as the coverage of SPL increased by one percentage point, the concentration index of CMR would increase by 0.08 (95% CI = 0.03, 0.13) in the adjusted model, suggesting an improvement in equity. Conclusions The strong association between social protection programme and child mortality suggests that to achieve the SDG targets of universal social protection and to reduce child mortality, LMICs shall consider prioritizing the expansion of social protection programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihui Li
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyan Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shuyao Ran
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Fernando C Wehrmeister
- International Centre for Equity in Health, Post-Graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil
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Omer K, Joga A, Dutse U, Hasan K, Aziz A, Ansari U, Gidado Y, Baba MC, Gamawa AI, Mohammad R, Andersson N, Cockcroft A. Impact of universal home visits on child health in Bauchi State, Nigeria: a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21:1085. [PMID: 34641865 PMCID: PMC8513291 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-021-07000-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nigeria is the second biggest contributor to global child mortality. Infectious diseases continue to be major killers. In Bauchi State, Nigeria, a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial tested the health impacts of universal home visits to pregnant women and their spouses. We present here the findings related to early child health. METHODS The home visits took place in eight wards in Toro Local Government Authority, randomly allocated into four waves with a delay of 1 year between waves. Female and male home visitors visited all pregnant women and their spouses every 2 months during pregnancy, with a follow up visit 12-18 months after the birth. They presented and discussed evidence about household prevention and management of diarrhoea and immunisation. We compared outcomes among children 12-18 months old born to mothers visited during the first year of intervention in each wave (intervention group) with those among children 12-18 months old pre-intervention in subsequent waves (control group). Primary outcomes included prevalence and management of childhood diarrhoea and immunisation status, with intermediate outcomes of household knowledge and actions. Generalised Estimating Equations (GEE), with an exchangeable correlation matrix and ward as cluster, tested the significance of differences in outcomes. RESULTS The analysis included 1796 intervention and 5109 control children. In GEE models including other characteristics of the children, intervention children were less likely to have suffered diarrhoea in the last 15 days (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.30-0.53) and more likely to have received increased fluids and continued feeding in their last episode of diarrhoea (OR 6.06, 95% CI 2.58-14.20). Mothers of intervention children were more likely to identify lack of hygiene as a cause of diarrhoea (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.27-3.95) and their households had better observed hygiene (OR 3.29, 95% CI 1.45-7.45). Intervention children were only slightly more likely to be fully immunised (OR 1.67, 95% CI 0.78-3.57). CONCLUSIONS Evidence-based home visits to both parents stimulated household actions that improved prevention and management of childhood diarrhoea. Such visits could help to improve child health even in settings with poor access to quality health services. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN82954580 . Date: 11/08/2017. Retrospectively registered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Omer
- Centro de Investigación de EnfermedadesTropicales (CIET), Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Acapulco, Mexico
| | - Altine Joga
- Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Bauchi, Nigeria
| | - Umar Dutse
- Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Bauchi, Nigeria
| | - Khalid Hasan
- Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Bauchi, Nigeria
| | - Amar Aziz
- Centro de Investigación de EnfermedadesTropicales (CIET), Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Acapulco, Mexico
| | - Umaira Ansari
- Centro de Investigación de EnfermedadesTropicales (CIET), Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Acapulco, Mexico
| | - Yagana Gidado
- Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Bauchi, Nigeria
| | - Muhd Chadi Baba
- Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Bauchi, Nigeria
| | | | - Rilwanu Mohammad
- Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Bauchi, Nigeria
| | - Neil Andersson
- Centro de Investigación de EnfermedadesTropicales (CIET), Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Acapulco, Mexico
- CIET-PRAM, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Anne Cockcroft
- Centro de Investigación de EnfermedadesTropicales (CIET), Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Acapulco, Mexico
- CIET-PRAM, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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Patel K, Say S, Leng D, Prak M, Lo K, Mukaka M, Riedel A, Turner C. Saving babies' lives (SBL) - a programme to reduce neonatal mortality in rural Cambodia: study protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial. BMC Pediatr 2021; 21:390. [PMID: 34493225 PMCID: PMC8421466 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-021-02833-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal mortality remains unacceptably high. Many studies successful at reducing neonatal mortality have failed to realise similar gains at scale. Effective implementation and scale-up of interventions designed to tackle neonatal mortality is a global health priority. Multifaceted programmes targeting the continuum of neonatal care, with sustainability and scalability built into the design, can provide practical insights to solve this challenge. Cambodia has amongst the highest neonatal mortality rates in South-East Asia, with rural areas particularly affected. The primary objective of this study is the design, implementation, and assessment of the Saving Babies' Lives programme, a package of interventions designed to reduce neonatal mortality in rural Cambodia. METHODS This study is a five-year stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial conducted in a rural Cambodian province with an estimated annual delivery rate of 6615. The study is designed to implement and evaluate the Saving Babies' Lives programme, which is the intervention. The Saving Babies' Lives programme is an iterative package of neonatal interventions spanning the continuum of care and integrating into the existing health system. The Saving Babies' Lives programme comprises two major components: participatory learning and action with community health workers, and capacity building of primary care facilities involving facility-based mentorship. Standard government service continues in control arms. Data collection covering the whole study area includes surveillance of all pregnancies, verbal and social autopsies, and quality of care surveys. Mixed methods data collection supports iteration of the complex intervention, and facilitates impact, outcome, process and economic evaluation. DISCUSSION Our study uses a robust study design to evaluate and develop a holistic, innovative, contextually relevant and sustainable programme that can be scaled-up to reduce neonatal mortality. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04663620 . Registered on 11th December 2020, retrospectively registered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaajal Patel
- Saving Babies' Lives Programme, Angkor Hospital for Children, Tep Vong (Achamean) Road & Oum Chhay Street, Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
- Cambodia Oxford Medical Research Unit, Angkor Hospital for Children, Tep Vong (Achamean) Road & Oum Chhay Street, Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
| | - Sopheakneary Say
- Saving Babies' Lives Programme, Angkor Hospital for Children, Tep Vong (Achamean) Road & Oum Chhay Street, Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia
| | - Daly Leng
- Saving Babies' Lives Programme, Angkor Hospital for Children, Tep Vong (Achamean) Road & Oum Chhay Street, Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia
| | - Manila Prak
- Saving Babies' Lives Programme, Angkor Hospital for Children, Tep Vong (Achamean) Road & Oum Chhay Street, Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia
| | - Koung Lo
- Preah Vihear Provincial Health Department, Preah Vihear, Cambodia
| | - Mavuto Mukaka
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Arthur Riedel
- Saving Babies' Lives Programme, Angkor Hospital for Children, Tep Vong (Achamean) Road & Oum Chhay Street, Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia
| | - Claudia Turner
