scholarly journals Enhancing the value of women’s reproductive rights through community based interventions in upper Egypt governorates: a randomized interventional study

Author(s):  
Ammal M. Metwally ◽  
Rehan M. Saleh ◽  
Lobna A. El-Etreby ◽  
Somia I. Salama ◽  
Ahmed Aboulghate ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In 2012, the WHO described the quality of health care as the route to equity and dignity for women and children. Aim of the work To provide community based support and empowerment to women in childbearing period to seek optimal prenatal, natal and postnatal healthcare. Achieving this is anticipated to decrease maternal morbidity and mortality in Egypt. Subjects and methods An interventional study was conducted among women in childbearing period in the poorest two governorates of Upper Egypt. The study passed through three stages over three and a half years; pre-interventional assessment of awareness (n = 1000), educational interventions targeting the health providers and all women in childbearing period in their communities (n = 20,494), and post-intervention evaluation of change in awareness of their rights for prenatal, natal and postnatal care (no = 1150). Results The studied indicators relating to receiving care in pregnancy, labor, and puerperium have changed dramatically as a result of the study interventions. Results of the study showed that before interventions, the surveyed women had inaccurate knowledge regarding most of the items related to their rights. The percentages of women aware of their right to have pregnancy card increased and those who possessed a pregnancy card were doubled with a significant percent change of more than 25%. Some indicators showed more than 75% improvement, including; percent of surveyed women who knew that it’s their right to follow up their pregnancy and to deliver with a specialized doctor, a trained nurse or at an equipped health facility, and those who knew their right to have at least two home preparations necessary for safe delivery at home. Conclusion and recommendations More work is needed in order to achieve the targeted reduction of maternal mortality. This could be achieved by ensuring accessible and high quality care provided by the governmental health facilities together with increasing the awareness of women regarding their rights in receiving such care.

Author(s):  
Pankajkumar B. Nimbalkar ◽  
Jaldhara N. Patel ◽  
Nilesh Thakor ◽  
Mansi Patni

Background: Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most common nutritional deficiency in pregnancy and major contributory factor to maternal morbidity and mortality. Objective of present study was to assess knowledge of pregnant women regarding anaemia and its preventive measures before and after educational interventional training.Methods: The present study was an interventional study undertaken in purposively selected pregnant women attending the out patient Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of GMERS Medical College, Gandhinagar During the month of October 2017. Total 100 pregnant women were included after written informed consent. Baseline knowledge of pregnant women regarding anaemia and its preventive measures was assessed by pre-designed, pre-tested and semi structured questionnaire. Single educational interventional training for 45 minutes was given to selected pregnant women. Post– intervention knowledge of pregnant women for the same was assessed after training. Thus, collected data was analyzed /using Epi info 7.Results: Baseline knowledge of the pregnant women regarding causes, signs and symptoms of anemia and dietary sources of iron was 21%, 23% and 40% respectively which was significantly increased to 64%, 66% and 72% respectively after the intervention. Baseline knowledge of the pregnant women regarding factors which inhibit and increase iron absorption was 25% and 4% respectively which was significantly increased to 55% and 41 % respectively after the intervention. Baseline knowledge of the pregnant women regarding treatment of anaemia was 30% which was significantly increased to 79 % after the intervention.Conclusions: There was significant improvement in the knowledge regarding anaemia and its preventive measures among pregnant women after our single educational session.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shantanu Sharma ◽  
Devika Mehra ◽  
Faiyaz Akhtar ◽  
Sunil Mehra

Abstract Background Empowered women have improved decision-making capacity and can demand equal access to health services. Community-based interventions (CBI) based on building women’s groups for awareness generation on maternal and child health (MCH) are the best and cost-effective approach in improving their access to health services. The present endeavor evaluates a community-based intervention aimed at improving marginalized women’s health and economic status using the peer-led approach from two districts of India. Methods We used peer educators as mediators of knowledge transfer among women and for creating a supportive environment at the household and community-level. The intervention was implemented in two socially backward districts of Uttar Pradesh, namely Kaushambi and Banda. Two development blocks in each of the two districts were selected randomly, and twenty-four villages in each of the four blocks were selected based on the high percentage of a marginalized population. The evaluation of the intervention involved a non-experimental, pre- and post-research design, using a mixed-method approach. Data were collected at three points in time, including a rapid assessment (quantitative and qualitative interviews) at baseline, qualitative interviews at the end line and tracking data of the intervention population (n=37,324) through an online management information system. Results Most of the women in Banda (90%) and Kaushambi (85%) attended at least 60% of the education sessions. Around 39% of women in Banda and 35% of women in Kaushambi registered for livelihood scheme, and 94% and 80% of them had worked under the scheme. Women during group discussions informed that their awareness about MCH increased post-intervention. The money earned after getting work under livelihood scheme or from daily savings was deposited in the bank account by the women. These savings had helped women investing money at the times of need, such as starting their work, in emergencies for the medical treatment of their family members, education of their children, etc. Conclusion Considering the interlinked plexus of literacy, social status, economic empowerment, and health status of women, interventions targeting anyone of them in silos may not achieve the desired results. The study provides scientific evidence of the successful implementation of peer-led community-based intervention model..


