Article type
Year
Abstract
Background:
Based on the experiences from global efforts in safe motherhood, community participation plays important role in bringing about program success. However, to date there is no compilation of rigorous studies to estimate the effects of community mobilization on maternal and child health outcomes. A rigorous systematic review of the effect of community mobilization in safe motherhood is vital for further evidence-based maternal and child health planning.
Methods:
Search criteria from Cochrane EPOC Group were used to identify studies for inclusion, i.e. RCTs and controlled before-and-after studies (CBAs) employing complete community participation process involving pregnant women, their family members, and healthcare providers, targeting safe motherhood in low- and middle-income countries, published between 1948 and 2014, and limited to English language only. Inclusion was agreed on by two independent researchers on review of abstracts or full text. Quality of studies was assessed using EPOC quality checklists for high quality RCT and CBA studies. Treatment effects were measured using odds ratio (OR) or risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous data, and mean difference (MD) or standardized MD for continuous data.
Results:
Out of 6638 citations, 94 full-text papers were double screened and five studies were included. The major outcomes included change in neonatal mortality rate (NMR) and maternal mortality rate (MMR). Two studies were successful in lowering NMR, one study showed improved care behavior in perinatal health, and one study showed that community participation was cost-effective in reducing neonatal death. However one study showed no significant outcome. Summary results were prepared with appropriate tests, tables and graphs to find the impact of community mobilization on safe motherhood.
Conclusions:
Community mobilization interventions showed promising effects on maternal and neonatal health outcomes in comparison to usual care. Health planners could consider including community mobilization interventions in low-income settings in the absence of other effective service delivery or where service delivery is inadequate or inaccessible.
Based on the experiences from global efforts in safe motherhood, community participation plays important role in bringing about program success. However, to date there is no compilation of rigorous studies to estimate the effects of community mobilization on maternal and child health outcomes. A rigorous systematic review of the effect of community mobilization in safe motherhood is vital for further evidence-based maternal and child health planning.
Methods:
Search criteria from Cochrane EPOC Group were used to identify studies for inclusion, i.e. RCTs and controlled before-and-after studies (CBAs) employing complete community participation process involving pregnant women, their family members, and healthcare providers, targeting safe motherhood in low- and middle-income countries, published between 1948 and 2014, and limited to English language only. Inclusion was agreed on by two independent researchers on review of abstracts or full text. Quality of studies was assessed using EPOC quality checklists for high quality RCT and CBA studies. Treatment effects were measured using odds ratio (OR) or risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous data, and mean difference (MD) or standardized MD for continuous data.
Results:
Out of 6638 citations, 94 full-text papers were double screened and five studies were included. The major outcomes included change in neonatal mortality rate (NMR) and maternal mortality rate (MMR). Two studies were successful in lowering NMR, one study showed improved care behavior in perinatal health, and one study showed that community participation was cost-effective in reducing neonatal death. However one study showed no significant outcome. Summary results were prepared with appropriate tests, tables and graphs to find the impact of community mobilization on safe motherhood.
Conclusions:
Community mobilization interventions showed promising effects on maternal and neonatal health outcomes in comparison to usual care. Health planners could consider including community mobilization interventions in low-income settings in the absence of other effective service delivery or where service delivery is inadequate or inaccessible.