- Saving Babies' Lives Programme, Angkor Hospital for Children, Tep Vong (Achamean) Road & Oum Chhay Street, Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Cambodia Oxford Medical Research Unit, Angkor Hospital for Children, Tep Vong (Achamean) Road & Oum Chhay Street, Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
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Mistry SK, Harris E, Harris M. Community Health Workers as Healthcare Navigators in Primary Care Chronic Disease Management: a Systematic Review. J Gen Intern Med 2021; 36:2755-2771. [PMID: 33674916 PMCID: PMC8390732 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-021-06667-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This review was carried out to synthesize the evidence of the effectiveness of community health worker (CHW) navigation in primary care chronic disease management. METHODS We searched the English language literature between January 1990 and March 2020 in Medline, Embase, Emcare, PubMed, Psych Info, CINAHL, Scopus, and Medline Epub ahead of print. Data extraction, quality rating, and assessment of the reporting of interventions were performed by two reviewers independently and the findings were synthesized narratively. RESULTS Twenty-nine articles met the inclusion criteria. All but two were carried out in the USA and half were randomized controlled trials. Six of the 29 studies were of strong methodological quality while 12 were moderate and 11 weak. Overall, CHW navigation interventions were effective in increasing adherence to cancer screening and improving use of primary care for chronic disease management. There was insufficient evidence that they improved clinical outcomes or risk factors and reduced use of secondary or tertiary care or that they were cost-effective. However, criteria for recruitment, duration, and mode of training and supervision arrangements varied greatly between studies. DISCUSSION CHW navigation interventions improved aspects of chronic disease management. However, there is insufficient evidence of the impact on patient experience, clinical outcomes, or cost-effectiveness of the interventions. Future research should focus on standardizing organizational components of the CHW navigation interventions and evaluating their cost-effectiveness. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION The review protocol was published in PROSPERO (CRD42020153921).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabuj Kanti Mistry
- Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Elizabeth Harris
- Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Harris
- Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Ariff S, Habib A, Memon Z, Arshad T, Samejo T, Maznani I, Umer M, Hussain A, Rizvi A, Ahmed I, Soofi SB, Bhutta ZA. Effect of Community-Based Kangaroo Mother Care Package on Neonatal Mortality Among Preterm and Low Birthweight Infants in Rural Pakistan: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2021; 10:e28156. [PMID: 34170839 PMCID: PMC8386402 DOI: 10.2196/28156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal mortality due to preterm birth and low birthweight remains a significant challenge in Pakistan. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a unique, low-cost intervention proven to reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity and increase exclusive breastfeeding rates. However, KMC has not been attempted in community settings in Pakistan. We aim to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based KMC package to reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality among preterm and low birthweight (LBW) infants, which will provide evidence for policy development and the large-scale implementation of KMC across the country. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this trial is to reduce neonatal mortality among preterm and LBW infants. The secondary objectives are growth (measured as weight gain), reduced incidence of possible serious bacterial infection, and increased exclusive breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding practices. METHODS We designed a community-based cluster randomized controlled trial in one rural district of Pakistan. Stable, LBW babies (weighing 1200 grams to 2500 grams) are included in the study. The community KMC package, consisting of the KMC kit, information and counseling material, and community mobilization through KMC champions (village volunteers), was designed after preliminary research in the same geographical location and implemented in intervention clusters. The standard essential newborn care is offered in the control clusters. Infants are recruited and followed up by independent teams of data collectors. Data are collected on the duration of skin-to-skin contact, growth, breastfeeding practices, morbidities, neonatal mortality, and neurodevelopment status. Data analysis will be conducted based on the intention to treat principle. The Cox regression model will be used to assess the primary outcome of neonatal mortality. The secondary outcomes will be evaluated using linear or logistic regression. RESULTS The Ethics Review Committee of Aga Khan University, Pakistan, approved the study protocol in February 2017. Data collection began in August 2019 and will be completed in December 2021. Data analyses are yet to be completed. CONCLUSIONS This intervention may be effective in preventing sepsis and subsequently improve survival in LBW newborns in Pakistan and other low-income and middle-income countries worldwide. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov NCT03545204; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03545204. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/28156.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabina Ariff
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Atif Habib
- Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Zahid Memon
- Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Tayyaba Arshad
- Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Samejo
- Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ikram Maznani
- Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Umer
- Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Amjad Hussain
- Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Arjumand Rizvi
- Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Imran Ahmed
- Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sajid Bashir Soofi
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.,Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Zulfiqar A Bhutta
- Center of Excellence in Women & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal complications, including psychological/mental health problems and neonatal morbidity, have commonly been observed in the postpartum period. Home visits by health professionals or lay supporters in the weeks following birth may prevent health problems from becoming chronic, with long-term effects. This is an update of a review last published in 2017. OBJECTIVES The primary objective of this review is to assess the effects of different home-visiting schedules on maternal and newborn mortality during the early postpartum period. The review focuses on the frequency of home visits (how many home visits in total), the timing (when visits started, e.g. within 48 hours of the birth), duration (when visits ended), intensity (how many visits per week), and different types of home-visiting interventions. SEARCH METHODS For this update, we searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register, ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (19 May 2021), and checked reference lists of retrieved studies. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (including cluster-, quasi-RCTs and studies available only as abstracts) comparing different home-visiting interventions that enrolled participants in the early postpartum period (up to 42 days after birth) were eligible for inclusion. We excluded studies in which women were enrolled and received an intervention during the antenatal period (even if the intervention continued into the postnatal period), and studies recruiting only women from specific high-risk groups (e.g. women with alcohol or drug problems). