Is women's empowerment associated with coverage of RMNCH interventions in low- and middle-income countries? An analysis using a survey-based empowerment indicator, the SWPER.
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ABSTRACT: Background
Women's empowerment has a strong potential to promote sustainable development. We evaluate the association between women's empowerment and the Composite Coverage Index (CCI), a weighted average of coverage of eight interventions in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH). We also assess whether these effects are modified by wealth.Methods
We used Demographic and Health Survey data from 62 low- and middle-income countries. Women's empowerment was measured using the three domains (attitude to violence, social independence and decision making) of the survey-based indicator of women's empowerment (SWPER). Analyses followed an ecological design. Meta-regression models were used to account for within-country uncertainty in the CCI. We also carried out meta-regression with wealth quintiles of households as the units of analyses and tested for interaction between wealth and each empowerment domain.Results
We found positive associations between the three domains of SWPER and CCI at the country level. One standard deviation change in empowerment increased the CCI by 14.2 percentage points (attitude to violence), 15.3 percentage points (decision-making), and 16.3 percentage points (social independence). The association between social independence and CCI was modified by wealth: each additional standard deviation was associated with 21.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 14.0-29.6) and 8.7 (95% CI = 5.4-12.0) percentage points increase in the CCI among the poorest and the richest quintiles, respectively.Conclusions
Our findings suggest that efforts toward the achievement of SDG5 (Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) may support improvements in RMNCH in low- and middle-income countries, especially among the poorest women and children.
SUBMITTER: Ewerling F
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7979155 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Background In 2017, a survey-based women's empowerment index (SWPER) was proposed for African countries, including three domains: social independence, decision making and attitude to violence. External validity and predictive value of the SWPER has been demonstrated in terms of coverage of maternal and child interventions and use of modern contraception. To determine its value for global monitoring, we explored the applicability of the SWPER in national health surveys from low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) in other world regions.MethodsWe used data from the latest Demographic and Health Survey for 62 LMICs since 2000. 14 pre-selected questions (items) were considered during the validation process. Content adaptations included the exclusion of women's working status and recategorization of the decision-making related items. We compared the loading patterns obtained from principal components analysis performed for each country separately with those obtained in a pooled data set with all countries combined. Country rankings based on the score of each SWPER domain were correlated with their rankings in the Gender Development Index (GDI) and the Gender Inequality Index (GII) for external validation.ResultsConsistency regarding item loadings for the three SWPER empowerment domains was observed for most countries. Correlations between the scores generated for each country and global score obtained from the combined data were 0.89 or higher for all countries. Correlations between the country rankings according to SWPER and GDI were, respectively, 0.74, 0.72 and 0.67 for social independence, decision-making, and attitude to violence domains. The correlations were equal to 0.81, 0.67, and 0.44, respectively, with GII.ConclusionsThe indicator we propose, named SWPER Global, is a suitable common measure of women's empowerment for LMICs, addressing the need for a single consistent survey-based indicator of women´s empowerment that allows for tracking of progress over time and across countries at the individual and country levels.
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Project description:Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims to ensure access to water and sanitation for all, and target 6.2 emphasizes "paying special attention to the needs of women and girls". Research documenting how water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions impact women's and girls' lives is growing. However, no rigorously validated survey instruments exist for measuring empowerment within the WASH sector. The objective of our study was to develop and validate survey instruments to measure sub-domains of women's empowerment in relation to sanitation in urban areas of low- and middle-income countries. We followed a multi-phased, theory-informed approach that included factor analysis and item response theory methods, as well as reliability and validity testing, to analyze cross-sectional data collected from women in two cities: Tiruchirappalli, India (N = 996) and Kampala, Uganda (N = 1,024). Through rigorous evaluation of conceptually grounded question (item) sets, we identify a set of valid, comprehensive scales. The Agency, Resources, and Institutional Structures for Sanitation-related Empowerment (ARISE) scales represent 16 sub-domains of sanitation-related empowerment, each of which can be used alone or in combination with others, as needed. The ARISE scales are the only set of psychometrically validated metrics for the measurement of women's empowerment in WASH. In addition to the scales, we provide six indices to assess women's direct experiences with sub-domains of sanitation-related empowerment, as well as validated item sets related to menstruation, which are available as optional add-on measures for those who menstruate. The ARISE scales and associated survey modules respond to an established need for an increased focus on empowerment in WASH. We provide researchers and implementers with tools to measure sub-constructs of empowerment in a valid and reliable way, to generate data for better targeting, design, implementation, and evaluation of strategies to improve women's empowerment in the context of urban sanitation at the program and policy level.
