Measuring facility readiness to provide childbirth care: a comparison of indices using data from a health facility survey in Ethiopia

BackgroundActionable information about the readiness of health facilities is needed to inform quality improvement efforts in maternity care, but there is no consensus on the best approach to measure readiness. Many countries use the WHO’s Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) or the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Programme’s Service Provision Assessment to measure facility readiness. This study compares measures of childbirth service readiness based on SARA and DHS guidance to an index based on WHO’s quality of maternal and newborn care standards.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data from Performance Monitoring for Action Ethiopia’s 2019 survey of 406 health facilities providing childbirth services. We calculated childbirth service readiness scores using items based on SARA, DHS and WHO standards. For each, we used three aggregation methods for generating indices: simple addition, domain-weighted addition and principal components analysis. We compared central tendency, spread and item variation between the readiness indices; concordance between health facility scores and rankings; and correlations between readiness scores and delivery volume.ResultsIndices showed moderate agreement with one another, and all had a small but significant positive correlation with monthly delivery volume. Ties were more frequent for indices with fewer items. More than two-thirds of items in the relatively shorter SARA and DHS indices were widely (>90%) available in hospitals, and half of the SARA items were widely (>90%) available in health centres/clinics. Items based on the WHO standards showed greater variation and captured unique aspects of readiness (eg, quality improvement processes, actionable information systems) not included in either the SARA or DHS indices.ConclusionSARA and DHS indices rely on a small set of widely available items to assess facility readiness to provide childbirth care. Expanded selection of items based on the WHO standards can better differentiate between levels of service readiness.

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Health facility structure and maternal characteristics related to essential newborn care in Brazil: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021431 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. e021431 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Maria Alexsandra Silva Menezes ◽

Ricardo Gurgel ◽

Sonia Duarte Azevedo Bittencourt ◽

Vanessa Eufrazino Pacheco ◽

Rosana Cipolotti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Facility ◽

Breast Feeding ◽

Perinatal Care ◽

Newborn Care ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Essential Newborn Care ◽

Skin Contact ◽

Postnatal Women ◽

Skin To Skin

ObjectivesTo assess the use of the WHO’s Essential Newborn Care (ENC) programme items and to investigate how the non-use of such technologies associates with the mothers' characteristics and hospital structure.DesignA cross-sectional observational health facility assessment.SettingThis is a secondary analysis of the ‘Birth in Brazil’ study, a national population-based survey on postnatal women/newborn babies and of 266 publicly and privately funded health facilities (secondary and tertiary level of care).ParticipantsData on 23 894 postnatal women and their newborn babies were analysed.Main outcome measuresThe facility structure was assessed by evaluating the availability of medicines and equipment for perinatal care, a paediatrician on call 24/7, a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and kangaroo mother care. The use of each ENC item was assessed according to the health facility structure and the mothers’ sociodemographic characteristics.ResultsThe utilisation of ENC items is low in Brazil. The factors associated with failure in pregnant woman reference were: pregnant adolescents (ORadj1.17; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.29), ≤7 years of schooling (ORadj1.47; 95% CI 1.22 to 1.78), inadequate antenatal care (ORadj1.67; 95% CI 1.47 to 1.89). The non-use of corticosteroids was more frequently associated with the absence of an NICU (ORadj3.93; 95% CI 2.34 to 6,66), inadequate equipment and medicines (ORadj2.16; 95% CI 1.17 to 4.01). In caesarean deliveries, there was a less frequent use of a partograph (ORadj4,93; 95% CI 3.77 to 6.46), early skin-to-skin contact (ORadj3.07; 95% CI 3.37 to 4.90) and breast feeding in the first hour after birth (ORadj2.55; 95% CI 2.21 to 2.96).ConclusionsThe coverage of ENC technologies use is low throughout Brazil and shows regional differences. We found a positive effect of adequate structure at health facilities on antenatal corticosteroids use and on partograph use during labour. We found a negative effect of caesarean section on early skin-to-skin contact and early breast feeding.

