Effects of Video-based Health Education on Maternal and Child Health in Ethiopia

Summary

Low adherence to recommended health and nutrition strategies during the critical 1000 day-window of opportunity is multifactorial but low quality communication is key limitation. Innovative strategies to improve interpersonal communication can reduce the burden and the fatigue of community health workers and may result in a greater change. The findings of this project will support governments and other stakeholders in their delivery of high impact nutrition and health practices.

This intervention aims to improve adherence to ante- and post-natal care practices and recommendations by the use of our video-based health education. These videos will be implemented through home-based counseling by trained assistants, and video-based forum participation led by community nurses and health extension workers (HEWs). During the monthly forums, the educational package will be delivered in a video form - locally prepared using multiple approaches like testimony, comedy, dramas in the form of questions and answers, group discussions and deductive approaches. Cordless projectors and locally created videos give the health community more quality control over the end message, expand the number of people reached, allow for the use of minimally trained non-expert facilitators such as the hews, and allow for contextually appropriate information. They can also be used in areas without access to electricity, helping to bridge the digital divide, and serving as a leapfrog technology for areas that would otherwise not have access to media.

Conditions

• Anemia
• Antenatal Care
• Birth Outcomes
• Worm Infection
• Bacterial Vaginoses
• Exclusive Breastfeeding

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Standard counselling

The control cohort will receive national standard counseling during four ante-natal care visits. Women in the control group will receive additionally 1. national nutrition and health care including IFA supplementation, 2. treatment of any symptomatic health condition and deworming in case of symptomatic complaints during second and third trimesters, 3. Women who experience odor, itching or discharge will be treated for candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis.

BEHAVIORAL

Health-Video

The intervention cohort Health-Video will receive innovative video-based nutritional and hygienic education. Women in this group will receive additionally: 1. National nutrition and health care including IFA supplementation 2. treatment of any symptomatic health condition and deworming in case of symptomatic complaints during second and third trimesters, 3. Women who experience odor, itching or discharge will be treated for candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR)

  collaborator NETWORK

• Arba Minch University

  collaborator OTHER

• University Ghent

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Stefaan De Henauw, Md. PhD · University Ghent

• Souheila Abbeddou, MSc. PhD · University Ghent

• Bruno Levecke, PhD · University Ghent

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-03-13

Primary Completion

2021-07-31

Completion

2021-07-31

Countries

• Ethiopia

Study Locations