Accelerating newborn survival in Ghana through a low-dose, high-frequency health worker training approach: a cluster randomized trial.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Gomez PP
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5863807 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Accelerating newborn survival in Ghana through a low-dose, high-frequency health worker training approach: a cluster randomized trial.
Gomez Patricia P PP Nelson Allyson R AR Asiedu Amos A Addo Etta E Agbodza Dora D Allen Chantelle C Appiagyei Martha M Bannerman Cynthia C Darko Patience P Duodu Julia J Effah Fred F Tappis Hannah H
BMC pregnancy and childbirth 20180322 1
<h4>Background</h4>Newborn deaths comprise nearly half of under-5 deaths in Ghana, despite the fact that skilled birth attendants (SBAs) are present at 68% of births, which implies that evidence-based care during labor, birth and the immediate postnatal period may be deficient. We assessed the effect of a low-dose, high-frequency (LDHF) training approach on long-term evidence-based skill retention among SBAs and impact on adverse birth outcomes.<h4>Methods</h4>From 2014 to 2017, we conducted a c ...[more]
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Project description:Background: The majority of newborn deaths occur during the first week of life, and 25‒45% occur within the first 24 hours. A low-dose, high-frequency (LDHF) training approach was introduced in 40 hospitals in Ghana to improve newborn survival. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore healthcare workers' experiences with the LDHF approach to in-service training. Methods: A total of 20 in-depth interviews and nine focus group discussions were conducted in 2016 in three regions of Ghana with healthcare workers who participated in implementation of the LDHF training approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 master mentors and peer practice coordinators; 51 practicing doctors, midwives and nurses participated in focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Results: Healthcare workers reflected on the differences between the LDHF approach and past learning experiences, highlighting how the skills-based team training approach, coupled with high-frequency practice and mobile mentoring, built their competency and confidence. As participants shared their experiences, they highlighted relationships established between Master Mentors and healthcare workers, and motivation stemming from pride in contributing to reductions in maternal and newborn deaths as critical factors in improving quality of care at participating health facilities. Conclusion: This nested qualitative study documents experiences of healthcare workers and mentors involved in implementation of a multi-faceted intervention that effectively improved maternal and newborn care at health facilities in Ghana. The way the intervention was implemented created an environment conducive to learning within the hospital setting, thus providing an opportunity for professional growth and quality improvement for all staff working in the maternity ward.
| S-EPMC6667826 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundBirth asphyxia kills 0.7 to 1.6 million newborns a year globally with 99% of deaths in developing countries. Effective newborn resuscitation could reduce this burden of disease but the training of health-care providers in low income settings is often outdated. Our aim was to determine if a simple one day newborn resuscitation training (NRT) alters health worker resuscitation practices in a public hospital setting in Kenya.Methods/principal findingsWe conducted a randomised, controlled trial with health workers receiving early training with NRT (n = 28) or late training (the control group, n = 55). The training was adapted locally from the approach of the UK Resuscitation Council. The primary outcome was the proportion of appropriate initial resuscitation steps with the frequency of inappropriate practices as a secondary outcome. Data were collected on 97 and 115 resuscitation episodes over 7 weeks after early training in the intervention and control groups respectively. Trained providers demonstrated a higher proportion of adequate initial resuscitation steps compared to the control group (trained 66% vs control 27%; risk ratio 2.45, [95% CI 1.75-3.42], p<0.001, adjusted for clustering). In addition, there was a statistically significant reduction in the frequency of inappropriate and potentially harmful practices per resuscitation in the trained group (trained 0.53 vs control 0.92; mean difference 0.40, [95% CI 0.13-0.66], p = 0.004).Conclusions/significanceImplementation of a simple, one day newborn resuscitation training can be followed immediately by significant improvement in health workers' practices. However, evidence of the effects on long term performance or clinical outcomes can only be established by larger cluster randomised trials.Trial registrationControlled-Trials.com ISRCTN92218092.
| S-EPMC2229665 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Sickle cell disease (SCD), sickle cell trait (SCT) and related conditions are highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the public health implications, there is limited understanding of the unique needs regarding establishing and implementing extensive screening for newborns and appropriate family counseling. We sought to gain understanding of community attitudes and beliefs about SCD/SCT from counselors and potential counselors in Ghana; obtain their input about goals for counseling following newborn screening; and obtain guidance about developing effective counselor education. Five focus groups with 32 health care providers and health educators from 9 of 10 regions in Ghana were conducted by trained facilitators according to a structured protocol. Qualitative data were coded and categorized to reflect common themes. Saturation was achieved in themes related to genetics/inheritance; common complications of SCD; potential for stigmatization; marital strain; and emotional stress. Misconceptions about SCT as a form of SCD were prevalent as were cultural and spiritual beliefs about the causes of SCD/SCT. Potential positive aspects included affected children's academic achievement as compensation for physical limitations, and family cohesion. This data informed recommendations for content and structure of a counselor training program that was provided to the Ministry of Health in Ghana.
