Improve Maternal And Child Health Outcomes Research Articles

A Scoping Review of Barriers and Facilitators for Preconception Care: Lessons for Global Health Policies and Programs.

Preconception care (PCC) encompasses a set of actions taken before pregnancy to support the health and well-being of women before conception to improve maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes. The utilization of PCC services is influenced by multifaceted factors that can either enable or impede women's capacity to access and utilize them effectively. This scoping review examined the barriers and facilitators influencing the utilization of PCC services among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) at both individual and community levels. Through an extensive review of published articles from 2004 to 2021, including peer-reviewed sources, barriers and facilitators were identified. At the individual level, barriers included limited knowledge about PCC, neglect of self-health, and financial constraints. Community-level barriers encompassed insufficient supply of supplements, restricted access to health care, high health care costs, and setbacks due to delayed delivery of MCH services. Conversely, individuals reported that credible sources of information, such as friends, family, and community health volunteers, facilitated their engagement with PCC services. At the community level, facilitators included government-regulated supply chains for supplements and the involvement of community workers in health monitoring. Understanding and addressing these factors can help improve the utilization of PCC services among women of reproductive age (WRA) and improve MCH outcomes.

Empowering mothers: Advancing maternal health literacy and numeracy through the introduction of Maternal and Child Health Calendar.

The health literacy and numeracy skills of women in Pakistan are very low compared to other low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to improve the health literacy and numeracy skills of unschooled women in Northern Pakistan by developing a Maternal and Child Health Calendar (MCHC). The MCHC utilizes locally contextualized icons to promote and enhance service utilization and maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes. We conducted a qualitative exploratory study design to understand the experiences and usefulness of the MCHC among women. We recruited the participants using purposive sampling. Using a semi-structured interview guide, we conducted individual interviews with nine Key informants, that is, Agha Khan Rural Support Staff and Community-based savings group staff and five focus group discussions with unschooled women. We followed Braun and Clarke's steps to conduct an inductive thematic data analysis. The findings of our study are categorized into the following themes: (1) the benefits of using MCHC, (2) the usefulness of the MCHC in women's healthcare decision-making, (3) empowerment of poorly schooled women, (4) enabling numeracy and record-keeping skills, (5) MCHC implementation challenges, and (6) participants suggestions to improve the MCHC. Our findings revealed that the MCHC improved the health literacy and numeracy of illiterate or less educated women by using localized images to help them comprehend their own and their children's health. Additionally, it effectively empowered these women in their healthcare decision-making, such as discussing family planning with their husbands. Women also suggested modifying some images in the MCHC to enhance their clarity and usefulness. The MCHC has the potential to safely and sustainably build basic MCH literacy and numeracy skills among both literate and illiterate women in Northern Pakistan. Further research is needed to assess its potential as a stand-alone intervention to improve MCH outcomes.

Perspectives of Healthcare Providers in Maternal and Child Health Services in BokeoProvince, Lao People’s Democratic Republic: A Qualitative Study

In Bokeo province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the high rates of poverty and poor health outcomes are striking. According to data collected from the Lao government, the area has a high mortality rate among mothers and children under five years old. Consequently, there is an urgent need for significant enhancements in maternal and child health (MCH) services. This study aims to investigate the perspectives of healthcare providers on the MCH situation, difficulties, challenges, and potential solutions for the growth and implementation of MCH services. We conducted in-depth interviews with 45 healthcare providers from varying healthcare system levels using qualitative methods. The key findings are as follows: Healthcare providers demonstrate a strong understanding of MCH policies, acknowledgment of national objectives, and dedication to personal growth. However, significant obstacles exist, including access barriers for ethnic minorities, transportation complications, inadequate healthcare personnel, and insufficient equipment and infrastructure. Healthcare providers have also indicated a need for more training and opportunities for professional development to improve MCH outcomes. To enhance MCH outcomes in Bokeo province, addressing these challenges and supporting healthcare providers in their quest for self-improvementis essential. The findings of our study can aid in creating targeted interventions and policies to improve MCH outcomes in Bokeo province and similar regions. By focusing on critical areas such as antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, postnatal care, immunizations, nutrition, family planning, health education, and access to healthcare, we can strive towards improved health outcomes and reduced mortality rates.

Grounding the Work of Grassroots MCH Leaders in Storytelling.