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. We used the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of the evidence. MAIN RESULTS We included 16 randomised trials with data for 12,080 women. The trials were carried out in countries across the world, in both high- and low-resource settings. In low-resource settings, women receiving usual care may have received no additional postnatal care after early hospital discharge. The interventions and controls varied considerably across studies. Trials focused on three broad types of comparisons, as detailed below. In all but four of the included studies, postnatal care at home was delivered by healthcare professionals. The aim of all interventions was broadly to assess the well-being of mothers and babies, and to provide education and support. However, some interventions had more specific aims, such as to encourage breastfeeding, or to provide practical support. For most of our outcomes, only one or two studies provided data, and results were inconsistent overall. All studies had several domains with high or unclear risk of bias. More versus fewer home visits (five studies, 2102 women) The evidence is very uncertain about whether home visits have any effect on maternal and neonatal mortality (very low-certainty evidence). Mean postnatal depression scores as measured with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) may be slightly higher (worse) with more home visits, though the difference in scores was not clinically meaningful (mean difference (MD) 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25 to 1.79; two studies, 767 women; low-certainty evidence). Two separate analyses indicated conflicting results for maternal satisfaction (both low-certainty evidence); one indicated that there may be benefit with fewer visits, though the 95% CI just crossed the line of no effect (risk ratio (RR) 0.96, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.02; two studies, 862 women). However, in another study, the additional support provided by health visitors was associated with increased mean satisfaction scores (MD 14.70, 95% CI 8.43 to 20.97; one study, 280 women; low-certainty evidence). Infant healthcare utilisation may be decreased with more home visits (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.64; four studies, 1365 infants) and exclusive breastfeeding at six weeks may be increased (RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.36; three studies, 960 women; low-certainty evidence). Serious neonatal morbidity up to six months was not reported in any trial. Different models of postnatal care (three studies, 4394 women) In a cluster-RCT comparing usual care with individualised care by midwives, extended up to three months after the birth, there may be little or no difference in neonatal mortality (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.12; one study, 696 infants). The proportion of women with EPDS scores ≥ 13 at four months is probably reduced with individualised care (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.86; one study, 1295 women). One study suggests there may be little to no difference between home visits and telephone screening in neonatal morbidity up to 28 days (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.12; one study, 696 women). In a different study, there was no difference between breastfeeding promotion and routine visits in exclusive breastfeeding rates at six months (RR 1.47, 95% CI 0.81 to 2.69; one study, 656 women). Home versus facility-based postnatal care (eight studies, 5179 women) The evidence suggests there may be little to no difference in postnatal depression rates at 42 days postpartum and also as measured on an EPDS scale at 60 days. Maternal satisfaction with postnatal care may be better with home visits (RR 1.36, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.62; three studies, 2368 women). There may be little to no difference in infant emergency health care visits or infant hospital readmissions (RR 1.15, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.38; three studies, 3257 women) or in exclusive breastfeeding at two weeks (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.18; 1 study, 513 women). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of home visits on maternal and neonatal mortality. Individualised care as part of a package of home visits probably improves depression scores at four months and increasing the frequency of home visits may improve exclusive breastfeeding rates and infant healthcare utilisation. Maternal satisfaction may also be better with home visits compared to hospital check-ups. Overall, the certainty of evidence was found to be low and findings were not consistent among studies and comparisons. Further well designed RCTs evaluating this complex intervention will be required to formulate the optimal package.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naohiro Yonemoto
- Department of Biostatistics, Kyoto University School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shuko Nagai
- Department of International Cooperation, Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rintaro Mori
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Blanchard AK, Colbourn T, Prost A, Ramesh BM, Isac S, Anthony J, Dehury B, Houweling TAJ. Associations between community health workers' home visits and education-based inequalities in institutional delivery and perinatal mortality in rural Uttar Pradesh, India: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e044835. [PMID: 34253660 PMCID: PMC8276308 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION India's National Health Mission has trained community health workers called Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to visit and counsel women before and after birth. Little is known about the extent to which exposure to ASHAs' home visits has reduced perinatal health inequalities as intended. This study aimed to examine whether ASHAs' third trimester home visits may have contributed to equitable improvements in institutional delivery and reductions in perinatal mortality rates (PMRs) between women with varying education levels in Uttar Pradesh (UP) state, India. METHODS Cross-sectional survey data were collected from a representative sample of 52 615 women who gave birth in the preceding 2 months in rural areas of 25 districts of UP in 2014-2015. We analysed the data using generalised linear modelling to examine the associations between exposure to home visits and education-based inequalities in institutional delivery and PMRs. RESULTS Third trimester home visits were associated with higher institutional delivery rates, in particular public facility delivery rates (adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 1.32, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.34), and to a lesser extent private facility delivery rates (aRR 1.09, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.13), after adjusting for confounders. Associations were stronger among women with lower education levels. Having no compared with any third trimester home visits was associated with higher perinatal mortality (aRR 1.18, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.28). Having any versus no visits was more highly associated with lower perinatal mortality among women with lower education levels than those with the most education, and most notably among public facility births. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that ASHAs' home visits in the third trimester contributed to equitable improvements in institutional deliveries and lower PMRs, particularly within the public sector. Broader strategies must reinforce the role of ASHAs' home visits in reaching the sustainable development goals of improving maternal and newborn health and leaving no one behind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Katryn Blanchard
- Institute for Global Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Tim Colbourn
- Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Population Health Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Audrey Prost
- Institute for Global Health, Faculty of Population Health Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Banadakoppa Manjappa Ramesh
- Institute for Global Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Shajy Isac
- Institute for Global Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- India Health Action Trust, Lucknow, India
| | - John Anthony
- Institute for Global Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- India Health Action Trust, Lucknow, India
| | | | - Tanja A J Houweling
