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Measuring What Works: An Impact Evaluation of Women's Groups on Maternal Health Uptake in Rural Nepal.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:There is a need for studies evaluating maternal health interventions in low-income countries. This paper evaluates one such intervention designed to promote maternal health among rural women in Nepal. METHODS AND RESULTS:This was a five-year controlled, non-randomised, repeated cross-sectional study (2007, 2010, 2012) of a participatory community-based maternal health promotion intervention focusing on women's groups to improve maternal health services uptake. In total 1,236 women of childbearing age, who had their last child ? two years ago, were interviewed. Difference-in-Difference estimation assessed the effects of the intervention on selected outcome variables while controlling for a constructed wealth index and women's characteristics. In the first three years (from 2007 to the 2010), the intervention increased women's likelihood of attending for antenatal care at least once during pregnancy by seven times [OR = 7.0, 95%CI (2.3; 21.4)], of taking iron and folic acid by three times [OR = 3.0, 95%CI (1.2; 7.8)], and of seeking four or more antenatal care visits of two times, although not significantly [OR = 2.2, 95%CI (1.0; 4.7)]. Over five years, women were more likely to seek antenatal care at least once [OR = 3.0, 95%CI (1.5; 5.2)], to take iron/folic acid [OR = 1.9, [95% CI (1.1; 3.2)], and to attend postnatal care [OR = 1.5, [95% CI (1.1; 2.2)]. No improvement was found on attending antenatal care in the first trimester, birthing at an institution or with a skilled birth attendant. CONCLUSION:Community-based health promotion has a much stronger effect on the uptake of antenatal care and less on delivery care. Other factors not easily resolved through health promotion interventions may influence these outcomes, such as costs or geographical constraints. The evaluation has implications for policy and practice in public health, especially maternal health promotion.

SUBMITTER: Sharma S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4877042 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Measuring What Works: An Impact Evaluation of Women's Groups on Maternal Health Uptake in Rural Nepal.

Sharma Sheetal S Teijlingen Edwin van Ev Belizán José M JM Hundley Vanora V Simkhada Padam P Sicuri Elisa E

PloS one 20160523 5

<h4>Background</h4>There is a need for studies evaluating maternal health interventions in low-income countries. This paper evaluates one such intervention designed to promote maternal health among rural women in Nepal.<h4>Methods and results</h4>This was a five-year controlled, non-randomised, repeated cross-sectional study (2007, 2010, 2012) of a participatory community-based maternal health promotion intervention focusing on women's groups to improve maternal health services uptake. In total ...[more]

PMID: 27214032

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Project description:ObjectivesTo assess how the health coordination and emergency referral networks between women's self-help groups (SHGs) and local health systems have changed over the course of a 2-year learning phase of the Uttar Pradesh Community Mobilization Project, India.DesignA pretest, post-test programme evaluation using social network survey to analyse changes in network structure and connectivity between key individuals and groups.SettingThe study was conducted in 18 villages located in three districts in Uttar Pradesh, India.InterventionTo improve linkages and coordination between SHGs and government health providers by building capacity in leadership, management and community mobilisation skills of the SHG federation.ParticipantsA purposeful sampling that met inclusion criteria. 316 respondents at baseline and 280 respondents at endline, including SHG members, village-level and block-level government health workers, and other key members of the community (traditional birth attendants, drug sellers, unqualified rural medical providers, pradhans or elected village heads, and religious leaders).Main outcome measuresSocial network analysis measured degree centrality, density and centralisation to assess changes in health services coordination networks at the village and block levels.ResultsThe health services coordination and emergency referral networks increased in density and the number of connections between respondents as measured by average degree centrality have increased, along with more diversity of interaction between groups. The network expanded relationships at the village and block levels, reflecting the rise of bridging social capital. The accredited social health activist, a village health worker, occupied the central position in the network, and her role expanded to sharing information and coordinating services with the SHG members.ConclusionsThe creation of new partnerships between traditionally under-represented communities and local government can serve as vehicle for building social capital that can lead to a more accountable and accessible community health delivery system.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Access to high-quality antenatal care services has been shown to be beneficial for maternal and child health. In 2016, the WHO published evidence-based recommendations for antenatal care that aim to improve utilization, quality of care, and the patient experience. Prior research in Nepal has shown that a lack of social support, birth planning, and resources are barriers to accessing services in rural communities. The success of CenteringPregnancy and participatory action women's groups suggests that group care models may both improve access to care and the quality of care delivered through women's empowerment and the creation of social networks. We present a group antenatal care model in rural Nepal, designed and implemented by the healthcare delivery organization Nyaya Health Nepal, as well as an assessment of implementation outcomes. METHODS:The study was conducted at Bayalata Hospital in Achham, Nepal, via a public private partnership between the Nepali non-profit, Nyaya Health Nepal, and the Ministry of Health and Population, with financial and technical assistance from the American non-profit, Possible. We implemented group antenatal care as a prospective non-randomized cluster-controlled, type I hybrid effectiveness-implementation study in six village clusters. The implementation approach allows for iterative improvement in design, making changes to improve the quality of the intervention. Assessments of implementation process and model fidelity were undertaken using a mobile checklist completed by nurse supervisors, and observation forms completed by program leadership. We evaluated data quarterly using descriptive statistics to identify trends. Qualitative interviews and team communications were analyzed through immersion crystallization to identify major themes that evolved during the implementation process. RESULTS:A total of 141 group antenatal sessions were run during the study period. This paper reports on implementation results, whereas we analyze and present patient-level effectiveness outcomes in a complementary paper in this journal. There was high process fidelity to the model, with 85.7% (95% CI 77.1-91.5%) of visits completing all process elements, and high content fidelity, with all village clusters meeting the minimum target frequency for 80% of topics. The annual per capita cost for group antenatal care was 0.50 USD. Qualitative analysis revealed the compromise of stable gestation-matched composition of the group members in order to make the intervention feasible. Major adaptations were made in training, documentation, feedback and logistics. CONCLUSION:Group antenatal care provided in collaboration with local government clinics has the potential to provide accessible and high quality antenatal care to women in rural Nepal. The intervention is a feasible and affordable alternative to individual antenatal care. Our experience has shown that adaptation from prior models was important for the program to be successful in the local context within the national healthcare system. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02330887, registered 01/05/2015, retroactively registered.