Our Grassroots Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Initiative works to build the capacity of individuals and organizations in zip codes with persistently high infant mortality rates to bring about systems change that will improve maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes. Foundational to the Initiative is the training and mentoring of local women to become Grassroots MCH Leaders. We greatly honor that these women possess community expertise, essential to the Initiative's success. Our training equips them with strategies they can use to bring about changes in social, economic, political, and/or cultural systems that underlie poor birth outcomes. One impactful strategy they learn is the use of critical narrative intervention (CNI). This approach, grounded in the crafting and sharing of stories, complements statistical, behavioral, and medical approaches to improve MCH outcomes. This article describes the impact of CNI within the Grassroots MCH Initiative. Drawing from 14 Grassroots MCH Leaders' narratives, we present five significant maternal traumas and influential supports in their surrounding contexts. We explore the leaders' reflections on the impact of story development and dissemination. Our findings reveal that situating CNI within the context of a grassroots initiative provides opportunities for leaders to use their stories to advocate for systems change. Personal MCH narratives provide a powerful and respectful approach to public health promotion, as they highlight important systems-level failures that need to be addressed to sustainability improve MCH outcomes.

Technology-Based Innovative Health Care Solutions for Improving Maternal and Child Health Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis

Background Technology-based health care interventions (TBIs) are being considered as a promising solution to effectively strengthen maternal and child health (MCH) service uptake in resource-limited settings. Objective This study aimed to identify the most effective TBIs that could achieve the best functional MCH outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods A comprehensive search was performed in January 2021. In all, 2 independent researchers identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) implemented in LMICs using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes framework: Population: healthy pregnant women; Intervention: TBIs; Comparison: usual care or non-TBIs; and Outcomes: MCH outcomes. We estimated the direct, indirect, and relative effects, with their certainty based on the Grading of Recommendations, Assessments, Development, and Evaluations approach, for a wide range of MCH outcomes. Results In total, 30 trials with 70,807 participants were included, and 80% had low risk of bias. Our network meta-analysis (NMA) estimates indicated that TBIs, particularly SMS text messaging or phone call with mobile voucher interventions, were likely to be effective in improving MCH outcomes. The 1-way communication intervention was likely to be the most effective for the uptake of ≥4 antenatal care visits (relative risk [RR] 1.81, 95% CI 1.33-2.45; moderate certainty), facility delivery (RR 1.45, 95% CI 1.10-1.91; moderate certainty), early breastfeeding initiation (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02-1.37; moderate certainty), and caesarean delivery (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.84-0.91; low certainty) outcomes; however, 2-way communication intervention was likely to be the most effective for the skilled birth attendance (RR 1.36, 95% CI 1.14-1.63; low certainty), maternal (RR 2.04, 95% CI 1.05-3.96; very low certainty) and infant’s postnatal care use (RR 1.55, 95% CI 1.19-2.04; low certainty), exclusive breastfeeding practice (RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.14-2.05; moderate certainty), and perinatal death (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.32-0.83; low certainty) outcomes. There was no substantial inconsistency between direct and indirect evidence, but small study effects were detected in the NMA. Conclusions Different forms of TBIs have a possibility to improve MCH outcomes in LMICs and can be integrated into the existing health systems based on their priorities. This study suggests the implementation of large-scale, well-designed RCTs in low-income countries due to the limited number of RCTs in the NMA. Trial Registration PROSPERO CRD42021239185; https://tinyurl.com/yuvmp35x

How and why do women’s groups (WGs) improve the quality of maternal and child health (MCH) care? A systematic review of the literature

BackgroundThis systematic review was undertaken to assist the implementation of the WOmen’s action for Mums and Bubs (WOMB) project which explores Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community women’s group (WG)...

Effect of mobile health interventions in increasing utilization of Maternal and Child Health care services in developing countries: A scoping review.