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Sudfeld CR, Bliznashka L, Ashery G, Yousafzai AK, Masanja H. Effect of a home-based health, nutrition and responsive stimulation intervention and conditional cash transfers on child development and growth: a cluster-randomised controlled trial in Tanzania. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:bmjgh-2021-005086. [PMID: 33906847 PMCID: PMC8088247 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-005086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Evidence on the effects of community health worker (CHW) interventions and conditional cash transfers (CCTs) on child growth and development in sub-Saharan Africa remains sparse. Methods We conducted a single-blind, cluster-randomised controlled trial of an integrated home-visiting health, nutrition and responsive stimulation intervention alone and in combination with CCTs to promote antenatal and child clinic attendance from 2017 to 2019 in rural Morogoro Region, Tanzania. Pregnant women and caregivers with a child <1 year of age were enrolled. Twelve villages were randomised to either (1) CHW (n=200 participants), (2) CHW+CCT (n=200) or (3) control (n=193). An intention-to-treat analysis was conducted for the primary trial outcomes of child cognitive, language and motor development assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development and child length/height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) at 18 months of follow-up. Results The CHW and CHW+CCT interventions had beneficial effects on child cognitive development as compared with control (standardised mean difference (SMD): 0.15, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.24, and SMD: 0.18, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.28, respectively). The CHW+CCT intervention also had positive effects on language (SMD: 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.15) and motor (SMD: 0.16, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.28) development. Both CHW and CHW+CCT interventions had no effect on HAZ in the primary analysis; however, there were statistically significant positive effects in multivariable analyses. The CHW+CCT group (mean difference: 3.0 visits, 95% CI 2.1 to 4.0) and the CHW group (mean difference: 1.5 visits, 95% CI 0.6 to 2.5) attended greater number of child health and growth monitoring clinic visits as compared to the control group. Conclusion Integrated CHW home-visiting interventions can improve child cognitive development and may have positive effects on linear growth. Combining CHW with CCT may provide additional benefits on clinic visit attendance and selected child development outcomes. Trial registration number ISRCTN10323949.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Sudfeld
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA .,Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lilia Bliznashka
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Aisha K Yousafzai
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Rasaily R, Saxena NC, Pandey S, Garg BS, Swain S, Iyengar SD, Das V, Sinha S, Gupta S, Sinha A, Kumar S, Pandey A, Pandey RM, Sachdev HS, Sankar MJ, Ramji S, Paul VK, Bang AT. Effect of home-based newborn care on neonatal and infant mortality: a cluster randomised trial in India. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 5:bmjgh-2017-000680. [PMID: 32972965 PMCID: PMC7517550 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Home-based newborn care has been found to reduce neonatal mortality in rural areas. Study evaluated effectiveness of home-based care delivered by specially recruited newborn care workers- Shishu Rakshak (SR) and existing workers- anganwadi workers (AWW) in reducing neonatal and infant mortality rates. METHODS This three-arm, community-based, cluster randomised trial was conducted in five districts in India. Intervention package consisted of pregnancy surveillance, health education, care at birth, care of normal/low birthweight neonates, identification and treatment of sick neonates and young infants using oral and injectable antibiotics and community mobilisation. The package was similar in both intervention arms-SR and AWW; difference being healthcare provider. The control arm received routine health services from the existing health system. Primary outcomes were neonatal and young infant mortality rates at 'endline' period (2008-2009) assessed by an independent team from January to April 2010 in the study clusters. FINDINGS A total of 6623, 6852 and 5898 births occurred in the SR, AWW and control arms, respectively, during the endline period; the proportion of facility births were 69.0%, 64.4% and 70.6% in the three arms. Baseline mortality rates were comparable in three arms. During the endline period, the risk of neonatal mortality was 25% lower in the SR arm (adjusted OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.99); the risks of early neonatal mortality, young infant mortality and infant mortality were also lower by 32%, 27%, and 33%, respectively. The risks of neonatal, early neonatal, young infant, infant mortality in the AWW arm were not different from that of the control arm. INTERPRETATION Home-based care is effective in reducing neonatal and infant mortality rates, when delivered by a dedicated worker, even in settings with high rates of facility births. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER The study was registered with Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2011/12/002181).
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Affiliation(s)
- Reeta Rasaily
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India
| | - N C Saxena
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India
| | | | - Bishan S Garg
- Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (MGIMS), Wardha, India
| | - Saraswati Swain
- National Institute of Applied Human Research & Development (NIAHRD), Cuttack, India
| | | | - Vinita Das
- King George Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, India
| | - Sheela Sinha
- Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH), Patna, India
| | - Subodh Gupta
- Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (MGIMS), Wardha, India
| | - Anju Sinha
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India
| | - Shiv Kumar
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India
| | - Arvind Pandey
- National Institute of Medical Statistics, New Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | | | - Vinod K Paul
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Abhay T Bang
- Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health (SEARCH), Gadchiroli, India
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Gadsden T, Jan S, Sujarwoto S, Kusumo BE, Palagyi A. Assessing the feasibility and acceptability of a financial versus behavioural incentive-based intervention for community health workers in rural Indonesia. Pilot Feasibility Stud 2021; 7:132. [PMID: 34162428 PMCID: PMC8220784 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-021-00871-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization recommends that community health workers (CHWs) receive a mix of financial and non-financial incentives, yet notes that there is limited evidence to support the use of one type of incentive (i.e. financial or non-financial) over another. In preparation for a larger scale trial, we investigated the acceptability and feasibility of two different forms of incentives for CHWs in Malang District, Indonesia. METHODS CHWs working on a cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk screening and management programme in two villages were assigned to receive either a financial or non-financial incentive for 6 months. In the financial incentives village, CHWs (n = 20) received 16,000 IDR (USD 1.1) per patient followed up or 500,000 IDR (USD 34.1) if they followed up 100% of their assigned high-risk CVD patients each month. In the non-financial incentive village, CHWs (n = 20) were eligible to receive a Quality Care Certificate for following up the highest number of high-risk CVD patients each month, awarded in a public ceremony. At the end of the 6-month intervention period, focus group discussions were conducted with CHWs and semi-structured interviews with programme administrators to investigate acceptability, facilitators and barriers to implementation and feasibility of the incentive models. Data on monthly CHW follow-up activity were analysed using descriptive statistics to assess the preliminary impact of each incentive on service delivery outcomes, and CHW motivation levels were assessed pre- and post-implementation. RESULTS Factors beyond the control of the study significantly interrupted the implementation of the financial incentive, particularly the threat of violence towards CHWs due to village government elections. Despite CHWs reporting that both the financial and non-financial incentives were acceptable, programme administrators questioned the sustainability of the non-financial incentive and reported CHWs were ambivalent towards them. CHW service delivery outcomes increased 17% for CHWs eligible for the non-financial incentive and 21% for CHWs eligible for the financial incentive. There was a statistically significant increase (p < 0.0001) in motivation scores for the performance domain in both villages. CONCLUSION It was feasible to deliver both a performance-based financial and non-financial incentive to CHWs in Malang District, Indonesia, and both incentive types were acceptable to CHWs and programme administrators. Evidence of preliminary effectiveness also suggests that both the financial and non-financial incentives were associated with improved motivation and service delivery outcomes. These findings will inform the next phase of incentive design, in which incentive feasibility and preliminary effectiveness will need to be considered alongside their longer-term sustainability within the health system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Gadsden
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Stephen Jan
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney School of Public Health, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sujarwoto Sujarwoto
- Department of Public Administration, University of Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
| | - Budiarto Eko Kusumo
- Department of Public Administration, University of Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia
| | - Anna Palagyi
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Mistry SK, Harris-Roxas B, Yadav UN, Shabnam S, Rawal LB, Harris MF. Community Health Workers Can Provide Psychosocial Support to the People During COVID-19 and Beyond in Low- and Middle- Income Countries. Front Public Health 2021; 9:666753. [PMID: 34239854 PMCID: PMC8258154 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.666753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been the most challenging public health issue which not only affected the physical health of the global population but also aggravated the mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety, fear, depression and anger. While mental health services are seriously hampered amid this COVID-19 pandemic, health services, particularly those of Low- and Middle- Income Countries (LMICs) are looking for alternatives to provide psychosocial support to the people amid this COVID-19 and beyond. Community Health Workers (CHWs) are an integral part of the health systems in many LMICs and played significant roles such as health education, contact tracing, isolation and mobilization during past emergencies and amid COVID-19 in many LMICs. However, despite their potentials in providing psychosocial support to the people amid this COVID-19 pandemic, they have been underutilized in most health systems in LMICs. The CHWs can be effectively engaged to provide psychosocial support at the community level. Engaging them can also be cost-saving as they are already in place and may cost less compared to other health professionals. However, they need training and supervision and their safety and security needs to be protected during this COVID-19. While many LMICs have mental health policies but their enactment is limited due to the fragility of health systems and limited health care resources. CHWs can contribute in this regard and help to address the psychosocial vulnerabilities of affected population in LMICs during COVID-19 and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabuj Kanti Mistry
- BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ben Harris-Roxas
- Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Uday Narayan Yadav
- Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sadia Shabnam
- Health Nutrition and Population Program, BRAC, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Lal Bahadur Rawal
- School of Health Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Sydney Campus, Rockhampton, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark F. Harris
- Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Silwal RC, Shibanuma A, Poudyal AK, Ikeda S, Jimba M. Difference in factors associated with continuum of care completion rate from pregnancy to postpartum period in rural Nepal: a community-based, cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e044928. [PMID: 34135036 PMCID: PMC8211074 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the continuum of care (CoC) completion rate in maternal, neonatal and child health and its associated factors among mothers in two ecological regions in Nepal. DESIGN This was a community-based, cross-sectional study, for which data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the associated factors. SETTING This was carried out in two rural districts of Nepal, in different regions: one in the hills (Dhading) and another in the flatlands called Terai (Nawalparasi). The data were collected between July and December 2016. PARTICIPANTS Mothers who gave birth within a year before this study were included as participants. In total, there were 1803 participants. AN OUTCOME MEASURE The outcome of this study was measured by the CoC completion rate when a mother completes four antenatal check-ups, deliver at a health facility and receives postnatal care within 24 hours of delivery. RESULTS The CoC completion rates were 41% in Dhading and 28% in Nawalparasi. In Dhading, shorter travel time to a health facility and higher wealth quintiles were associated with a better CoC completion rate. In Nawalparasi, the CoC completion rate was affected by parity and decision-making for pregnancy care. CONCLUSIONS The CoC completion rate was low in both districts in Nepal. However, factors associated with the CoC completion rate varied by district. Differences in these factors might be reflected by geographical and socioeconomic conditions and the characteristics of household decision making in these districts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Chandra Silwal
- Department of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akira Shibanuma
- Department of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Amod Kumar Poudyal
- Central Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Subaru Ikeda
- Department of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masamine Jimba
- Department of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Maldonado LY, Bone J, Scanlon ML, Anusu G, Chelagat S, Jumah A, Ikemeri JE, Songok JJ, Christoffersen-Deb A, Ruhl LJ. Improving maternal, newborn and child health outcomes through a community-based women's health education program: a cluster randomised controlled trial in western Kenya. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 5:bmjgh-2020-003370. [PMID: 33293295 PMCID: PMC7725102 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Community-based women’s health education groups may improve maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH); however, evidence from sub-Saharan Africa is lacking. Chamas for Change (Chamas) is a community health volunteer (CHV)-led, group-based health education programme for pregnant and postpartum women in western Kenya. We evaluated Chamas’ effect on facility-based deliveries and other MNCH outcomes. Methods We conducted a cluster randomised controlled trial involving 74 community health units in Trans Nzoia County. We included pregnant women who presented to health facilities for their first antenatal care visits by 32 weeks gestation. We randomised clusters 1:1 without stratification or matching; we masked data collectors, investigators and analysts to allocation. Intervention clusters were invited to bimonthly, group-based, CHV-led health lessons (Chamas); control clusters had monthly, individual CHV home visits (standard of care). The primary outcome was facility-based delivery at 12-month follow-up. We conducted an intention-to-treat approach with multilevel logistic regression models using individual-level data. Results Between 27 November 2017 and 8 March 2018, we enrolled 1920 participants from 37 intervention and 37 control clusters. A total of 1550 (80.7%) participants completed the study with 822 (82.5%) and 728 (78.8%) in the intervention and control arms, respectively. Facility-based deliveries improved in the intervention arm (80.9% vs 73.0%; risk difference (RD) 7.4%, 95% CI 3.0 to 12.5, OR=1.58, 95% CI 0.97 to 2.55, p=0.057). Chamas participants also demonstrated higher rates of 48 hours postpartum visits (RD 15.3%, 95% CI 12.0 to 19.6), exclusive breastfeeding (RD 11.9%, 95% CI 7.2 to 16.9), contraceptive adoption (RD 7.2%, 95% CI 2.6 to 12.9) and infant immunisation completion (RD 15.6%, 95% CI 11.5 to 20.9). Conclusion Chamas participation was associated with significantly improved MNCH outcomes compared with the standard of care. This trial contributes robust data from sub-Saharan Africa to support community-based, women’s health education groups for MNCH in resource-limited settings. Trial registration number NCT03187873.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Y Maldonado
- Medicine and Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA .,Population Health, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Jeffrey Bone
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael L Scanlon
- Population Health, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare, Eldoret, Kenya.,Health Systems Design and Global Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Gertrude Anusu
- Population Health, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Sheilah Chelagat
- Population Health, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Anjellah Jumah
- Population Health, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Justus E Ikemeri
- Population Health, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Julia J Songok
- Population Health, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare, Eldoret, Kenya.,Child Health and Paediatrics, Moi University College of Health Sciences, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Astrid Christoffersen-Deb
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laura J Ruhl