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 62-83
Author(s):  
Byamukama Topher

Evidence of the effectiveness of community-based interventions in improving immunization coverage in populations of low coverage is limited. Vaccine-preventable diseases is a major public health challenge in low-income countries where Uganda lies, and immunization is the only reliable strategy for child survival. The study's objective was to assess the influence of a community-based intervention on the uptake of immunization services to recommend strategies to health stakeholders to improve immunization coverage. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in three phases. Structured and key informant interviews were used as data collection tools. Phase one provided baseline data before the intervention, the second phase was a community-based intervention, and the third phase was post-intervention evaluation. There was no significant difference on the uptake of BCG, POLIO-0, POLIO-1, POLIO-2, DPTHeP-Hib1, DPTHeP-Hib2, PCV1 and PCV2 immunizations between the intervention and control group post-intervention (P= 1.00, α =0.5). The level of knowledge on immunization was 68.8% and 29.6% in the intervention and control groups, respectively. The difference between the two was statistically significant (P=0.00 = α= 0.5). There was a significant association between the level of knowledge of the caregivers on immunization and the uptake of immunization services (P=0.00, α=0.5). There was also a statistically significant difference in immunization coverage between the intervention and control groups (97.5%) and (75.1%) for the intervention and control groups, respectively. The difference was statistically associated with the community-based intervention (P =0.00, α=0.5). Community-based interventions influenced the uptake of routine immunization services.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shantanu Sharma ◽  
Devika Mehra ◽  
Faiyaz Akhtar ◽  
Sunil Mehra

Abstract Background Empowered women have improved decision-making capacity and can demand equal access to health services. Community-based interventions based on building women’s groups for awareness generation on maternal and child health (MCH) are the best and cost-effective approaches in improving their access to health services. The present study evaluated a community-based intervention aimed at improving marginalized women’s awareness and utilization of MCH services, and access to livelihood and savings using the peer-led approach from two districts of India. Methods We used peer educators as mediators of knowledge transfer among women and for creating a supportive environment at the household and community levels. The intervention was implemented in two marginalized districts of Uttar Pradesh, namely Banda and Kaushambi. Two development blocks in each of the two districts were selected randomly, and 24 villages in each of the four blocks were selected based on the high percentage of a marginalized population. The evaluation of the intervention involved a non-experimental, ‘post-test analysis of the project group’ research design, in a mixed-method approach. Data were collected at two points in time, including qualitative interviews at the end line and tracking data of the intervention population (n = 37,324) through an online management information system. Results Most of the women in Banda (90%) and Kaushambi (85%) attended at least 60% of the education sessions. Around 39% of women in Banda and 35% of women in Kaushambi registered for the livelihood scheme, and 94 and 80% of them had worked under the scheme in these two places, respectively. Women’s awareness about MCH seemed to have increased post-intervention. The money earned after getting work under the livelihood scheme or from daily savings was deposited in the bank account by the women. These savings helped the women investing money at times of need, such as starting their work, in emergencies for the medical treatment of their family members, education of their children, etc. Conclusion Peer-led model of intervention can be explored to improve the combined health and economic outcomes of marginalized women.


