Community mobilization in Mumbai slums to improve perinatal care and outcomes: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Improving maternal and newborn health in low-income settings requires both health service and community action. Previous community initiatives have been predominantly rural, but India is urbanizing. While working to improve health service quality, we tested an intervention in which urban slum-dweller women's groups worked to improve local perinatal health.

Methods and findings

A cluster randomized controlled trial in 24 intervention and 24 control settlements covered a population of 283,000. In each intervention cluster, a facilitator supported women's groups through an action learning cycle in which they discussed perinatal experiences, improved their knowledge, and took local action. We monitored births, stillbirths, and neonatal deaths, and interviewed mother

SUBMITTER: More NS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3389036 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature