Dataset Information

Assessing Community Based Improved Maternal Neonatal Child Survival (IMNCS) Program in Rural Bangladesh.

ABSTRACT: A community based approach before, during and after child birth has been proven effective address the burden of maternal, neonatal and child morbidity and mortality in the low and middle income countries. We aimed to examine the overall change in maternal and newborn health outcomes due the "Improved Maternal Newborn and Child Survival" (IMNCS) project, which was implemented by BRAC in rural communities of Bangladesh.The intervention was implemented in four districts for duration of 5-years, while two districts served as comparison areas. The intervention was delivered by community health workers who were trained on essential maternal, neonatal and child health care services. A baseline survey was conducted in 2008 among 7, 200 women with pregnancy outcome in last year or having a currently alive child of 12-59 months. A follow-up survey was administered in 2012-13 among 4, 800 women of similar characteristics in the same villages.We observed significant improvements in maternal and essential newborn care in intervention areas over time, especially in health care seeking behaviors. The proportion of births taking place at home declined in the intervention districts from 84.3% at baseline to 71.2% at end line (P<0.001). Proportion of deliveries with skilled attendant was higher in intervention districts (28%) compared to comparison districts (27.4%). The number of deliveries was almost doubled at public sector facility comparing with baseline (P<0.001). Significant improvement was also observed in healthy cord care practice, delayed bathing of the new-born and reduction of infant mortality in intervention districts compared to that of comparison districts.This study demonstrates that community-based efforts offer encouraging evidence and value for combining maternal, neonatal and child health care package. This approach might be considered at larger scale in similar settings with limited resources.

SUBMITTER: Rahman M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4560389 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Assessing Community Based Improved Maternal Neonatal Child Survival (IMNCS) Program in Rural Bangladesh.

Rahman Mahfuzar M Jhohura Fatema Tuz FT Mistry Sabuj Kanti SK Chowdhury Tridib Roy TR Ishaque Tanveen T Shah Rasheduzzaman R Afsana Kaosar K

PloS one 20150904 9

<h4>Objectives</h4>A community based approach before, during and after child birth has been proven effective address the burden of maternal, neonatal and child morbidity and mortality in the low and middle income countries. We aimed to examine the overall change in maternal and newborn health outcomes due the "Improved Maternal Newborn and Child Survival" (IMNCS) project, which was implemented by BRAC in rural communities of Bangladesh.<h4>Methods</h4>The intervention was implemented in four dis ...[more]

PMID: 26340672

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Project description:OBJECTIVES:We evaluated the impact of the Improving Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Survival (IMNCS) project, which is being implemented by BRAC in rural communities in Bangladesh. METHODS:Four districts received program intervention i.e. trained community health workers to deliver essential maternal, neonatal, and child healthcare and nutrition services while two districts were treated as comparison group. A quasi-experimental study design (compared before-and-after) was undertaken. Baseline survey was conducted in 2008 among 7200 women followed by end line in 2012 among 4800 women with similar characteristics in the same villages. We evaluated maternal antenatal and post natal checkup, birth plans and delivery, complication and referred cases during antenatal checkup and post natal period, and child health indicators such as birth asphyxia, neonatal sepsis, and its management by the medically trained provider. FINDINGS:Increased number (four or more) antenatal visits, skill-birth attended delivery and postnatal visits (three or more) in the intervention group preceding four-year intervention period were observed compare to their counterpart. We noted negative difference-in-difference estimator (-5.0%, P = 0.159) regarding to the all major birth plans i.e. delivery place, birth attendant, and saved money in the comparison areas. Significant reduction of ante-partum and intra-partum complications occurred in the intervention group, contrary complications of such event increased in the comparison areas (-6.3%, P<0.05 and -20.5%, P<0.001 respectively). Referral case to the health centers due to these complications boosted significantly in intervention group than comparison group (2.3%, P<0.01 and 6.6%, P<0.001 respectively). Mother's knowledge of breastfeeding initiation and the practice of initiating breastfeeding within an hour of birth amplified significantly (14.6%, P<0.001 and 8.3%, P<0.001 respectively). We did not find any significant difference regards to the management of low birth weight by the medically trained health care provider and complete vaccination between the intervention and comparison arm. CONCLUSION:Medically trained health care provider assisted community based public health intervention could increase number of antenatal and postnatal visit, thereby could decrease pregnancy associated complications. These interventions may be considered for further up scaling when resources are limited.