- Population Health, Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare, Eldoret, Kenya.,Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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Desai S, Misra M, Das A, Singh RJ, Sehgal M, Gram L, Kumar N, Prost A. Community interventions with women's groups to improve women's and children's health in India: a mixed-methods systematic review of effects, enablers and barriers. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 5:bmjgh-2020-003304. [PMID: 33328199 PMCID: PMC7745316 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION India is home to over 6 million women's groups, including self-help groups. There has been no evidence synthesis on whether and how such groups improve women's and children's health. METHODS We did a mixed-methods systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies on women's groups in India to examine effects on women and children's health and to identify enablers and barriers to achieving outcomes. We searched 10 databases and included studies published in English from 2000 to 2019 measuring health knowledge, behaviours or outcomes. Our study population included adult women and children under 5 years. We appraised studies using standard risk of bias assessments. We compared intervention effects by level of community participation, scope of capability strengthening (individual, group or community), type of women's group and social and behaviour change techniques employed. We synthesised quantitative and qualitative studies to identify barriers and enablers related to context, intervention design and implementation, and outcome characteristics. FINDINGS We screened 21 380 studies and included 99: 19 randomised controlled trial reports, 25 quasi-experimental study reports and 55 non-experimental studies (27 quantitative and 28 qualitative). Experimental studies provided moderate-quality evidence that health interventions with women's groups can improve perinatal practices, neonatal survival, immunisation rates and women's and children's dietary diversity, and help control vector-borne diseases. Evidence of positive effects was strongest for community mobilisation interventions that built communities' capabilities and went beyond sharing information. Key enablers were inclusion of vulnerable community members, outcomes that could be reasonably expected to change through community interventions and intensity proportionate to ambition. Barriers included limited time or focus on health, outcomes not relevant to group members and health system constraints. CONCLUSION Interventions with women's groups can improve women's and children's health in India. The most effective interventions go beyond using groups to disseminate health information and seek to build communities' capabilities. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER The review was registered with PROSPERO: CRD42019130633.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sapna Desai
- Population Council India, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | | | - Lu Gram
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Neha Kumar
- International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Audrey Prost
- University College London Institute of Child Health, London, UK
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Li Z, Karlsson O, Kim R, Subramanian SV. Distribution of under-5 deaths in the neonatal, postneonatal, and childhood periods: a multicountry analysis in 64 low- and middle-income countries. Int J Equity Health 2021; 20:109. [PMID: 33902593 PMCID: PMC8077916 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-021-01449-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As under-5 mortality rates declined all over the world, the relative distribution of under-5 deaths during different periods of life changed. To provide information for policymakers to plan for multi-layer health strategies targeting child health, it is essential to quantify the distribution of under-5 deaths by age groups. Methods Using 245 Demographic and Health Surveys from 64 low- and middle-income countries conducted between 1986 and 2018, we compiled a database of 2,437,718 children under-5 years old with 173,493 deaths. We examined the share of deaths that occurred in the neonatal (< 1 month), postneonatal (1 month to 1 year old), and childhood (1 to 5 years old) periods to the total number of under-5 deaths at both aggregate- and country-level. We estimated the annual change in share of deaths to track the changes over time. We also assessed the association between share of deaths and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. Results Neonatal deaths accounted for 53.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 52.7, 53.4) of the total under-5 deaths. The neonatal share of deaths was lower in low-income countries at 44.0% (43.5, 44.5), and higher in lower-middle-income and upper-middle income countries at 57.2% (56.8, 57.6) and 54.7% (53.8, 55.5) respectively. There was substantial heterogeneity in share of deaths across countries; for example, the share of neonatal to total under-5 deaths ranged from 20.9% (14.1, 27.6) in Eswatini to 82.8% (73.0, 92.6) in Dominican Republic. The shares of deaths in all three periods were significantly associated with GDP per capita, but in different directions—as GDP per capita increased by 10%, the neonatal share of deaths would significantly increase by 0.78 percentage points [PPs] (0.43, 1.13), and the postneonatal and childhood shares of deaths would significantly decrease by 0.29 PPs (0.04, 0.54) and 0.49 PPs (0.24, 0.74) respectively. Conclusions Along with the countries’ economic development, an increasing proportion of under-5 deaths occurs in the neonatal period, suggesting a need for multi-layer health strategies with potentially heavier investment in newborn health. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12939-021-01449-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihui Li
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.,Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Omar Karlsson
- Takemi Program in International Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Economic History, School of Economics and Management, Lund University, P.O. Box 7083, 220 07, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rockli Kim
- Division of Health Policy & Management, College of Health Science, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, South Korea.,Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, Seoul, 02841, South Korea.,Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, 9 Bow Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - S V Subramanian
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. .,Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, 9 Bow Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
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Agudelo SI, Molina CF, Gamboa ÓA, Suárez JD. Direct costs of neonatal infection acquired in the community in full-term newborns and low risk at birth, Cundinamarca, Colombia. BIOMEDICA : REVISTA DEL INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE SALUD 2021; 41:87-98. [PMID: 33761192 PMCID: PMC8055585 DOI: 10.7705/biomedica.5196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Half of the episodes of neonatal sepsis are acquired in the community with a high percentage of mortality and complications. Objective: To estimate the direct costs of hospitalizations due to systemic neonatal infection acquired in the community in low-risk newborns. Materials and methods: For the estimation of costs, we used the perspective of the health systems and the microcosting technique and we established the duration of hospitalization as the time horizon. We identified cost-generating events through expert consensus and the quantification was based on the detailed bill of 337 hospitalized newborns diagnosed with neonatal infection. The costs of the medications were calculated based on the drug price information system (SISMED) and the ISS 2001 rate manuals adjusting percentage, and the mandatory insurance rates for traffic accidents (SOAT). We used the bootstrapping method for cost distribution to incorporate data variability in the estimate. Results: We included the medical care invoices for 337 newborns. The average direct cost of care per patient was USD$ 2,773,965 (Standard Deviation, SD=USD$ 198,813.5; 95% CI: $ 2,384,298 - $ 3,163,632). The main cost-generating categories were hospitalization in intensive care units and health technologies. The costs followed a log-normal distribution. Conclusions: The categories generating the greatest impact on the care costs of newborns with infection were hospitalization in neonatal units and health technologies. The costs followed a log-normal distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Iván Agudelo
- Escuela de Graduados, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia; Departamento de Pediatría, Clínica Universidad de La Sabana, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia.