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Availability and readiness to provide sexually transmitted infections and HIV testing and counselling services in Nepal: evidence from comprehensive health facility survey

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040918 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. e040918

Author(s):

Kiran Acharya ◽

Rajshree Thapa ◽

Navaraj Bhattarai ◽

Kiran Bam ◽

Bhagawan Shrestha

Keyword(s):

Quality Assurance ◽

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Health Facility ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Health Facility Survey ◽

Service Readiness ◽

Hiv Testing And Counselling ◽

Facility Survey ◽

Facility Readiness

ObjectiveWe assessed the availability and readiness of health facilities to provide sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV testing and counselling (HTC) services in Nepal.DesignThis was a cross-sectional study.SettingWe used data from the most recent nationally representative Nepal Health Facility Survey (NHFS) 2015. A total of 963 health facilities were surveyed with 97% response rate.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome of this study was to assess the availability and readiness of health facilities to provide STI and HTC services using the WHO Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) manual.ResultsNearly three-fourths (73.8%) and less than one-tenth (5.9%) of health facilities reported providing STI and HTC services, respectively. The mean readiness score of STI and HTC services was 26.2% and 68.9%, respectively. The readiness scores varied significantly according to the managing authority (private vs public) for both STI and HTC services. Interestingly, health facilities with external supervision had better service readiness scores for STI services that were almost four points higher than compared with those facilities with no external supervision. Regarding HTC services, service readiness was lower at private hospitals (32.9 points lower) compared to government hospitals. Unlike STI services, the readiness of facilities to provide HTC services was higher (4.8 point higher) at facilities which performed quality assurance.ConclusionThe facility readiness for HTC service is higher than that for STI services. There are persistent gaps in staff, guidelines and medicine and commodities across both services. Government of Nepal should focus on ensuring constant supervision and quality assurance, as these were among the determining factors for facility readiness.

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65 Mama na Mtoto: Health Outcome Achievements Following Implementation of Comprehensive Maternal Newborn Programming in Rural Tanzania

Paediatrics & Child Health ◽

10.1093/pch/pxaa068.064 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. e27-e27

Author(s):

Jennifer L Brenner ◽

Dismas Matovelo ◽

Boniphace Maendaelo ◽

Wemaeli Mweteni ◽

Nalini Singhal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Outcomes ◽

Health Facility ◽

Postnatal Care ◽

Health Workers ◽

Scale Up ◽

Newborn Care ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Essential Newborn Care ◽

Facility Readiness

Abstract Introduction/Background Preventable deaths in pregnant women and newborns remain unacceptably high in East Africa. Limited antenatal, delivery and postnatal care-seeking combined with service delivery gaps at government facilities contribute to high mortality. Between 2016-2019, partners from Tanzania, Uganda, and Canada jointly developed, implemented, and evaluated a comprehensive, district-wide maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) ‘package’ in Lake Zone, Tanzania. Known locally as ‘Mama na Mtoto’, the scale-up programming involved training and capacity building for district managers, health facility staff and a network of volunteer community health workers selected by their own communities. Objectives To quantitatively assess changes in MNCH health outcomes following the Mama na Mtoto intervention. Design/Methods MNCH household-level care-seeking outcomes were assessed using a pre/post coverage survey adapted from the Demographic Health Survey. Households and women (15-49 years), selected through cluster sampling (cluster unit=hamlet), were surveyed by local, trained research assistants using tablet-based surveys. MNCH service outcomes were assessed at all government health facilities using a comprehensive pre/post cross-sectional audit tool; key measures included staff, equipment, infrastructure, supplies, and medication availability. Descriptive statistics for antenatal care (ANC), health facility delivery (HFD), and postnatal care (PNC)-related indicators were analyzed pre- and post-intervention using R software. Composite health facility ‘Readiness Scores’ were calculated through tallies of relevant itemized facility-based measures for each core MNCH service area across the district. Absolute percentage differences, confidence intervals and design effect are presented where relevant. Results In total, 1,977 households, 2,438 women, and 45 health facilities were surveyed pre-intervention and 1,835 homes, 2,073 women, and 49 health facilities were surveyed post. Care-seeking indicators with statistically significant changes were ANC 4+ (+11%), ANC <12 weeks (+7%), HFD (+17%), and PNC for mothers (+9%); PNC for babies was not significant. Increases in composite MNCH Service Readiness Scores were as follows: ANC +24%, essential newborn care +42%, newborn resuscitation +37%, and labour and delivery +27%. Conclusion The comprehensive MnM package was associated with important improvements in the demand (care-seeking) and service (facility readiness) health outcomes. Attribution is complicated by an uncontrolled health system and lack of district controls; however, the extensive scope, reach, and positive changes are promising and consistent with sustained Ugandan experiences. Best practice documentation is critical to facilitate scale-up and progress acceleration of MNCH programs in Tanzanian and East African settings.

