Evaluation of a maternity waiting home and community education program in two districts of Malawi

Abstract Background The implementation of Maternity Waiting Homes (MWHs) is a strategy to bring vulnerable women close to a health facility towards the end of their pregnancies. To date, while MWHs are a popular strategy, there is limited evidence on the role that MWHs play in reaching women most in need. This paper contributes to this topic by examining whether two program-supported MWHs in Malawi are reaching women in need and if there are changes in women reached over time. Methods Two rounds of exit interviews (2015 and 2017) were conducted with women within 3 months of delivery and included both MWH users and non-MWH users. These exit interviews included questions on sociodemographic factors, obstetric risk factors and use of health services. Bivariate statistics were used to compare MWH users and non-MWH users at baseline and endline and over time. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine what factors were associated with MWH use, and Poisson regression was used to study factors associated with HIV knowledge. Descriptive data from discharge surveys were used to examine satisfaction with the MWH structure and environment over time. Results Primiparous women were more likely to use a MWH compared to women of parity 2 (p < 0.05). Women who were told they were at risk of a complication were more likely to use a MWH compared to those who were not told they were at risk (p < 0.05). There were also significant findings for wealth and time to a facility, with poorer women and those who lived further from a facility being more likely to use a MWH. Attendance at a community event was associated with greater knowledge of HIV (p < 0.05). Conclusions MWHs have a role to play in efforts to improve maternal health and reduce maternal mortality. Education provided within the MWHs and through community outreach can improve knowledge of important health topics. Malawi and other low and middle income countries must ensure that health facilities affiliated with the MWHs offer high quality services

Modelling covariates of infant and child mortality in Malawi

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.Mortality of children under the age of five has been the main target of public health policies (Gakusi and Garenne 2006). There has been a significant decline in under-five mortality in the twentieth century in almost all countries regardless of initial levels and socio-economic factors, although the rate of decline has been different in different regions (UNIGME 2012). Malawi, a country in the sub-Saharan region, is characterised by high infant and child mortality. Using data from 2010 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey, infant mortality in Malawi was estimated at 66 deaths per 1000 births while child mortality was at 50 deaths per 1000 births (NSO and ORC Macro 2011). Studies have been conducted to identify covariates of infant and child mortality in Malawi but none of these used recent data and none has included HIV/AIDS as a risk factor (Baker 1999; Bolstad and Manda 2001; Kalipeni 1992; Manda 1999). This study aims at examining bio-demographic, socio-economic and environmental factors associated with infant and child mortality in Malawi. Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data for 2004 and 2010 are used

Evaluation of a maternity waiting home and community education program in two districts of Malawi

Abstract Background The implementation of Maternity Waiting Homes (MWHs) is a strategy to bring vulnerable women close to a health facility towards the end of their pregnancies. To date, while MWHs are a popular strategy, there is limited evidence on the role that MWHs play in reaching women most in need. This paper contributes to this topic by examining whether two program-supported MWHs in Malawi are reaching women in need and if there are changes in women reached over time. Methods Two rounds of exit interviews (2015 and 2017) were conducted with women within 3 months of delivery and included both MWH users and non-MWH users. These exit interviews included questions on sociodemographic factors, obstetric risk factors and use of health services. Bivariate statistics were used to compare MWH users and non-MWH users at baseline and endline and over time. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine what factors were associated with MWH use, and Poisson regression was used to study factors associated with HIV knowledge. Descriptive data from discharge surveys were used to examine satisfaction with the MWH structure and environment over time. Results Primiparous women were more likely to use a MWH compared to women of parity 2 (p < 0.05). Women who were told they were at risk of a complication were more likely to use a MWH compared to those who were not told they were at risk (p < 0.05). There were also significant findings for wealth and time to a facility, with poorer women and those who lived further from a facility being more likely to use a MWH. Attendance at a community event was associated with greater knowledge of HIV (p < 0.05). Conclusions MWHs have a role to play in efforts to improve maternal health and reduce maternal mortality. Education provided within the MWHs and through community outreach can improve knowledge of important health topics. Malawi and other low and middle income countries must ensure that health facilities affiliated with the MWHs offer high quality services