Mobile health (mHealth) technology is being used predominantly in low- and middle-income countries. Developing countries with low level of investment in health infrastructure can augment existing capacity by adopting low-cost affordable technology. The aim of the review was to summarize the available evidence on mHealth interventions that aimed at increasing the utilization of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) care services. Further, this review investigated the barriers which prevent the use of mHealth among both health care workers as well as beneficiaries. A scoping review of literature was undertaken using the five-stage framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley. The articles published between 1990 and 2021 were retrieved from three databases (PubMed, Cochrane Reviews, and Google Scholar) and grey literature for this review. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist was followed to present the findings. A total of 573 studies were identified. After removing duplicates, studies not related to mHealth and MCH and publications of systematic reviews and protocols for studies, a total of 28 studies were selected for review. The study design of the research articles which appeared during the search process were mostly observational, cross-sectional, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We have classified the studies into four categories based on the outcomes for which the mHealth intervention was implemented: MCH care services, child immunization, nutrition services, and perceptions of stakeholders toward using technology for improving MCH outcomes. This brief review concludes that mHealth interventions can improve access to MCH services. However, further studies based on large sample size and strong research design are recommended.

Equity and access to maternal and child health services in Ghana a cross-sectional study

BackgroundInequities in the distribution of and access to maternal and child health care services is pervasive in Ghana. Understanding the drivers of inequity in maternal and child health (MCH) is important to achieving the universal health coverage component of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and poverty reduction in developing countries. However, there is increasing disparities in MCH services, especially in rural -urban, and income quintiles. The study aimed to examine the disparities in maternal and child health care services in Ghana for policy intervention.MethodsData for this study was extracted from the nationally representative Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) round 4, 2011. Respondents of this survey were women of reproductive age 15–49 years with a sample size of 10,627 households. The models were estimated using multivariate regression analysis together with concentration index (CI) and risk ratio (RR) to assess the distribution of MCH indicator groups across the household wealth index.ResultsThe results show that women with secondary school level and above were more likely to receive family planning, prenatal care, and delivery by a skilled health professional than those without formal education. Mothers with low level of educational attainment were 87% more likely to have their first pregnancy before the age of 20 years, and 78% were more likely to have children with under-five mortality, and 45% more likely to have children who had diarrhoea. teenage pregnancy (CI = − 0.133, RR =0.679), prenatal care by skilled health worker (CI = − 0.124, RR =0.713) under five mortality, child underweight, reported diarrhoea, and suspected pneumonia, though not statistically significant, were more concentrated in the poorer than in the richer households, The RR between the top and bottom quintiles ranged from 0.77 for child underweight to 0.82 for child wasting.ConclusionGeographic location, income status and formal education are key drivers of maternal and child health inequities in Ghana. Government can partner the private sector to implement health policies to address inequalities in MCH services through primary health care, and resource allocation skewed towards rural areas and the lower wealth quintile to bridge the inequality gaps and improve MCH outcomes. The government and the private sectors should prioritize female education, as that can improve maternal and child health.

Neonatal, infant and child health in South Africa: Reflecting on the past towards a better future.

Although the neonatal mortality rate in South Africa (SA) has remained stagnant at 12 deaths per 1 000 live births, the infant and under-5 mortality rates have significantly declined since peaking in 2003. Policy changes that have influenced this decline include policies to prevent vertical HIV transmission, earlier treatment of children living with HIV, expanded immunisation policies, strengthening breastfeeding practices, and health policies to contain tobacco and sugar use. The Sustainable Development Goals (2016 - 2030) have shifted the focus from keeping children alive, as expressed in the Millennium Development Goals (1990 - 2015), to achieving optimal health through the 'Survive, thrive and transform' global agenda. This paper focuses on important remaining causes of childhood mortality and morbidity in SA, specifically respiratory illness, environmental pollution, tuberculosis, malnutrition and vaccine-preventable conditions. The monitoring of maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes is crucial, and has improved in SA through both the District Health Information and Civil Registration and Vital Statistics systems, although gaps remain. Intermittent surveys and research augment the routinely collected data. However, availability and use of local data to inform quality and effectiveness of care is critical, and this requires ownership at the collection point to facilitate local redress. Potential game changers to improve MCH outcomes include mobile health and community-based interventions. In SA, improved MCH remains a crucial factor for human capital development. There is a pressing need to focus beyond childhood mortality and to ensure that each child thrives.

Evaluation protocol to assess maternal and child health outcomes using administrative data: a community health worker home visiting programme

IntroductionEmerging evidence suggests community health workers (CHWs) delivering preventive maternal and child health (MCH) interventions through home visiting improve several important health outcomes, including initiation of prenatal care, healthy birth...

Impact of lay health worker programmes on the health outcomes of mother-child pairs of HIV exposed children in Africa: A scoping review.