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Newborn Service Readiness of Primary Level Health Facilities of Eastern Mountain Region of Nepal

Journal of Nepal Health Research Council ◽

10.33314/jnhrc.v17i4.2119 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 431-436

Author(s):

Ambika Thapa Pachya ◽

Uttam Pachya ◽

Mona Giri ◽

Sujata Shakya ◽

Anita Mahotra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Facility ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Skilled Birth Attendance ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Mountain Region ◽

Birth Attendance ◽

Service Readiness ◽

Facility Readiness ◽

Health Facility Readiness

Background: Newborn service readiness is facility’s observed capacity to provide newborn services and a pre-requisite for quality. Newborn services are priority program of government and efforts are focused on infrastructure and supplies at peripheral health facilities. Study describes health facility readiness for newborn services in four domains of general requirements, equipment, medicines and commodities, and staffing and guidelines.Methods: Convergent parallel mixed method using concurrent triangulation was done in public health facilities providing institutional deliveries of two randomly selected districts- Taplejung and Solukhumbu of Eastern Mountain Region of Nepal. Face to face interview and observation of facilities were done using structured questionnaire and checklist; in-depth interviews were done using interview guideline from November 2016 to January 2017. Ethical clearance was taken. Descriptive analysis and deductive thematic analysis were done.Results: Mean score of newborn service readiness was 68.7±7.1 with range from 53.3 to 81.4 out of 100. Domains of general requirement, equipment, medicine and commodity, supervision, staffing and guideline were assessed. The gaps identified in general requirements were availability of uninterrupted power supply, means of communication and referral vehicle. Clean wrappers and heater for room temperature maintenance were identified during interviews to be part of the readiness. All health facilities had trained staff while retention of skill was of concern. There was felt need of enforcing adequate training coverage to suffice the need of human resources in remote. Conclusions: Efforts of improving transportation, heater for room temperature maintenance, trainings with skill retention strategy, utilization of guidelines, availability of skilled birth attendance could result increased and improved newborn service readiness.Keywords: Eastern mountain region of Nepal; health facility readiness; newborn service readiness.

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A Study on Service Availability and Readiness Assessment of Non-Communicable Diseases Using the WHO Tool for Gazipur District in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics ◽

10.3329/bioethics.v7i2.30785 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mohammad Rashemdul Islam ◽

Shamima Parvin Laskar ◽

Darryl Macer

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Disease ◽

Chronic Respiratory Disease ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Essential Medicines ◽

Service Availability ◽

Diabetes Diagnosis ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Non Communicable Diseases ◽

Service Readiness

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) disproportionately affect low and middle-income countries where nearly three quarters of NCD deaths occur. Bangladesh is also in NCD burden. This cross-sectional study was done on 50 health facilities centres at Gazipur district in Bangladesh from July 2015 to December 2015 to introduce SARA for better monitoring and evaluation of non-communicable diseases health service delivery. The General Service readiness index score was 61.52% refers to the fact that about 62% of all the facilities were ready to provide general services like basic amenities, basic equipment, standard precautions for infection prevention, and diagnostic capacity and essential medicines to the patients. But in case of non-communicable diseases, among all the health facilities 40% had chronic respiratory disease and cardiovascular diseases diagnosis/ management and only 32% had availability of diabetes diagnosis/management. Overall readiness score was 52% in chronic respiratory disease, 73% in cardiovascular disease and 70% in diabetes. Therefore, service availability and readiness of the health facilities to provide NCD related health services were not up to the mark for facing future targets. A full-scale census survey of all the facilities of the study area would give a better understanding of the availability and service readiness.

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Improving Tanzanian childbirth service quality

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance ◽

10.1108/ijhcqa-10-2015-0122 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 190-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jennie Jaribu ◽

Suzanne Penfold ◽

Cathy Green ◽

Fatuma Manzi ◽

Joanna Schellenberg

Keyword(s):

Health Facility ◽

Low Income ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Rural District ◽

Local Data ◽

Content Type ◽

Primary Health ◽

Primary Health Facilities ◽

Childbirth Care

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a quality improvement (QI) intervention in primary health facilities providing childbirth care in rural Southern Tanzania. Design/methodology/approach A QI collaborative model involving district managers and health facility staff was piloted for 6 months in 4 health facilities in Mtwara Rural district and implemented for 18 months in 23 primary health facilities in Ruangwa district. The model brings together healthcare providers from different health facilities in interactive workshops by: applying QI methods to generate and test change ideas in their own facilities; using local data to monitor improvement and decision making; and health facility supervision visits by project and district mentors. The topics for improving childbirth were deliveries and partographs. Findings Median monthly deliveries increased in 4 months from 38 (IQR 37-40) to 65 (IQR 53-71) in Mtwara Rural district, and in 17 months in Ruangwa district from 110 (IQR 103-125) to 161 (IQR 148-174). In Ruangwa health facilities, the women for whom partographs were used to monitor labour progress increased from 10 to 57 per cent in 17 months. Research limitations/implications The time for QI innovation, testing and implementation phases was limited, and the study only looked at trends. The outcomes were limited to process rather than health outcome measures. Originality/value Healthcare providers became confident in the QI method through engagement, generating and testing their own change ideas, and observing improvements. The findings suggest that implementing a QI initiative is feasible in rural, low-income settings.

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Factors Influencing Choice of Delivery Place among Mothers in Rukungiri and Kanungu Districts, South Western Uganda: A Cross Sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-128061/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Richard Mugambe ◽

Habib Yakubu ◽

Solomon Wafula ◽

Tonny Ssekamatte ◽

Simon Kasasa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Facility ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Health Workers ◽

Public Health Facility ◽

Facility Delivery ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Public Facility ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Western Uganda ◽

Delivery Place

Abstract Background: Child birth in health facilities is generally associated with lower risk of maternal and neonatal mortality. However, in Uganda, little is known about factors that influence use of health facilities for delivery especially in rural areas. In this study, we examined the determinants of mothers’ decision of the choice of child delivery place in Western Uganda.Methods: Cross-sectional data was collected from 894 randomly-sampled mothers within the catchment of two private hospitals in Rukungiri and Kanungu districts. Data was collected on the place of delivery for the most recent child, mothers’ sociodemographic characteristics, health facility water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) status. Modified Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) for the determinants of mothers’ choice of delivery place as well as determinants for the choice of private versus public facility for delivery at 95% confidence intervals. Results: Majority of mothers (90.2%) delivered in health facilities. Non-facility deliveries were attributed to fast progression of labour (77.3%), lack of transport (31.8%) and high cost of hospital delivery (12.5%). Being engaged in business as an occupation [APR = 1.06, 95% CI (1.01 – 1.11)] and belonging to the highest wealth quintile [APR = 1.09, 95% CI (1.02 – 1.17)] favoured facility delivery while higher parity of 3 – 4 [APR = 0.93, 95% CI (0.88 – 0.99)] was inversely associated with facility delivery as compared to parity of 1-2. Choice of private facility over public facility was influenced by how mothers valued factors such as high skilled health workers [APR = 1.15, 95% CI (1.05 – 1.26)], higher quality of WASH services [APR = 1.11, 95% CI (1.04 – 1.17)], cost of the delivery [APR = 0.85, 95% CI (0.78 – 0.92)] and availability of caesarean services [APR = 1.13, 95% CI (1.08 – 1.19)].Conclusion: Utilization of health facility child delivery services was high. Health facility delivery service utilization was influenced by engaging in business, belonging to wealthiest quintile and being multiparous. Choice of private versus public health facility for child delivery was influenced by health facility WASH status, cost of services, and availability of skilled workforce and caesarean services.