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Blanchard AK, Ansari S, Rajput R, Colbourn T, Houweling TAJ, Isac S, Anthony J, Prost A. Understanding the roles of community health workers in improving perinatal health equity in rural Uttar Pradesh, India: a qualitative study. Int J Equity Health 2021; 20:63. [PMID: 33622337 PMCID: PMC7901073 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-021-01406-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite substantial reductions in perinatal deaths (stillbirths and early neonatal deaths), India's perinatal mortality rates remain high, both nationally and in individual states. Rates are highest among disadvantaged socio-economic groups. To address this, India's National Health Mission has trained community health workers called Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to counsel and support women by visiting them at home before and after childbirth. We conducted a qualitative study to explore the roles of ASHAs' home visits in improving equity in perinatal health between socio-economic position groups in rural Uttar Pradesh (UP), India. METHODS We conducted social mapping in four villages of two districts in UP, followed by three focus group discussions in each village (12 in total) with ASHAs and women who had recently given birth belonging to 'higher' and 'lower' socio-economic position groups (n = 134 participants). We analysed the data in NVivo and Dedoose using a thematic framework approach. RESULTS Home visits enabled ASHAs to build trusting relationships with women, offer information about health services, schemes and preventive care, and provide practical support for accessing maternity care. This helped many women and families prepare for birth and motivated them to deliver in health facilities. In particular, ASHAs encouraged women who were poorer, less educated or from lower caste groups to give birth in public Community Health Centres (CHCs). However, women who gave birth at CHCs often experienced insufficient emergency obstetric care, mistreatment from staff, indirect costs, lack of medicines, and referrals to higher-level facilities when complications occurred. Referrals often led to delays and higher fees that placed the greatest burden on families who were considered of lower socio-economic position or living in remote areas, and increased their risk of experiencing perinatal loss. CONCLUSIONS The study found that ASHAs built relationships, counselled and supported many pregnant women of lower socio-economic positions. Ongoing inequities in health facility births and perinatal mortality were perpetuated by overlapping contextual issues beyond the ASHAs' purview. Supporting ASHAs' integration with community organisations and health system strategies more broadly is needed to address these issues and optimise pathways between equity in intervention coverage, processes and perinatal health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea K Blanchard
- Institute for Global Public Health, University of Manitoba, R070 Medical Rehabilitation Building, 771 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, R3E 0T6, Canada.
| | - Shahnaz Ansari
- India Health Action Trust, 404, 4th Floor Ratan Square, Vidhan Sabha Marg, Lucknow, 226001, India
| | - Rajni Rajput
- India Health Action Trust, 404, 4th Floor Ratan Square, Vidhan Sabha Marg, Lucknow, 226001, India
| | - Tim Colbourn
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Tanja A J Houweling
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Shajy Isac
- Institute for Global Public Health, University of Manitoba, R070 Medical Rehabilitation Building, 771 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, R3E 0T6, Canada
- India Health Action Trust, 404, 4th Floor Ratan Square, Vidhan Sabha Marg, Lucknow, 226001, India
| | - John Anthony
- Institute for Global Public Health, University of Manitoba, R070 Medical Rehabilitation Building, 771 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, R3E 0T6, Canada
- India Health Action Trust, 404, 4th Floor Ratan Square, Vidhan Sabha Marg, Lucknow, 226001, India
| | - Audrey Prost
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
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Tessema AM, Gebeyehu A, Mekonnen S, Alemu K, Tigabu Z. Intervention fidelity and its determinants of focused antenatal care package implementation, in south Wollo zone, Northeast Ethiopia. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2021; 21:150. [PMID: 33607962 PMCID: PMC7893970 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-03637-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Focused antenatal care is directed at sustaining maternal health and improving fetal wellbeing to ensure birth of a healthy neonate. Failure to implement focused antenatal care can result in inability to reduce maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in low income countries. Due to evidence-practice gaps, however, thousands of maternal, fetal and neonatal lives are still lost every day, mostly from preventable causes. This study aimed to assess focused antenatal care package’s intervention fidelity and its determinant factors in South Wollo Zone, Northeast Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study design was employed and a total of 898 women who gave birth in the last 6 months prior to data collection were included. Also 16 health extension workers, working in ten selected health posts, were included. Interviews and self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from mothers and health extension workers. Ten [10] health posts were audited to assess availability and functionality of drugs and supplies to provide focused antenatal care. Mothers were asked whether or not the required level of care was provided. Health extension workers were provided with self-administered questionnaires to assess socio-demographic characteristics, reception of training, facilitation strategies for the implementation of focused antenatal care and ability to classify danger signs. Multilevel linear regression analysis was performed to identify individual and organizational level’s factors influencing focused antenatal care package intervention fidelity. Results Overall weighted average focused antenatal care package intervention fidelity (implemented as intended/planned) was 49.8% (95% CI: 47.7–51.8), which means the average number of focused antenatal care package interventions women received is 49.8%. Health extension workers implemented 55.1% and skilled providers (nurses, midwives, health officers or medical doctors) 44.9% of focused antenatal care package interventions. Overall antenatal care coverage, irrespective of frequency (at least one visit), was 752/898 women (83.7%; 95% CI: 81.3–86.1); 263/752 women (35.0%; 95% CI: 31.6–38.4) received at least four antenatal visits and only 46/752 women (6.1%; 95% CI: 4.4–7.8) received all recommended components of focused antenatal care. Previous pregnancy-related problems, paternal education and implementation of facilitation strategies were found to be significant factors enhancing focused antenatal care package intervention fidelity. Conclusion Focused antenatal care package intervention fidelity in the study area was low; this may imply that the current level of maternal, perinatal and neonatal mortality might be partly due to the low level of focused antenatal care intervention fidelity. Improving implementation of facilitation strategies is highly required to contribute to the reduction of those mortalities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abebaw Gebeyehu
- Institute of Public Health, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Solomon Mekonnen
- Department of Human Nutrition, Institute of Public Health, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Kassahun Alemu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Zemene Tigabu
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