BackgroundIncreased demand for healthcare services in countries experiencing high HIV disease burden and often coupled with a shortage of health workers, has necessitated task shifting from professional health workers to Lay Health Workers (LHWs) in order to improve healthcare delivery. Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services particularly benefit from task-shifting to LHWs or similar cadres. However, evidence on the roles and usefulness of LHWs in MCH service delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is not fully known.ObjectivesTo examine evidence of the roles and impact of lay health worker programmes focusing on Women Living with HIV (WLH) and their HIV-exposed infants (HEIs).MethodsA scoping review approach based on Arksey and O’Malley’s guiding principles was used to retrieve, review and analyse existing literature. We searched for articles published between January 2008 and July 2018 in seven (7) databases, including: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Joanna Briggs, The Cochrane Library, EBM reviews and Web of Science. The critical constructs used for the literature search were “lay health worker”, “community health worker”, “peer mentor”, “mentor mother,” “Maternal and Child health worker”, “HIV positive mothers”, “HIV exposed infants” and PMTCT.ResultsThirty-three (33) full-text articles meeting the eligibility criteria were identified and included in the final analysis. Most (n = 13, 39.4%) of the included studies were conducted in South Africa and used a cluster RCT design (n = 13, 39.4%). The most commonly performed roles of LHWs in HIV specific MCH programmes included: community engagement and sensitisation, psychosocial support, linkage to care, encouraging women to bring their infants back for HIV testing and supporting default tracing. Community awareness on Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (MTCT), proper and consistent use of condoms, clinic attendance and timely HIV testing of HEIs, as well as retention in care for infected persons, have all improved because of LHW programmes.ConclusionLHWs play significant roles in the management of WLH and their HEIs, improving MCH outcomes in the process. LHW interventions are beneficial in increasing access to PMTCT services and reducing MTCT of HIV, though their impact on improving adherence to ART remains scanty. Further research is needed to evaluate ART adherence in LHW interventions targeted at WLH. LHW programmes can be enhanced by increasing supportive supervision and remuneration of LHWs.

Strengthening maternal and child health in China: Lessons from transforming policy proposals into action.

China has made impressive achievements in improving maternal and child health (MCH) over the past few decades. This paper uses a policy lens to examine reasons for these achievements as well as barriers to further success. We found that strong governmental commitment and leadership, effective coordination, proactive participation of different stakeholders, and the provision of adequate resources were associated with China's success in improving MCH outcomes. Other low- and middle-income countries can learn valuable lessons from China's experience. These lessons include i) prioritizing MCH on the national development agenda, ii) keeping national ownership over health development cooperation, and iii) establishing effective monitoring, evaluation and accountability mechanisms for MCH programs.

To evaluate if increased supervision and support of South African Government health workers\u2019 home visits improves maternal and child outcomes: study protocol for a randomized control trial

BackgroundConcurrent epidemics of HIV, depression, alcohol abuse, and partner violence threaten maternal and child health (MCH) in South Africa. Although home visiting has been repeatedly demonstrated efficacious in research evaluations, efficacy disappears when programs are scaled broadly. In this cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT), we examine whether the benefits of ongoing accountability and supervision within an existing government funded and implemented community health workers (CHW) home visiting program ensure the effectiveness of home visiting.Methods/DesignIn the deeply rural, Eastern Cape of South Africa, CHW will be hired by the government and will be initially trained by the Philani Programme to conduct home visits with all pregnant mothers and their children until the children are 2 years old. Eight clinics will be randomized to receive either (1) the Accountable Care Condition in which additional monitoring and accountability systems that Philani routinely uses are implemented (4 clinics, 16 CHW, 450 households); or (2) a Standard Care Condition of initial Philani training, but with supervision and monitoring being delivered by local government structures and systems (4 clinics, 21 CHW, 450 households). In the Accountable Care Condition areas, the CHW’s mobile phone reports, which are time-location stamped, will be monitored and data-informed supervision will be provided, as well as monitoring growth, medical adherence, mental health, and alcohol use outcomes. Interviewers will independently assess outcomes at pregnancy at 3, 6, 15, and 24 months post-birth. The primary outcome will be a composite score of documenting maternal HIV/TB testing, linkage to care, treatment adherence and retention, as well as child physical growth, cognitive functioning, and child behavior and developmental milestones.DiscussionThe proposed cluster RCT will evaluate whether routinely implementing supervision and accountability procedures and monitoring CHWs’ over time will improve MCH outcomes over the first 2 years of life.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov registration #NCT02957799, registered on October 26, 2016.

