Health
Health action with informed and engaged societies
Health
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
Time to read
less than
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 13 years ago
Last updated 2 years ago
Read so far

Evidence-based training of frontline health workers for door-to-door health promotion: a pilot randomized controlled cluster trial with Lady Health Workers in Sindh Province, Pakistan

0 comments

Omer, K., S. Mhatre, et al. (2008) Evidence-based training of frontline health workers for door-to-door health promotion: a pilot randomized controlled cluster trial with Lady Health Workers in Sindh Province, Pakistan. Patient education and counseling 178-185 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2008.02.018

OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate the effective use of community-based evidence for health promotion by Lady Health Workers (LHWs) in Sindh, Pakistan.

METHODS: A baseline study on mothers and children provided local evidence for risk communication tools designed and tested by LHWs. The communities were randomized to intervention and control. LHWs visited women before and after childbirth to discuss safe practices in pregnancy, in the intervention group LHW using the new tools and in the control group using their standard procedures. A household survey and focus groups permitted assessment of the impact of the intervention.

RESULTS: Women in the intervention communities were more likely to attend prenatal checkups, to stop routine heavy work during pregnancy, to give colostrum to newborn babies, and to maintain exclusive breastfeeding for four months. Community focus groups confirmed a positive reaction to the tools.

CONCLUSION: Discussion by lay health workers of local evidence underlying safe motherhood messages improved uptake of protective health practices.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Door-to-door health promotion based on culturally appropriate interaction around relevant evidence can have a positive impact on health practices. Engaging health workers from the onset builds capacities, improves dialogue within the health system and performance of frontline health workers.