Task shifting levonorgestrel implant insertion to community midwife assistants in Malawi: results from a non-inferiority evaluation

Abstract Background In 2013, Malawi began task shifting long acting reversible contraception (LARC) insertion from Nurse Midwife Technicians (NMTs), who undergo 3 years of training, to Community Midwife Assistants (CMAs), who undergo 18 months of training. However, there is no evidence on whether CMAs have the same competency as NMTs for LARC insertion. Therefore, we describe a non-inferiority evaluation to determine whether CMAs are non-inferior to NMTs for the insertion of levonorgestrel (LNG) contraceptive implants in Malawi. Methods One CMA and one matched NMT from 31 health centers across Malawi were selected for training in Malawi’s 1-week LARC insertion course in October 2016, and 31 CMAs and 30 NMTs completed the training. After the course, two Family Planning Master Trainers visited the nurses’ health centers over a 5-month period and used the Malawi LNG implant insertion checklist to evaluate the first five LNG implant insertions that each nurse performed during the monitoring visit. A non- inferiority margin of 10% was used to compare mean implant scores between CMAs and NMTs. Results We were able to fully evaluate 29 CMAs and 29 NMTs with the LNG implant insertion checklist. The CMAs and NMTs had mean scores of 90.2% and 89.7%, respectively, which were non-inferior (mean difference − 0.5%; 95% CI -3.4%, 2.4%), even when adjusted for the number of years post-graduation and the number of LNG implants inserted pre-training, during training, and since training (mean difference 1.3%; 95% CI -2.2%, 4.8%). Conclusions CMAs were non-inferior to NMTs with LNG implant insertion, and both cadres were generally observed to be competent with their insertions after completing their follow-up evaluations. During the evaluations, we generally saw an increase in scores with each insertion. Therefore, for both cadres, it is important to establish continued mentorship and evaluation for LARC insertion after the initial training

Contraceptive uptake after training community health workers in couples counseling: A cluster randomized trial

<div><p>Background</p><p>Young women in Malawi face many challenges in accessing family planning (FP), including distance to the health facility and partner disapproval. Our primary objective was to assess if training HSAs in couples counseling would increase modern FP uptake among young women.</p><p>Methods</p><p>In this cluster randomized controlled trial, 30 HSAs from Lilongwe, Malawi received training in FP. The HSAs were then randomized 1:1 to receive or not receive additional training in couples counseling. All HSAs were asked to provide FP counseling to women in their communities and record their contraceptive uptake over 6 months. Sexually-active women <30 years of age who had never used a modern FP method were included in this analysis. Generalized estimating equations with an exchangeable correlation matrix to account for clustering by HSA were used to estimate risk differences (RDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).</p><p>Results</p><p>430 (53%) young women were counseled by the 15 HSAs who received couples counseling training, and 378 (47%) were counseled by the 15 HSAs who did not. 115 (26%) from the couples counseling group had male partners present during their first visit, compared to only 6 (2%) from the other group (RD: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.33, p<0.01). Nearly all (99.5%) initiated a modern FP method, with no difference between groups (p = 0.09). Women in the couples counseling group were 8% more likely to receive male condoms (RD: 0.08, 95% CI: -7% to 23%, p = 0.28) and 8% more likely to receive dual methods (RD: 0.08, 95% CI: -0.065, 0.232, p = 0.274).</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Training HSAs in FP led to high modern FP uptake among young women who had never used FP. Couples counseling training increased male involvement with a trend towards higher male condom uptake.</p></div

Summary statistics for family planning outcomes.

<p>Summary statistics for family planning outcomes.</p

Family planning outcomes at baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow-up visits.

<p>Family planning outcomes at baseline, 3-month and 6-month follow-up visits.</p