Impact of COVID-19 on Family Dynamics on Bandebereho Study Participants

Summary

This proposed study will assess how COVID-19 and the associated 'stay at home' orders are affecting low-income Rwandan couples' relationships and family dynamics. The study builds on an existing randomized controlled trial of the Bandebereho fathers/couples intervention (NCT02694627), which will allow us to assess not only the current conditions in households, but also whether or how the significant impacts of the intervention are sustained under extreme stress.

Conditions

• Gender Relations
• Partner Communication
• Division of Carework
• Couple Conflict
• Stress

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

MenCare+/Bandebereho fathers'/couples' group education

MenCare+/Bandebereho is a 3 year project to engage men in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) and in sexual and reproductive health in Rwanda. A core component of the project is fathers'/couples' group education. The target participants were first-time parents or parents of young children living in 16 rural and semi-urban sectors selected by the implementing partner in collaboration with local authorities. The MenCare+/Bandebereho fathers'/couples' group education engages men in 15 weekly sessions of group discussion, critical reflection and interactive activities led by a trained facilitator using a curriculum developed by RWAMREC and Promundo and approved by the Rwandan Ministry of Health, adapted from the Program P Manual. Men's partners participate in 6-8 sessions. The sessions focus on men's role in MNCH, family planning, sharing household responsibilities, intimate partner violence, conflict resolution, family budgeting, and gender equality.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Rwanda Men's Resource Center (Rwamrec)

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Ministry of Health/Rwanda Biomedical Center

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Promundo, United States

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Kate E Doyle, MA · Promundo-US

• Ruti G Levtov, PhD · Promundo-US

• Felix Sayingoza, MD, MSc · Ministry of Health/Rwanda Biomedical Center

• Fidele Rutayisire, MA · Rwanda Men's Resource Center

• Shamsi Kazimbaya, MA · Promundo-US

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

26 Years

Max Age

40 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-08-13

Primary Completion

2020-09-04

Completion

2020-09-04

Countries

• Rwanda

Study Locations