Abstract
Objective:
The aim of the study was to determine the feasibility of improved maternal–neonatal care-seeking and household practices using an approach scalable under Nepal's primary health-care services.
Study Design:
Impact was assessed by pre- and post-intervention surveys of women delivering within the previous 12 months. Each district sample comprised 30 clusters, each with 30 respondents. The intervention consisted primarily of community-based antenatal counseling and dispensing and an early postnatal home visit; most activities were carried out by community-based health volunteers.
Result:
There were notable improvements in most household practice and service utilization indicators, although results regarding care-seeking for danger signs were mixed.
Conclusion:
It is feasible in a Nepal setting to significantly improve utilization of maternal–neonatal services and household practices, using the resources available under the government primary health-care system. This has the potential to significantly reduce neonatal mortality.
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Acknowledgements
The program described in this article was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), provided principally through a Nepal-based bilateral project (the Nepal Family Health Program II, implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute; CA#: 367-00-02-00017-00) and a centrally funded project (HARP-GRA, implemented by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health).
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Hodgins, S., McPherson, R., Suvedi, B. et al. Testing a scalable community-based approach to improve maternal and neonatal health in rural Nepal. J Perinatol 30, 388–395 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2009.181
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2009.181
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