Project description:BackgroundWomen's self-help groups (SHGs) have become one of the largest institutional platforms serving the poor. Nutrition behavior change communication (BCC) interventions delivered through SHGs can improve maternal and child nutrition outcomes.ObjectivesThe objective was to understand the effects of a nutrition BCC intervention delivered through SHGs in rural India on intermediate outcomes and nutrition outcomes.MethodsWe compared 16 matched blocks where communities were supported to form SHGs and improve livelihoods; 8 blocks received a 3-y nutrition intensive (NI) intervention with nutrition BCC, and agriculture- and rights-based information, facilitated by a trained female volunteer; another 8 blocks received standard activities (STD) to support savings/livelihoods. Repeated cross-sectional surveys of mother-child pairs were conducted in 2017-2018 (n = 1609 pairs) and 2019-2020 (n = 1841 pairs). We matched treatment groups over time and applied difference-in-difference regression models to estimate impacts on intermediate outcomes (knowledge, income, agriculture/livelihoods, rights, empowerment) and nutrition outcomes (child feeding, woman's diet, woman and child anthropometry). Analyses were repeated on households with ≥1 SHG member.ResultsForty percent of women were SHG members and 50% were from households with ≥1 SHG member. Only 10% of women in NI blocks had heard of intervention content at endline. Knowledge improved in both NI and STD groups. There was a positive NI impact on knowledge of timely introduction of animal-sourced foods to children (P < 0.05) but not on other intermediate outcomes. No impacts were observed for anthropometry or diet indicators except child animal-source food consumption (P < 0.01). In households with ≥1 SHG member, there was a positive NI impact on child unhealthy food consumption (P < 0.05).ConclusionsLimited impacts could be due to limited exposure or skills of volunteers, and a concurrent national nutrition campaign. Our findings add to a growing literature on SHG-based BCC interventions and the conditions necessary for their success.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Despite availability of modern contraceptive methods and documented unmet need for family planning in Ghana, many women still report forgoing modern contraceptive use due to anticipated side effects. The goal of this study was to examine the use of modern family planning, in particular hormonal methods, in one district in rural Ghana, and to understand the role that side effects play in women's decisions to start or continue use. METHODS:This exploratory mixed-methods study included 281 surveys and 33 in-depth interviews of women 18-49?years old in the Amansie West District of Ghana between May and July 2018. The survey assessed contraceptive use and potential predictors of use. In-depth interviews examined the context around uptake and continuation of contraceptive use, with a particular focus on the role of perceived and experienced side effects. RESULTS:The prevalence of unmet need for modern family planning among sexually active women who wanted to avoid pregnancy (n?=?135) was 68.9%. No factors were found to be significantly different in comparing those with a met need and unmet for modern family planning. Qualitative interviews revealed significant concerns about side effects stemming from previous method experiences and/or rumors regarding short-term impacts and perceived long-term consequences of family planning use. Side effects mentioned include menstrual changes (heavier bleeding, amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea), infertility and childbirth complications. CONCLUSION:As programs have improved women's ability to access modern family planning, it is paramount to address patient-level barriers to uptake, in particular information about side effects and misconceptions about long-term use. Unintended pregnancies can be reduced through comprehensive counseling about contraceptive options including accurate information about side effects, and the development of new contraceptive technologies that meet women's needs in low-income countries.

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Measuring What Works: An Impact Evaluation of Women's Groups on Maternal Health Uptake in Rural Nepal.

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Measuring What Works: An Impact Evaluation of Women's Groups on Maternal Health Uptake in Rural Nepal.

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