| S-EPMC4501216 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAlthough most births in Mali occur in health facilities, a substantial number of newborns still die during delivery and within the first 7 days of life, mainly because of existing training deficiencies and the challenges of maintaining intrapartum and postpartum care skills.ObjectiveThis trial aims to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an intervention combining clinical audits and low-dose, high-frequency (LDHF) in-service training of health care providers and community health workers to reduce perinatal mortality.MethodsThe study is a three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial in the Koulikoro region in Mali. The units of randomization are each of 84 primary care facilities. Each trial arm will include 28 facilities. The facilities in the first intervention arm will receive support in implementing mortality and morbidity audits, followed by one-day LDHF training biweekly, for 6 months. The health workers in the second intervention arm (28 facilities) will receive a refresher course in maternal neonatal and child health (MNCH) for 10 days in a classroom setting, in addition to mortality and morbidity audits and LDHF hands-on training for 6 months. The control arm, also with 28 facilities, will consist solely of the standard MNCH refresher training delivered in a classroom setting. The main outcomes are perinatal deaths in the intervention arms compared with those in the control arm. A final sample of approximately 600 deliveries per cluster was expected for a total of 30,000 newborns over 14 months. Data sources included both routine health records and follow-up household surveys of all women who recently gave birth in the study facility 7 days postdelivery. Data collection tools will capture perinatal deaths, complications, and adverse events, as well as the status of the newborn during the perinatal period. A full economic evaluation will be conducted to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness of each of the case-based focused LDHF hands-on training strategies in comparison to MNCH refresher training in a classroom setting.ResultsThe trial is complete. The recruitment began on July 15, 2019, and data collection began on July 23, 2019, and was completed in November 2020. Data cleaning or analyses began at the time of submission of the protocol.ConclusionsThe results will provide policy makers and practitioners with crucial information on the impact of different health care provider training modalities on maternal and newborn health outcomes and how to successfully implement these strategies in resource-limited settings.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03656237; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03656237.International registered report identifier (irrid)DERR1-10.2196/28644.
| S-EPMC8709918 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundEvery year, 2·9 million newborn babies die worldwide. A meta-analysis of four cluster-randomised controlled trials estimated that home visits by trained community members in programme settings in Ghana and south Asia reduced neonatal mortality by 12% (95% CI 5-18). We aimed to estimate the costs and cost-effectiveness of newborn home visits in a programme setting.MethodsWe prospectively collected detailed cost data alongside the Newhints trial, which tested the effect of a home-visits intervention in seven districts in rural Ghana and showed a reduction of 8% (95% CI -12 to 25%) in neonatal mortality. The intervention consisted of a package of home visits to pregnant women and their babies in the first week of life by community-based surveillance volunteers. We calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) with Monte Carlo simulation and one-way sensitivity analyses and characterised uncertainty with cost-effectiveness planes and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. We then modelled the potential cost-effectiveness for baseline neonatal mortality rates of 20-60 deaths per 1000 livebirths with use of a meta-analysis of effectiveness estimates.FindingsIn the 49 zones randomly allocated to receive the Newhints intervention, a mean of 407 (SD 18) community-based surveillance volunteers undertook home visits for 7848 pregnant women who gave birth to 7786 live babies in 2009. Annual economic cost of implementation was US$203 998, or $0·53 per person. In the base-case analysis, the Newhints intervention cost a mean of $10 343 (95% CI 2963 to -7674) per newborn life saved, or $352 (95% CI 104 to -268) per discounted life-year saved, and had a 72% chance of being highly cost effective with respect to Ghana's 2009 gross domestic product per person. Key determinants of cost-effectiveness were the discount rate, protective effectiveness, baseline neonatal mortality rate, and implementation costs. In the scenarios modelled with the meta-analysis results, the ICER increased from $127 per life-year saved at a neonatal mortality rate of 60 deaths per 1000 livebirths, to $379 per life-year saved at a rate of 20 deaths per 1000 livebirths. The strategy had at least a 99% probability of being highly cost effective for lower-middle-income countries in all neonatal mortality rate scenarios modelled, and at least a 95% probability of being highly cost effective for low-income countries at neonatal mortality rates of 30 or more deaths per 1000 livebirths.InterpretationOur findings show that the seemingly modest mortality reductions achieved by a newborn home-visit strategy might in fact be cost effective. In Ghana, such strategies are also likely to be affordable. Our findings support recommendations from WHO and UNICEF that low-income and middle-income countries implement newborn home visits.FundingThe Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Department for International Development, WHO.