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Project description:BackgroundVirtually all low- and middle-income countries are dependent on the World Health Organization's Expanded Program on Immunization for delivery of vaccines to children. The Expanded Program on Immunization delivers routine immunization services from health facilities free of charge. Understanding interventions for improving immunization coverage remains key in achieving universal childhood immunization.MethodsWe will conduct a systematic review that aims to assess the effectiveness of the full range of potential interventions to improve routine immunization coverage in children in low- and middle-income countries. We will include intervention studies, as well as observational studies. We will search the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, electronic databases for eligible studies published by 31 August 2013. At least two authors will independently screen search outputs, select studies, extract data and assess the risk of bias (using separate criteria for interventions and observational studies); resolving any disagreements by discussion and consensus. The use of logic models and the Cochrane Complexity Matrix will be explored in order to better understand and contextualize studies. We will express the result of each study as a risk ratio with its corresponding 95% confidence intervals for dichotomous data, or mean difference with its standard deviation for continuous data. We will conduct meta-analysis for the same type of participants, interventions, study designs, and outcome measures where homogeneity of data allows. Use of harvest plots may be explored as an alternative. Heterogeneity will be assessed using the ?² test of heterogeneity, and quantified using the I2 statistic. This protocol has not been registered with PROSPERO.DiscussionThis review will allow us to document evidence across a broad range of intervention types for improving routine immunization coverage in children and also distinguish between those that are well supported by evidence (to direct policy recommendations) and those that are not well supported (to direct research agenda).
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Project description:BACKGROUND:In recent years, several large studies have assessed the costs of national infant immunization programs, and the results of these studies are used to support planning and budgeting in low- and middle-income countries. However, few studies have addressed the costs and cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve immunization coverage, despite this being a major focus of policy attention. Without this information, countries and international stakeholders have little objective evidence on the efficiency of competing interventions for improving coverage. METHODS:We conducted a systematic literature review on the costs and cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve immunization coverage in low- and middle-income countries, including both published and unpublished reports. We evaluated the quality of included studies and extracted data on costs and incremental coverage. Where possible, we calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) to describe the efficiency of each intervention in increasing coverage. RESULTS:A total of 14 out of 41 full text articles reviewed met criteria for inclusion in the final review. Interventions for increasing immunization coverage included demand generation, modified delivery approaches, cash transfer programs, health systems strengthening, and novel technology usage. We observed substantial heterogeneity in costing methods and incompleteness of cost and coverage reporting. Most studies reported increases in coverage following the interventions, with coverage increasing by an average of 23 percentage points post-intervention across studies. ICERs ranged from $0.66 to $161.95 per child vaccinated in 2017 USD. We did not conduct a meta-analysis given the small number of estimates and variety of interventions included. CONCLUSIONS:There is little quantitative evidence on the costs and cost-effectiveness of interventions for improving immunization coverage, despite this being a major objective for national immunization programs. Efforts to improve the level of costing evidence-such as by integrating cost analysis within implementation studies and trials of immunization scale up-could allow programs to better allocate resources for coverage improvement. Greater adoption of standardized cost reporting methods would also enable the synthesis and use of cost data.
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Project description:BackgroundApproximately 3 million neonatal deaths occur each year worldwide. Simple interventions have been tested and found to be effective in reducing the neonatal mortality. In order to effectively implement public health interventions, it is important to know the rates of neonatal mortality and understand the contributing risk factors. Hence, this prospective, population-based, observational study was carried out to inform these needs.MethodsThe Global Network's Maternal Newborn Health Registry was initiated in the seven sites in 2008. Registry administrators (RAs) attempt to identify and enroll all eligible women by 20 weeks gestation and collect basic health data, and outcomes after delivery and at 6 weeks post-partum. All study data were collected, reviewed, and edited by staff at each study site. The study was reviewed and approved by each sites' ethics review committee.ResultsOverall, the 7-day neonatal mortality rate (NMR) was 20.6 per 1000 live births and the 28-day NMR was 25.7 per 1000 live births. Higher neonatal mortality was associated with maternal age > 35 and <20 years relative to women 20-35 years of age. Preterm births were at increased risk of both early and 28-day neonatal mortality (RR 8.1, 95% CI 7.5-8.8 and 7.5, 95% CI 6.9-8.1) compared to term as were those with low birth weight (<2500g). Neonatal resuscitation rates were 4.8% for hospital deliveries compared to 0.9% for home births. In the hospital, 26.5% of deliveries were by cesarean section with an overall cesarean section rate of 12.5%. Neonatal mortality rates were highest in the Pakistan site and lowest in Argentina.ConclusionsUsing prospectively collected data with high follow up rates (99%), we documented characteristics associated with neonatal mortality. Low birth weight and prematurity are among the strongest predictors of neonatal mortality. Other risk factors for neonatal deaths included male gender, multiple gestation and major congenital anomalies. Breech presentation/transverse lie, and no antenatal care were also significant risk factors for neonatal death. Coverage of interventions varied by setting of delivery, with the overall population rate of most evidence-based interventions low. This study informs about risk factors for neonatal mortality which can serve to design strategies/interventions to reduce risk of neonatal mortality.Trial registrationThe trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov. ClinicalTrial.govTrial registrationNCT01073475.