Healthcare ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shantanu Sharma ◽  
Faiyaz Akhtar ◽  
Rajesh Kumar Singh ◽  
Sunil Mehra

Health education materials such as flipbooks enhance learning and deliver key messages in a captivating mode. Validation of such materials is crucial to ensuring implementation fidelity. We conducted a study to achieve two objectives: (a) to develop two flipbooks, one each for adolescents and young married women (YMW); (b) to validate the flipbooks using five parameters, namely, content validity, construct validity, concurrent validity, relevance, and face validity. The study was a part of a community-based peer-led intervention on health, nutrition, and hygiene. The content validity and relevance were assessed by interviewing outreach workers (ORWs, n = 42) using self-administered five-point Likert scale-based tools. A pre- and post-intervention assessment of knowledge among adolescents (n = 100) and YMW (n = 50) across six out of 13 intervention sites was done to evaluate the construct validity. The two flipbooks contained 12 structured sessions with five key messages per session, in addition to illustrations, discussion points, and theme-based stories at the end of each session. The content and relevancy indices were ranked above 80% by ORW. There was a statistically significant increase in the knowledge scores of adolescents (p < 0.001) and YMW (p < 0.001) post intervention. The validation process helps in assessing the relevance and appropriateness of the education content for greater acceptance and responsiveness by the users.


Author(s):  
Abirami Srivarathan ◽  
Rikke Lund ◽  
Ulla Christensen ◽  
Maria Kristiansen

Emerging evidence points towards a lower quality of life, fragile social relations and suboptimal health behavior and status of residents living in social housing areas characterized by ethnic diversity and socioeconomic deprivation. Community-based health promotion interventions developed in collaboration with the target group and adjusted to the local context can affect the acceptance of and engagement in such interventions. However, few studies have investigated the potential of community-based interventions in deprived social housing areas. This study explores residents’ perspectives on engagement in a community-based health promotion intervention focusing on enhancing social relations. The study builds on qualitative methods including participant observations combined with pre- and post-intervention interviews with a selected group of residents (n = 9). Data were thematically analyzed with focuses on participation in an everyday life context, concepts of othering, and territorial stigmatization. Engagement in the intervention was motivated by the need to establish and enhance social relations, and to explore the world outside the housing area. However, barriers including cultural and language differences among residents, and competing contextual factors, challenged engagement. We conclude that participatory community-based interventions have a potential to enhance social relations in deprived social housing areas. However, adequate support and efforts to overcome the identified barriers are needed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Srivarathan ◽  
R Lund ◽  
U Christensen ◽  
M Kristiansen

Abstract Emerging evidence points towards lower quality of life, more fragile social relations and suboptimal health behaviour and health status of residents living in social housing areas characterized by ethnic diversity and socioeconomic disadvantage. Residents from social housing areas are less likely to engage in health promotion interventions compared to the rest of society. Community-based health promotion interventions developed in collaboration with the target group and adjusted to local context can affect the acceptance of and engagement in such interventions. However, few studies have investigated the potential of community-based interventions in social housing areas. This study explores resident perspectives on engagement in a community-based health promotion intervention focusing on enhancing social relations. Engagement was the key foundation for the designing and implementation of the intervention by the use of graphic facilitation. The intervention consisted of social outings to different sights and historical landmarks in Denmark. The study builds on qualitative methods including participant observations combined with pre- and post-intervention interviews with a selected group of residents (n = 9). Data were thematically analysed with a focus on participation in an everyday life context and by concepts of othering and territorial stigmatization. Engagement in the intervention was motivated by a need for establishing and enhancing social relations, and exploring the world outside the housing area. However, barriers including cultural and language differences among residents and competing contextual factors challenged engagement. We conclude that participatory community-based interventions have a potential to enhance social relations in social housing areas. Nevertheless, it is necessary to understand the motives and barriers to ensure feasible and relevant health promotion interventions and future engagement among residents living in social housing areas.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olufunmilola Abraham ◽  
Jessica Chmielinski

Adolescents’ misuse of over-the-counter (OTC) medications is a growing patient safety concern, resulting in an alarming number of poisonings and emergency department visits. OTC medications are easily accessible and adolescents often have the misconception that these medications are safe, even at higher than recommended doses. Dextromethorphan and acetaminophen are the most common and frequently misused OTC medications among adolescents, with significantly dangerous health risks if used improperly. Pharmacists are critical to the provision of education on safe OTC medication use for adolescents and their family caregivers by leading and implementing relevant community-based interventions. Ideal channels in which to do this in the community are pharmacies and schools. It is challenging to gain the attention of adolescents and to engage them; methods that include innovative measures and initiatives may be the solution. Research is needed to determine how pharmacists can improve adolescents’ knowledge and safe use of OTC medications. Pharmacists must be supported through training and acquisition of expertise specific to adolescent engagement and education. The development of pharmacist-led educational interventions that are tailored for adolescents that address their limited OTC medication knowledge and raise awareness of safety risks associated with misuse is crucial to preventing and reducing this patient safety problem in the community. Conflict of Interest: None   Article Type: Commentary


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