| S-EPMC5357735 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAlthough training and education have long been accepted as integral to disaster preparedness, many currently taught practices are neither evidence-based nor standardized. The need for effective evidence-based disaster training of healthcare staff at all levels, including the development of standards and guidelines for training in the multi-disciplinary health response to major events, has been designated by the disaster response community as a high priority. We describe the application of systematic evidence-based consensus building methods to derive educational competencies and objectives in criteria-based preparedness and response relevant to all hospital healthcare workers.MethodsThe conceptual development of cross-cutting competencies incorporated current evidence through a systematic consensus building process with the following steps: (1) review of peer-reviewed literature on relevant content areas and educational theory; (2) structured review of existing competencies, national level courses and published training objectives; (3) synthesis of new cross-cutting competencies; (4) expert panel review; (5) refinement of new competencies and; (6) development of testable terminal objectives for each competency using similar processes covering requisite knowledge, attitudes, and skills.ResultsSeven cross-cutting competencies were developed: (1) Recognize a potential critical event and implement initial actions; (2) Apply the principles of critical event management; (3) Demonstrate critical event safety principles; (4) Understand the institutional emergency operations plan; (5) Demonstrate effective critical event communications; (6) Understand the incident command system and your role in it; (7) Demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to fulfill your role during a critical event. For each of the cross-cutting competencies, comprehensive terminal objectives are described.ConclusionCross-cutting competencies and objectives developed through a systematic evidence-based consensus building approach may serve as a foundation for future hospital healthcare worker training and education in disaster preparedness and response.
| S-EPMC1471784 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionType 2 diabetes mellitus is responsible for high mortality and morbidity globally and in India. India has high prevalence of the condition and the burden is set to increase exponentially in the next decade. Indians traditionally reside in rural or semi-urban areas with limited access to healthcare facilities. To overcome this, the government has introduced a cadre of health workers called Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) for such areas. These workers were initially trained to provide maternal & infant care but now need improved competence training to improve type 2 diabetes screening & management in these locations. The objective of the study is to assess the competence training provided to ASHA workers at the chosen study sites.MethodologyA cluster randomized control trial has been designed. It will be conducted across 8 centers in Hyderabad & Rangareddy districts of Telangana, India. The training will be provided to ASHA workers. The tool used for training will be developed from existing sources with an emphasis on topics which require training. The training will be delivered across 6 months at each center as a classroom training. Each participant's baseline competence will be recorded using a questionnaire tool and a practical evaluation by trained public health experts. The same experts will use the same tools to assess the training post the intervention.DiscussionThis trial will evaluate the use of health worker training as a tool for improving the clinical competence in relation to type 2 diabetes mellitus. We anticipate that the module will provide a greater understanding of type 2 diabetes mellitus, the importance of screening of both disease and complications and improved skills for the same. The study has received the ethical approval form the Institutional Ethics Committee of the Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad. The registration number is: IIPHH/TRCIEC/218/2020. The trial has also been registered under the Clinical trial registry of India (CTRI) on 27 July 2020. The registration number of the trial is: CTRI/2020/07/026828. The URL of the registry trial is: http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/showallp.php?mid1=45342&EncHid=&userName=CTRI/2020/07/026828.
