Evaluating a Large-Scale Community-Based Intervention to Improve Pregnancy and Newborn Health Among the Rural Poor in India

• DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2014.302092
• Publication Date: 2014-11-13T21:04:37Z
• Authors: Arnab Acharya; Tanya Lalwani; Rahul Dutta; Julie Knoll Rajar...; Jenny Ruducha; Leila Caleb Varkey; Sita Wunnava; Lysander Menezes; Catharine Taylor; Jeff Bernson
• Keywords: Postnatal Care; Baseline (sea); Community Health

Objectives. We evaluated the effectiveness of Sure Start project, which was implemented in 7 districts Uttar Pradesh, India, to improve maternal and newborn health. Methods. Interventions were at 2 randomly assigned levels intensity. Forty percent areas received a more intense intervention, including community-level meetings with expectant mothers. A baseline survey consisted 12 000 women who completed pregnancy 2007; follow-up conducted for 2010 same villages. Our quantitative analyses provide an account project's impact. Results. observed significant health improvements both intervention over time; intensive areas, we found greater care-seeking healthy behaviors. The did not experience significantly decline neonatal mortality. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that community-based efforts, especially mothers' group designed increase behaviors, are effective can be large scale.