Project description:Background: Maternal undernutrition is a major concern globally, contributing to poor birth outcomes. Limited evidence exists on delivering multiple interventions for maternal nutrition simultaneously. Alive & Thrive addressed this gap by integrating nutrition-focused interpersonal counseling, community mobilization, distribution of free micronutrient supplements, and weight-gain monitoring through an existing Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health (MNCH) program in Bangladesh.Objectives: We evaluated the effect of providing nutrition-focused MNCH compared with standard MNCH (antenatal care with standard nutrition counseling) on coverage of nutrition interventions, maternal dietary diversity, micronutrient supplement intake, and early breastfeeding practices.Methods: We used a cluster-randomized design with cross-sectional surveys at baseline (2015) and endline (2016) (n ∼ 300 and 1000 pregnant or recently delivered women, respectively, per survey round). We derived difference-in-difference effect estimates, adjusted for geographic clustering and infant age and sex.Results: Coverage of interpersonal counseling was high; >90% of women in the nutrition-focused MNCH group were visited at home by health workers for maternal nutrition and breastfeeding counseling. The coverage of community mobilization activities was ∼50%. Improvements were significantly greater in the nutrition-focused MNCH group than in the standard MNCH group for consumption of iron and folic acid [effect: 9.8 percentage points (pp); 46 tablets] and calcium supplements (effect: 12.8 pp; 50 tablets). Significant impacts were observed for the number of food groups consumed (effect: 1.6 food groups), percentage of women who consumed ≥5 food groups/d (effect: 30.0 pp), and daily intakes of several micronutrients. A significant impact was also observed for exclusive breastfeeding (EBF; effect: 31 pp) but not for early initiation of breastfeeding.Conclusions: Addressing nutrition during pregnancy by delivering interpersonal counseling and community mobilization, providing free supplements, and ensuring weight-gain monitoring through an existing MNCH program improved maternal dietary diversity, micronutrient supplement consumption, and EBF practices. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02745249.

Project description:Improving maternal nutrition practices during pregnancy is essential to save lives and improve health outcomes for both mothers and babies. This paper examines the maternal, household, and health service factors influencing maternal nutrition practices in the context of a large scale maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) program in Bangladesh. Data were from a household survey of pregnant (n = 600) and recently delivered women (n = 2,000). Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the determinants of three outcomes: consumption of iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets, calcium tablets, and diverse diets. Women consumed 94 ± 68 IFA and 82 ± 66 calcium tablets (out of 180 as recommended) during pregnancy, and only half of them consumed an adequately diverse diet. Good nutrition knowledge was the key maternal factor associated with higher consumption of IFA (β = 32.5, 95% CI: 19.5, 45.6) and calcium tablets (β ~31.9, 95% CI: 20.9, 43.0) and diverse diet (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0-3.1), compared to poor knowledge. Women's self-efficacy in achieving the recommended practices and perception of enabling social norms were significantly associated with dietary diversity. At the household level, women who reported a high level of husband's support were more likely to consume IFA (β = 25.0, 95% CI: 18.0, 32.1) and calcium (β = 26.6, 95% CI: 19.4, 33.7) tablets and diverse diet (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.3), compared to those who received low support. Health service factors associated with higher intakes of IFA and calcium tablets were early and more prenatal care visits and receipt of free supplements. Combined exposure to several of these factors was attributed to the consumption of an additional 46 IFA and 53 calcium tablets and 17% higher proportions of women consuming diverse diets. Our study shows that improving knowledge, self-efficacy and perceptions of social norms among pregnant women, and increasing husbands' support, early registration in prenatal care, and provision of free supplements will largely improve maternal nutrition practices.