| S-EPMC7598789 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Importance:Although hand hygiene (HH) is considered the most effective strategy for preventing hospital-acquired infections, HH adherence rates remain poor. Objective:To examine whether the frequency of changing reminder signs affects HH adherence among health care workers. Design, Setting, and Participants:This cluster randomized clinical trial in 9 US Department of Veterans Affairs acute care hospitals randomly assigned 58 inpatient units to 1 of 3 schedules for changing signs designed to promote HH adherence among health care workers: (1) no change; (2) weekly; and (3) monthly. Hand hygiene rates among health care workers were documented at entry and exit to patient rooms during the baseline period from October 1, 2014, to March 31, 2015, of normal signage and throughout the intervention period of June 8, 2015, to December 28, 2015. Data analyses were conducted in April 2018. Interventions:Hospital units were randomly assigned into 3 groups: (1) no sign changes throughout the intervention period, (2) signs changed weekly, and (3) signs changed monthly. Main Outcomes and Measures:Hand hygiene adherence as measured by covert observation. Interrupted time series analysis was used to examine changes in HH adherence from baseline through the intervention period by group. Results:Among 58 inpatient units, 19 units were assigned to the no change group, 19 units were assigned to the weekly change group, and 20 units were assigned to the monthly change group. During the baseline period, 9755 HH opportunities were observed at room entry and 10?095 HH opportunities were observed at room exit. During the intervention period, a total of 15?855 HH opportunities were observed at room entry, and 16?360 HH opportunities were observed at room exit. Overall HH adherence did not change from baseline compared with the intervention period at either room entry (4770 HH events [48.9%] vs 3057 HH events [50.1%]; P?=?.14) or exit (6439 HH events [63.8%] vs 4087 HH events [65.2%]; P?=?.06). In units that changed signs weekly, HH adherence declined from baseline at room entry (-1.9% [95% CI, -2.7% to -0.8%] per week; P?<?.001) and exit (-0.8% [95% CI, -1.5% to 0.1%] per week; P?=?.02). No significant changes in HH adherence were observed in other groups. Conclusions and Relevance:The frequency of changing reminder signs had no effect on HH rates overall. Units assigned to change signs most frequently demonstrated worsening adherence. Considering the abundance of signs in the acute care environment, the frequency of changing signs did not appear to provide a strong enough cue by itself to promote behavioral change. Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02223455.
| S-EPMC6820039 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We used a cluster-randomized field trial to evaluate training natural leaders (NLs) as an addition to a community-led total sanitation (CLTS) intervention in Ghana. NLs are motivated community members who influence their peers' behaviors during CLTS. The outcomes were latrine use and quality, which were assessed from surveys and direct observation. From October 2012, Plan International Ghana (Plan) implemented CLTS in 60 villages in three regions in Ghana. After 5 months, Plan trained eight NLs from a randomly selected half of the villages, then continued implementing CLTS in all villages for 12 more months. The NL training led to increased time spent on CLTS by community members, increased latrine construction, and a 19.9 percentage point reduction in open defecation (p < 0.001). The training had the largest impact in small, remote villages with low exposure to prior water and sanitation projects, and may be most effective in socially cohesive villages. For both interventions, latrines built during CLTS were less likely to be constructed of durable materials than pre-existing latrines, but were equally clean, and more often had handwashing materials. CLTS with NL training contributes to three parts of Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals: eliminating open defecation, expanding capacity-building, and strengthening community participation.
| S-EPMC4989246 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of a continuum-of-care intervention package on adequate contacts of women and newborn with healthcare providers and their reception of high-quality care.DesignCluster randomised controlled trial.Setting32 subdistricts in 3 rural sites in Ghana.ParticipantsThe baseline survey involved 1480 women who delivered before the trial, and the follow-up survey involved 1490 women who received maternal and newborn care during the trial.InterventionsThe intervention package included training healthcare providers, using an educational and recording tool named 'continuum-of-care card', providing the first postnatal care (PNC) by retaining women and newborns at healthcare facility or home visit by healthcare providers.Outcome measuresAdequate contacts were defined as at least four contacts during pregnancy, delivery with assistance of skilled healthcare providers at a healthcare facility and three timely contacts within 6 weeks postpartum. High-quality care was defined as receiving 6 care items for antenatal care (ANC), 3 for peripartum care (PPC) and 14 for PNC.ResultsThe difference-in-difference method was used to assess the effects of the intervention on the study outcome. The percentage of adequate contacts with high-quality care in the intervention group in the follow-up survey and the adjusted difference-in-difference estimators were 12.6% and 2.2 (p=0.61) at ANC, 31.5% and 1.9 (p=0.73) at PPC and 33.7% and 12.3 (p=0.13) at PNC in the intention-to-treat design, whereas 13.0% and 2.8 (p=0.54) at ANC, 34.2% and 2.7 (p=0.66) at PPC and 38.1% and 18.1 (p=0.02) at PNC in the per-protocol design that assigned the study sample by possession of the continuum-of-care card.ConclusionsThe interventions improved contacts with healthcare providers and quality of care during PNC. However, having adequate contact did not guarantee high-quality care. Maternal and newborn care in Ghana needs to improve its continuity and quality.Trial registration numberISRCTN90618993. .
| S-EPMC6738678 | biostudies-literature