Abstract
BackgroundSocial, behavioural and community engagement (SBCE) interventions are essential for global maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) strategies. Past efforts to synthesise research on SBCE interventions identified a need for clear priorities to guide future research. WHO led an exercise to identify global research priorities for SBCE interventions to improve MNCH.MethodsWe adapted the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative method and combined quantitative and qualitative methods to determine MNCH SBCE intervention research priorities applicable across different contexts. Using online surveys and meetings, researchers and programme experts proposed up to three research priorities and scored the compiled priorities against four criteria – health and social impact, equity, feasibility, and overall importance. Priorities were then ranked by score. A group of 29 experts finalised the top 10 research priorities for each of maternal, newborn or child health and a cross-cutting area.ResultsA total of 310 experts proposed 867 research priorities, which were consolidated into 444 priorities and scored by 280 experts. Top maternal and newborn health priorities focused on research to improve the delivery of SBCE interventions that strengthen self-care/family care practices and care-seeking behaviour. Child health priorities focused on the delivery of SBCE interventions, emphasising determinants of service utilisation and breastfeeding and nutrition practices. Cross-cutting MNCH priorities highlighted the need for better integration of SBCE into facility-based and community-based health services.ConclusionsAchieving global targets for MNCH requires increased investment in SBCE interventions that build capacities of individuals, families and communities as agents of their own health. Findings from this exercise provide guidance to prioritise investments and ensure that they are best directed to achieve global objectives. Stakeholders are encouraged to use these priorities to guide future research investments and to adapt them for country programmes by engaging with national level stakeholders.
Highlights
Social, behavioural and community engagement (SBCE) interventions are essential for global maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) strategies
Within the maternal health priorities, 8 of the top 10 priorities focused on research that improves the delivery of SBCE interventions and programmes that strengthen self-care, family care practices and careseeking behaviour through SBCE interventions
An undefined research agenda that does not adequately respond to global or country priorities may impede the optimal uptake of SBCE interventions within country strategies
Summary
Behavioural and community engagement (SBCE) interventions are essential for global maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) strategies. WHO led an exercise to identify global research priorities for SBCE interventions to improve MNCH. The implementation of effective social, behavioural and community engagement (SBCE) interventions is critical to achieving this ambition. SBCE interventions are considered critical for addressing the social, economic, cultural and structural conditions that create an enabling environment for good health and the EWEC Global Strategy objectives of Survive, Thrive and Transform [4]. Other terms that are commonly used for what we refer to as SBCE interventions include health promotion, demand creation, empowerment, and social and behaviour change [4]
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