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Project description:BackgroundEvidence suggests that gender-integrated interventions, which actively seek to identify and integrate activities that address the role of gender norms and dynamics, improve family planning (FP) and maternal health (MH). To understand the link between the gender components of interventions and FP and MH outcomes, it is critical to examine the gender measures used in evaluations.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of evaluations of gender-integrated FP and MH interventions in low- and middle-income countries. We examine characteristics of the interventions and their evaluations, and summarize women's empowerment and related gender measures.ResultsOut of 16 evaluation articles, five reported the theoretical or conceptual model that guided the intervention. Twelve described how gender was quantitatively measured and identified 13 women's empowerment and related gender constructs. Gender scales or indexes were used in five evaluations, three of which noted that their scales had been validated. Less than one third of articles reported examining the effect of gender on FP or MH.ConclusionsEvaluations of gender-integrated FP and MH interventions do not consistently describe how gender influences FP and MH outcomes or include validated gender measures within their studies. As a result, examining the pathways through which interventions empower women and the manner in which women's empowerment leads to changes in FP and MH outcomes remains a challenge. Valid measures of commonly reported women's empowerment and gender constructs, such as gender-equitable attitudes and women's decision-making power, must be adapted and used within evaluations to examine how empowerment and improvements in gender-related factors can produce positive FP and MH outcomes.
| S-EPMC5688455 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Empowerment is acknowledged as a process facilitating those who are less powerful to be engaged in their problem identification, decision making and actions to gain control over their life. This is an important goal for women during the perinatal period in their transition to motherhood. A concept analysis of women's empowerment during the perinatal period found that psychological and social dimensions play a role in women's perinatal empowerment and identified several defining attributes. The aim of this study was to identify robust validated instruments that measure all the attributes of women's empowerment during the perinatal period. We did a scoping review of scientific literature following the methodology of the JBI Reviewer's Manual. We searched the database MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES and SocINDEX and selected papers meeting the inclusion criteria. Instruments measuring empowerment or related concepts were identified in the selected papers. Two authors independently cross referenced the items of each instrument against the defining attributes for empowerment. Our search resulted in 9771 unique hits of which 36 papers were finally included. Studies were from various countries with a wide variety of aims, demographics of cohorts and timepoints across the perinatal period. Twenty-one different instruments were used to measure empowerment, of which 11 were validated among women during the perinatal period. However, no identified instrument was developed specifically for women during the perinatal period or included all the dimensions of empowerment and the defining attributes. There is a need for a theoretically sound valid and reliable instrument measuring all the dimensions of empowerment of women during the perinatal period. Once developed this instrument needs testing with a broad range of women. Results from such a study will inform the development of appropriate interventions that have a coherent theoretical basis and are empirically informed to enhance women's empowerment during the perinatal period.
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Project description:BackgroundOral rehydration solution (ORS) is a form of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for diarrhoea that has the potential to drastically reduce child mortality; yet, according to UNICEF estimates, less than half of children younger than 5 years with diarrhoea in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) received ORS in 2016. A variety of recommended home fluids (RHF) exist as alternative forms of ORT; however, it is unclear whether RHF prevent child mortality. Previous studies have shown considerable variation between countries in ORS and RHF use, but subnational variation is unknown. This study aims to produce high-resolution geospatial estimates of relative and absolute coverage of ORS, RHF, and ORT (use of either ORS or RHF) in LMICs.MethodsWe used a Bayesian geostatistical model including 15 spatial covariates and data from 385 household surveys across 94 LMICs to estimate annual proportions of children younger than 5 years of age with diarrhoea who received ORS or RHF (or both) on continuous continent-wide surfaces in 2000-17, and aggregated results to policy-relevant administrative units. Additionally, we analysed geographical inequality in coverage across administrative units and estimated the number of diarrhoeal deaths averted by increased coverage over the study period. Uncertainty in the mean coverage estimates was calculated by taking 250 draws from the posterior joint distribution of the model and creating uncertainty intervals (UIs) with the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles of those 250 draws.FindingsWhile ORS use among children with diarrhoea increased in some countries from 2000 to 2017, coverage remained below 50% in the majority (62·6%; 12 417 of 19 823) of second administrative-level units and an estimated 6 519 000 children (95% UI 5 254 000-7 733 000) with diarrhoea were not treated with any form of ORT in 2017. Increases in ORS use corresponded with declines in RHF in many locations, resulting in relatively constant overall ORT coverage from 2000 to 2017. Although ORS was uniformly distributed subnationally in some countries, within-country geographical inequalities persisted in others; 11 countries had at least a 50% difference in one of their units compared with the country mean. Increases in ORS use over time were correlated with declines in RHF use and in diarrhoeal mortality in many locations, and an estimated 52 230 diarrhoeal deaths (36 910-68 860) were averted by scaling up of ORS coverage between 2000 and 2017. Finally, we identified key subnational areas in Colombia, Nigeria, and Sudan as examples of where diarrhoeal mortality remains higher than average, while ORS coverage remains lower than average.InterpretationTo our knowledge, this study is the first to produce and map subnational estimates of ORS, RHF, and ORT coverage and attributable child diarrhoeal deaths across LMICs from 2000 to 2017, allowing for tracking progress over time. Our novel results, combined with detailed subnational estimates of diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality, can support subnational needs assessments aimed at furthering policy makers' understanding of within-country disparities. Over 50 years after the discovery that led to this simple, cheap, and life-saving therapy, large gains in reducing mortality could still be made by reducing geographical inequalities in ORS coverage.FundingBill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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