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Nguyen PH, Khương LQ, Pramanik P, Billah SM, Menon P, Piwoz E, Leslie HH. Effective coverage of nutrition interventions across the continuum of care in Bangladesh: insights from nationwide cross-sectional household and health facility surveys. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e040109. [PMID: 33472778 PMCID: PMC7818835 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Improving the impact of nutrition interventions requires adequate measurement of both reach and quality of interventions, but limited evidence exists on advancing coverage measurement. We adjusted contact-based coverage estimates, taking into consideration the inputs required to deliver quality nutrition services, to calculate input-adjusted coverage of nutrition interventions across the continuum of care from pregnancy through early childhood in Bangladesh. METHODS We used data from the 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys to assess use of maternal and child health services and the 2014 Service Provision Assessment to determine facility readiness to deliver nutrition interventions. Service readiness captured availability of nutrition-specific inputs (including human resources and training, equipment, diagnostics and medicines). Contact coverage was combined with service readiness to create a measure of input-adjusted coverage at the national and regional levels, across place of residence, and by maternal education and household socioeconomic quintiles. RESULTS Contact coverage varied from 28% for attending at least four ANC visits to 38% for institutional delivery, 35% for child growth monitoring and 81% for sick child care. Facilities demonstrated incomplete readiness for nutrition interventions, ranging from 48% to 51% across services. Nutrition input-adjusted coverage was suboptimal (18% for ANC, 23% for institutional delivery, 20% for child growth monitoring and 52% for sick child care) and varied between regions within the country. Inequalities in input-adjusted coverage were large during ANC and institutional delivery (14-17 percentage points (pp) between urban and rural areas, 15 pp between low and high education, and 28-34 pp between highest and lowest wealth quintiles) and less variable for sick child care (<2 pp). CONCLUSION Nutrition input-adjusted coverage was suboptimal and varied subnationally and across the continuum of care in Bangladesh. Special efforts are needed to improve the reach as well as the quality of health and nutrition services to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong Hong Nguyen
- Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Priyanjana Pramanik
- Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Sk Masum Billah
- Maternal and Child Health Division, ICDDRB, Dhaka, Dhaka District, Bangladesh
| | - Purnima Menon
- Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Ellen Piwoz
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Hannah H Leslie
- Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Ward VC, Raheel H, Weng Y, Mehta KM, Dutt P, Mitra R, Sastry P, Godfrey A, Shannon M, Chamberlain S, Kaimal R, Carmichael SL, Bentley J, Abdalla S, Pepper KT, Mahapatra T, Srikantiah S, Borkum E, Rangarajan A, Sridharan S, Rotz D, Nanda P, Tarigopula UK, Atmavilas Y, Bhattacharya D, Darmstadt GL. Impact of mHealth interventions for reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition at scale: BBC Media Action and the Ananya program in Bihar, India. J Glob Health 2020. [DOI: 10.7189/jogh.10.0201005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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Darmstadt GL, Weng Y, Pepper KT, Ward VC, Mehta KM, Borkum E, Bentley J, Raheel H, Rangarajan A, Bhattacharya D, Tarigopula UK, Nanda P, Sridharan S, Rotz D, Carmichael SL, Abdalla S, Munar W. Impact of the Ananya program on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition in Bihar, India: early results from a quasi-experimental study. J Glob Health 2020. [DOI: 10.7189/jogh.10.0201002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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50
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Ward VC, Raheel H, Weng Y, Mehta KM, Dutt P, Mitra R, Sastry P, Godfrey A, Shannon M, Chamberlain S, Kaimal R, Carmichael SL, Bentley J, Abdalla S, Pepper KT, Mahapatra T, Srikantiah S, Borkum E, Rangarajan A, Sridharan S, Rotz D, Nanda P, Tarigopula UK, Atmavilas Y, Bhattacharya D, Darmstadt GL. Impact of mHealth interventions for reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition at scale: BBC Media Action and the Ananya program in Bihar, India. J Glob Health 2020; 10:021005. [PMID: 33425329 PMCID: PMC7758913 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.10.021005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mobile health (mHealth) tools have potential for improving the reach and quality of health information and services through community health workers in low- and middle-income countries. This study evaluates the impact of an mHealth tool implemented at scale as part of the statewide reproductive,maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition (RMNCHN) program in Bihar, India. Methods Three survey-based data sets were analysed to compare the health-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours amongst childbearing women exposed to the Mobile Kunji and Dr. Anita mHealth tools during their visits with frontline workers compared with those who were unexposed. Results An evaluation by Mathematica (2014) revealed that exposure to Mobile Kunji and Dr. Anita recordings were associated with significantly higher odds of consuming iron-folic acid tablets (odds ratio (OR) = 2.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.8-3.1) as well as taking a set of three measures for delivery preparedness (OR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.9-4.2) and appropriate infant complementary feeding (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.0-3.5). CARE India’s Community-based Household Surveys (2012-2017) demonstrated significant improvements in early breastfeeding (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.5-1.78) and exclusive breastfeeding (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.33-1.62) in addition to birth preparedness practices. BBC Media Action’s Usage & Engagement Survey (2014) demonstrated a positive association between exposure to Mobile Kunji and Dr. Anita and exclusive breastfeeding (58% exposed vs 43% unexposed, P < 0.01) as well as maternal respondents’ trust in their frontline worker. Conclusions Significant improvements in RMNCHN-related knowledge and behaviours were observed for Bihari women who were exposed to Mobile Kunji and Dr. Anita. This analysis is unique in its rigorous evaluation across multiple data sets of mHealth interventions implemented at scale. These results can help inform global understanding of how best to use mHealth tools, for whom, and in what contexts. Study registration ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02726230.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria C Ward
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Hina Raheel
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Yingjie Weng
- Quantitative Sciences Unit, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Kala M Mehta
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rajani Kaimal
- Quantitative Sciences Unit, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Suzan L Carmichael
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.,Center for Population Health Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Jason Bentley
- Quantitative Sciences Unit, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Safa Abdalla
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Kevin T Pepper
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Dana Rotz
- Mathematica, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Priya Nanda
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Delhi, India
| | | | | | | | - Gary L Darmstadt
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.,Center for Population Health Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
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