Project description:BackgroundAntenatal care may be a means to reduce food insecurity in pregnancy and postpartum periods.ObjectiveWith the use of a cluster-randomized design, we tested whether participation in nutrition-focused antenatal care intending to improve household knowledge about the importance of nutrition for pregnant and lactating women and encourage allocation of household resources to ensure sufficient quality and quantity of foods, without providing food assistance, would reduce household food insecurity.MethodsAlive & Thrive integrated nutrition interventions into an existing Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health (MNCH) program in Bangladesh. The nutrition-focused MNCH package was delivered in 10 subdistricts through antenatal care visits with the use of interpersonal communication, community mobilization, and monitoring of weight gain, aiming to improve maternal diet quality, quantity, and micronutrient intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The package included components that could reduce food insecurity, measured using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. To examine the impact of the nutrition-focused MNCH package compared with the standard MNCH package, we used linear and multinomial logit regression models, adjusted for subdistrict clustering, to test differences at endline in items, domains, and categories of food insecurity, after first confirming no differences at baseline.ResultsAt baseline, nearly half of households were food insecure. At endline, the groups differed in food insecurity, whether expressed as items, domains, or categories, with food insecurity in the nutrition-focused MNCH group 22 percentage points lower than in the standard MNCH group and 20 percentage points lower than at baseline.ConclusionsParticipation in nutrition-focused antenatal care reduced household food insecurity among recently delivered and pregnant women. Integration of social and behavioral nutrition interventions into antenatal care with components that promote food security provides a potentially effective means to reduce food insecurity, without incurring high costs of providing supplemental food, in populations where limited resources can be directed towards accessing adequate and appropriate foods. Registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02745249.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Evidence from low and middle income countries (LMICs) suggests that maternal mortality is more prevalent among the poor whereas access to maternal health services is concentrated among the rich. In Bangladesh substantial inequities exist both in the use of facility-based basic obstetric care and for home births attended by skilled birth attendant. BRAC initiated an intervention on Improving Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Survival (IMNCS) in the rural areas of Bangladesh in 2008. One of the objectives of the intervention is to improve the utilization of maternal and child health care services among the poor. This study aimed to look at the impact of the intervention on utilization and also on equity of access to maternal health services. METHODS: A quasi-experimental pre-post comparison study was conducted in rural areas of five districts comprising three intervention (Gaibandha, Rangpur and Mymensingh) and two comparison districts (Netrokona and Naogaon). Data on health seeking behaviour for maternal health were collected from a repeated cross sectional household survey conducted in 2008 and 2010. RESULTS: Results show that the intervention appears to cause an increase in the utilization of antenatal care. The concentration index (CI) shows that this has become pro-poor over time (from CI: 0.30 to CI: 0.04) in the intervention areas. In contrast the use of ANC from medically trained providers has become pro-rich (from, CI: 0.18 to CI: 0.22). There was a significant increase in the utilisation of trained attendants for home delivery in the intervention areas compared to the comparison areas and the change was found to be pro-poor. Use of postnatal care cervices was also found to be pro-poor (from CI: 0.37 to CI: 0.14). Utilization of ANC services provided by medically trained provider did not improve in the intervention area. However, where the intervention had a positive effect on utilization it also seemed to have had a positive effect on equity. CONCLUSIONS: To sustain equity in health care utilization, the IMNCS programme needs to continue providing free home based services. In addition to this, the programme should also continue to provide funding to bear the cost to those mothers who are not able to have the comprehensive ANC from medically trained providers.

Project description:BackgroundProper utilization of skilled care services in neonatal illnesses is crucial to reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality. The study aimed to evaluate the level and factors associated with seeking care from skilled healthcare service providers for reported neonatal illnesses in rural Matlab, Bangladesh.MethodsThis community based cross-sectional study was based on data from a randomly selected sample comprised of 2223 women who delivered live-born babies in 2014. Data were collected from June to October 2015 through a structured questionnaire. We used a multivariable logistic regression model and presented the results by adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsOf the neonates, 1361 (61.2%) suffered from at least one complication, and among these, 479 (35.2%) sought care from skilled healthcare service providers. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, the participants' husbands' educational level, number of antenatal care visits, and place of childbirth were significantly associated with seeking skilled care for reported neonatal illnesses. The care-seeking from skilled healthcare service providers for neonatal illness was more than two times higher (AOR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.51-3.39) in the group in which the participants' husband had attended school for more than 10 years as compared to the group in which they had attended school for less than six years. The AORs of seeking skilled care were 1.93 (95% CI = 1.42-2.62) and 2.26 (95% CI = 1.51-3.39) with the mothers receiving two to three and four or more antenatal care services, respectively, compared to the mothers with no or one antenatal care visit. Women who gave birth at a health facility were three times (AOR = 3.24, 95% CI = 2.50-4.19) more likely to seek skilled care for sick neonates compared to those who gave birth at home.ConclusionThe utilization of skilled care for neonatal sicknesses was low in this rural setting in Bangladesh. The participants' husbands' higher school attendance, increased number of ANC visits, and facility delivery were positively associated with care-seeking from skilled healthcare providers for neonatal illness. The husbands with low school attendance should be targeted for intervention, and continue efforts to increase ANC coverage and facility delivery to improve neonatal health in this country's rural area.

Dataset Information

Assessing Community Based Improved Maternal Neonatal Child Survival (IMNCS) Program in Rural Bangladesh.

Publications

Assessing Community Based Improved Maternal Neonatal Child Survival (IMNCS) Program in Rural Bangladesh.

Similar Datasets

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