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Pregnant women’s retention and associated health facility characteristics in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in Indonesia: cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034418 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. e034418

Author(s):

Christina Lumbantoruan ◽

Margaret Kelaher ◽

Michelle Kermode ◽

Endang Budihastuti

Keyword(s):

Antenatal Care ◽

Health Facility ◽

Hiv Transmission ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Pmtct Programme ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hiv Epidemic ◽

Mother To Child

ObjectivesDespite the national effort to integrate the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme into antenatal care clinics in Indonesia, the rate of mother-to-child HIV transmission remains high. This national study was conducted to describe PMTCT programme performance and to identify health facility characteristics associated with this performance in order to inform programme planning and policy development.DesignA retrospective cross-sectional study in December 2017.SettingAll health facilities providing PMTCT programmes in Indonesia.ParticipantsAll health facilities registering at least one woman in antenatal care in 2017.InterventionPMTCT data extraction from the national reporting system on HIV/AIDS and government reports.OutcomesWomen retention in the PMTCT programme for at least 3 months and associated health facility characteristics.ResultsA total of 373 health facilities registering 6502 HIV-positive women in antenatal care were included in the analysis. One-third of women (2099) never started antiretroviral treatment. Of the 4403 women who started, 2610 (57%) were retained; 462 (10%) were not retained; and the retention status of 1252 (28%) women referred out of the health facilities was unknown. Compared with primary health centres, hospitals were more likely to retain women (OR=2.88, 95% CI 2.19 to 3.79). The odds of retention were higher in hospital types A and B (OR=3.89, 95% CI 3.19 to 4.76), located within concentrated HIV epidemic areas (OR=2.09, 95% CI 1.83 to 2.38) and a high-priority area for the HIV programme (OR=1.83, 95% CI 1.60 to 2.09). We observed no differential retention between women who initiated PMTCT under different options (B+/non-B+).ConclusionsWe observed low retention of HIV-positive pregnant women in the PMTCT programme in Indonesia in 2017. Additional efforts are needed to improve women’s retention in the PMTCT programme. Retention could be increased through the delivery of PMTCT programmes by replicating strategies implemented at hospital types A and B located in concentrated HIV epidemic areas where an HIV programme is a high priority.

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Cross-sectional observational assessment of quality of newborn care immediately after birth in health facilities across six sub-Saharan African countries

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014680 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. e014680 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Joseph de Graft-Johnson ◽

Linda Vesel ◽

Heather E Rosen ◽

Barbara Rawlins ◽

Stella Abwao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Newborn Care ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Observational Assessment ◽

African Countries ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sub Saharan

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Implementation of maternal and perinatal deaths surveillance and response system among health facilities in Rural Tanzania: Analytical cross-sectional study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-181872/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Christina Kashililika ◽

Fabiola Vincent Moshi

Keyword(s):

Health Facility ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Perinatal Deaths ◽

Rural Tanzania ◽

Surveillance And Response ◽

The Status ◽

Bivariate Logistic Regression ◽

Implementation Status

Abstract BackgroundMaternal and Perinatal Deaths Review and Surveillance (MPDSR) system when used effectively has the power to bring into reality, a revolutionary victory in the fight against maternal and perinatal mortality from avoidable causes. This study aimed at determining the status of implementation of the system among health facilities in rural settings of Tanzania.MethodThis study was conducted among 38 health facilities from three districts of Morogoro region, Tanzania from April 27, 2020 to May 29, 2020. Quantitative data was collected through document review for MPDSR implementation status. The outcome was determined by using special scoring sheet with a total 30 points. Facilities that scored 10 points or above were considered to have satisfactory status of MPDSR implementation while the facilities that scored below 10 points were considered to have unsatisfactory status of MPDSR implementation. Bivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of implementation status among health facilities.ResultsMajority of health facilities 20(52.6%) had satisfactory MPDSR implementation status. The predictors of MPDSR implementation in a facility were level of health facility [Hospital (AOR = 11.945 at 95% CI = 1.133 – 125.942, P = 0.039)] and ownership of the facility [Public (AOR = 0.133 at 95% CI = 0.019 – 0.920, P = 0.041)].ConclusionMPDSR implementation status among health facility is on average not satisfactory. More efforts are needed to raise the status of MPDSR implementation in the country so that the maximum benefit of MPDSR is obtained.

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