Effectiveness of various communication strategies for improving childhood pneumonia case management: a community based behavioral open labeled trial in rural Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract Background Community acquired pneumonia is responsible for 16% of under 5 mortality in India, probably due to delayed recognition and qualified care seeking. Therefore these deaths could possibly be averted by creating community awareness and promoting care seeking from qualified physicians...

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Main Authors: Shally Awasthi, Divas Kumar, Neha Mishra, Monika Agarwal, Chandra Mani Pandey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2019-12-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-8050-0
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author Shally Awasthi
Divas Kumar
Neha Mishra
Monika Agarwal
Chandra Mani Pandey
author_facet Shally Awasthi
Divas Kumar
Neha Mishra
Monika Agarwal
Chandra Mani Pandey
author_sort Shally Awasthi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Community acquired pneumonia is responsible for 16% of under 5 mortality in India, probably due to delayed recognition and qualified care seeking. Therefore these deaths could possibly be averted by creating community awareness and promoting care seeking from qualified physicians in the government system. The objective of study was to assess the effectiveness of facility-based and village-based behavior change communication interventions delivered to community using validated information, education and communication materials, along with infrastructural strengthening of health facilities, for change in care seeking from government system for community acquired pneumonia in rural Lucknow, India. Method Community based open labeled behavioral trial in 2 by 2 factorial design was conducted in eight rural blocks of Lucknow, northern India. Trained community health workers conducted Pneumonia Awareness Sessions once a month for the care givers of children using validated information, education and communication materials either at the villages or at government health facilities. Prior infrastructural strengthening of public health facilities was done to provide optimal care to cases. Pre packed pneumonia drug kits were provided which had amoxicillin, paracetamol and an instruction card on their use as well as pictorial representation of danger signs of pneumonia. Results Study lasted from October 2015 to September 2018. Adherence to conduct of facility-based intervention was 93.0% (279/300) and to village-based intervention was 73.4% (7638/10410). In village-based intervention there was 79.3% (p < 0.0001) increase from a baseline of 3.3% (14/420) and facility-based intervention 68.9% (p = 0.02) increase from a baseline of 5.35% (21/392) in cases of possible pneumonia treated at government health facilities. Conclusion Conduct of structured pneumonia awareness session using validated information, education and communication material at village level with infrastructural strengthening resulted in improved qualified care seeking from government facilities for community acquired pneumonia. Trial registration AEARCTR-0003137, retrospectively registered on 10/July/2018.
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spelling doaj.art-9025d815d1d1437fb716285085a2cba82022-12-21T22:01:07ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582019-12-0119111110.1186/s12889-019-8050-0Effectiveness of various communication strategies for improving childhood pneumonia case management: a community based behavioral open labeled trial in rural Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaShally Awasthi0Divas Kumar1Neha Mishra2Monika Agarwal3Chandra Mani Pandey4Department of Pediatrics, King George’s Medical UniversityDepartment of Pediatrics, King George’s Medical UniversityDepartment of Pediatrics, King George’s Medical UniversityDepartment of Social and Preventive Medicine, King George’s Medical UniversityDepartment of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical SciencesAbstract Background Community acquired pneumonia is responsible for 16% of under 5 mortality in India, probably due to delayed recognition and qualified care seeking. Therefore these deaths could possibly be averted by creating community awareness and promoting care seeking from qualified physicians in the government system. The objective of study was to assess the effectiveness of facility-based and village-based behavior change communication interventions delivered to community using validated information, education and communication materials, along with infrastructural strengthening of health facilities, for change in care seeking from government system for community acquired pneumonia in rural Lucknow, India. Method Community based open labeled behavioral trial in 2 by 2 factorial design was conducted in eight rural blocks of Lucknow, northern India. Trained community health workers conducted Pneumonia Awareness Sessions once a month for the care givers of children using validated information, education and communication materials either at the villages or at government health facilities. Prior infrastructural strengthening of public health facilities was done to provide optimal care to cases. Pre packed pneumonia drug kits were provided which had amoxicillin, paracetamol and an instruction card on their use as well as pictorial representation of danger signs of pneumonia. Results Study lasted from October 2015 to September 2018. Adherence to conduct of facility-based intervention was 93.0% (279/300) and to village-based intervention was 73.4% (7638/10410). In village-based intervention there was 79.3% (p < 0.0001) increase from a baseline of 3.3% (14/420) and facility-based intervention 68.9% (p = 0.02) increase from a baseline of 5.35% (21/392) in cases of possible pneumonia treated at government health facilities. Conclusion Conduct of structured pneumonia awareness session using validated information, education and communication material at village level with infrastructural strengthening resulted in improved qualified care seeking from government facilities for community acquired pneumonia. Trial registration AEARCTR-0003137, retrospectively registered on 10/July/2018.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-8050-0Community acquired pneumoniaBehavior changeQualified health care seekingIndiaTrial
spellingShingle Shally Awasthi
Divas Kumar
Neha Mishra
Monika Agarwal
Chandra Mani Pandey
Effectiveness of various communication strategies for improving childhood pneumonia case management: a community based behavioral open labeled trial in rural Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
BMC Public Health
Community acquired pneumonia
Behavior change
Qualified health care seeking
India
Trial
title Effectiveness of various communication strategies for improving childhood pneumonia case management: a community based behavioral open labeled trial in rural Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
title_full Effectiveness of various communication strategies for improving childhood pneumonia case management: a community based behavioral open labeled trial in rural Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
title_fullStr Effectiveness of various communication strategies for improving childhood pneumonia case management: a community based behavioral open labeled trial in rural Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
title_full_unstemmed Effectiveness of various communication strategies for improving childhood pneumonia case management: a community based behavioral open labeled trial in rural Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
title_short Effectiveness of various communication strategies for improving childhood pneumonia case management: a community based behavioral open labeled trial in rural Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
title_sort effectiveness of various communication strategies for improving childhood pneumonia case management a community based behavioral open labeled trial in rural lucknow uttar pradesh india
topic Community acquired pneumonia
Behavior change
Qualified health care seeking
India
Trial
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-8050-0
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