Impact of a Multi-Strategy Community Intervention to Reduce Maternal and Child Health Inequalities in India: A Qualitative Study in Haryana.

A multi-strategy community intervention, known as National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), was implemented in India from 2005 to 2012. By improving the availability of and access to better-quality healthcare, the aim was to reduce maternal and child health (MCH) inequalities. This study was planned to explore the perceptions and beliefs of stakeholders about extent of implementation and effectiveness of NRHM’s health sector plans in improving MCH status and reducing inequalities. A total of 33 in-depth interviews (n = 33) with program managers, community representatives, mothers and 8 focus group discussions (n = 42) with health service providers were conducted from September to December 2013, in Haryana, post NRHM. Using NVivo software (version 9), an inductive applied thematic analysis was done based upon grounded theory, program theory of change and a framework approach. Almost all the participants reported that there was an improvement in overall health infrastructure through an increased availability of accredited social health activists, free ambulance services, and free treatment facilities in rural areas. This had increased the demand and utilization of MCH services, especially for those related to institutional delivery, even by the poor families. Service providers felt that acute shortage of human resources was a major health system level barrier. District-specific individual, community, and socio-political level barriers were also observed. Overall program managers, service providers and community representatives believed that NRHM had a role in improving MCH outcomes and in reduction of geographical and socioeconomic inequalities, through improvement in accessibility, availability and affordability of the MCH services in the rural areas and for the poor. Any reduction in gender-based inequalities, however, was linked to the adoption of small family sizes and an increase in educational levels.

Effect of Community Health Strategy on Focused Antenatal Care Coverage: A Pretest-Posttest Experimental Study in Rural Mwingi West Sub-County; Kenya

Globally, Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) fell by nearly 44% over the past 25 years, to an estimated 216 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births in 2015 from MMR of 385 per 100 000 live births in 1990. Similarly, the number of under-five deaths worldwide has declined from 12.7 million in 1990 to 5.9 million in 2015. Despite these gains, sub-Saharan Africa remains the region with the highest MMR (99% of global maternal deaths) and under- five mortality rate (1 child in 12 die before their fifth birthday). In Kenya, maternal and child mortality rates are still high despite government efforts aimed at improving Maternal and Child Health (MCH). Studies have acknowledged that Focused Antenatal Care (FANC) is an important element of health care with the potential of reducing maternal and child mortality rates. Though the proportion of women in Kenya seeking ANC services from skilled attendants (for at least 1 visit) is high at 95.5%, FANC coverage remains low at 57.6%. This study sought to determine the effect of a community health worker led primary health care intervention (Community Health Strategy) on FANC in Mwingi West sub-county. A pretest -posttest experimental study design with 1 pretest and 2 post-test surveys in intervention and control sites was employed. Data was collected from a sample size of 422 households in each survey. Women with a child aged 9-12 months were main respondents. CHS significantly increased FANC coverage by 9.5% (Z=2.7528, P<005) within six months after implementation, and by 20.1% (Z= 5.7881, P<0.05) within 18 months of implementation. In intervention site, FANC coverage significantly increased to 59% from 38.9%. Women in intervention site were 1.7 times more likely to seek ANC services for at least 4 times compared to women in control site (95%CI: 1.464-2.014, P<0.0001). CHS was effective in increasing FANC coverage in intervention site. To improve MCH outcomes in Kenya the government should fast-track national implementation of CHS.

The Importance of Partnerships in Local Health Department Practice Among Communities With Exceptional Maternal and Child Health Outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to identify unique practices underway in communities that have been empirically identified as having achieved exceptional maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes compared with their peers. We used a qualitative, positive deviance approach to identify practices implemented by local health department (LHD) jurisdictions in Florida, Washington, and New York that achieved better MCH outcomes than expected compared with their in-state peer jurisdictions. We identified a total of 50 LHDs in jurisdictions that had better than expected MCH outcomes compared with their peers, and we conducted 39 hour-long semistructured interviews with LHD staff. We conducted inductive thematic analysis to identify key themes and subthemes across all LHD cases in the sample. Partnerships with providers, partnerships for data collection/assessment, and partnerships with community-based organizations were associated with exceptional MCH outcomes based on our interviews. This study offers specific examples of practices LHDs can implement to improve MCH outcomes, even with limited resources, based on the practices of high-performing local health jurisdictions.

Catalyzing a Reproductive Health and Social Justice Movement.

Objectives The maternal and child health (MCH) community, partnering with women and their families, has the potential to play a critical role in advancing a new multi-sector social movement focused on creating a women’s reproductive and economic justice agenda. Since the turn of the twenty-first century, the MCH field has been planting seeds for change. The time has come for this work to bear fruit as many states are facing stagnant or slow progress in reducing infant mortality, increasing maternal death rates, and growing health inequities. Methods This paper synthesizes three current, interrelated approaches to addressing MCH challenges—life course theory, preconception health, and social justice/reproductive equity. Conclusion Based on these core constructs, the authors offer four directions for advancing efforts to improve MCH outcomes. The first is to ensure access to quality health care for all. The second is to facilitate change through critical conversations about challenging issues such as poverty, racism, sexism, and immigration; the relevance of evidence-based practice in disenfranchised communities; and how we might be perpetuating inequities in our institutions. The third is to develop collaborative spaces in which leaders across diverse sectors can see their roles in creating equitable neighborhood conditions that ensure optimal reproductive choices and outcomes for women and their families. Last, the authors suggest that leaders engage the MCH workforce and its consumers in dialogue and action about local and national policies that address the social determinants of health and how these policies influence reproductive and early childhood outcomes.

Study protocol: realist evaluation of effectiveness and sustainability of a community health workers programme in improving maternal and child health in Nigeria.

BackgroundAchievement of improved maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes continues to be an issue of international priority, particularly for sub-Saharan African countries such as Nigeria. Evidence suggests that the use of Community Health Workers (CHWs) can be effective in broadening access to, and coverage of, health services and improving MCH outcomes in such countries.Methods/designIn this paper, we report the methodology for a 5-year study which aims to evaluate the context, processes, outcomes and longer-term sustainability of a Nigerian CHW scheme. Evaluation of complex interventions requires a comprehensive understanding of intervention context, mechanisms and outcomes. The multidisciplinary and mixed-method realist approach will facilitate such evaluation. A favourable policy environment within which the study is conducted will ensure the successful uptake of results into policy and practice.A realist evaluation provides an overall methodological framework for this multidisciplinary and mixed methods research, which will be undertaken in Anambra state. The study will draw upon health economics, social sciences and statistics. The study comprises three steps: (1) initial theory development; (2) theory validation and (3) theory refinement and development of lessons learned. Specific methods for data collection will include in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with purposefully identified key stakeholders (managers, service providers and service users), document reviews, analyses of quantitative data from the CHW programme and health information system, and a small-scale survey. The impact of the programme on key output and outcome indicators will be assessed through an interrupted time-series analysis (ITS) of monthly quantitative data from health information system and programme reports. Ethics approvals for this study were obtained from the University of Leeds and the University of Nigeria.DiscussionThis study will provide a timely and important contribution to health systems strengthening specifically within Anambra state in southeast Nigeria but also more widely across Nigeria. This paper should be of interest to researchers who are interested in adapting and applying robust methodologies for assessing complex health system interventions. The paper will also be useful to policymakers and practitioners who are interested in commissioning and engaging in such complex evaluations to inform policies and practices.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13012-016-0443-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Performance Based Financing and Uptake of Maternal and Child Health Services in Yobe Sate, Northern Nigeria

Reported maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes in Nigeria are amongst the worst in the world, with Nigeria second only to India in the number of maternal deaths. At the national level, maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) are estimated at 630 deaths per 100,000 live births (LBs) but vary from as low as 370 deaths per 100,000 LBs in the southern states to over 1,000 deaths per 100,000 LBs in the northern states. We report findings from a performance based financing (PBF) pilot study in Yobe State, northern Nigeria aimed at improving MCH outcomes as part of efforts to find strategies aimed at accelerating attainment of Millennium Development Goals for MCH. Results show that the demand-side PBF led to increased utilization of key MCH services (antenatal care and skilled delivery) but had no significant effect on completion of child immunization using measles as a proxy indicator. We discuss these results within the context of PBF schemes and the need for a careful consideration of all the critical processes and risks associated with demand-side PBF schemes in improving MCH outcomes in the study area and similar settings.