Accelerating Newborn Survival in Ghana Through a Low-dose, High-frequency Health Worker Training Approach

NCT ID: NCT03290924

Last Updated: 2017-09-25

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2014-09-01
• Study Completion Date: 2017-02-28

Brief Summary

This study assesses the effect of a low-dose, high-frequency training approach on long-term evidence-based skill retention among skilled birth attendants and impact on adverse birth outcomes at hospitals in Ghana.

Detailed Description

In-service training for skilled birth attendants (SBAs) is one of the most common interventions to address lack of knowledge and skills. However, these training interventions are seldom evaluated for effectiveness in improving learning or performance.

This study study is a cluster-randomized waitlist trial implemented in 40 public and mission hospitals in Ghana. It assesses the effect of a low-dose, high-frequency (LDHF) training approach to update hospital-based SBAs in key evidence-based intrapartum and immediate newborn care practices, using current global guidelines.The LDHF approach includes two 4-day onsite sessions (low dose) with weekly practice sessions, SMS quizzes and reminders, and mentoring via mobile phone and onsite visits between trainings (high frequency). The low-dose sessions include competency acquisition through simulation, case-based learning, and small content packages spread over short time intervals.

Eligible hospitals will be stratified by geographic region and caseload, and then randomly assigned to one of four implementation waves. The pipeline randomization allows for rigorous evaluation while the program is rolled out to all facilities.

Conditions

Stillbirth; Neonatal Death

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Intervention

Low-dose high-frequency health worker training approach to update skilled birth attendants in key evidence-based intrapartum and immediate newborn care practices

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Low dose high frequency health worker training approach

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

• Two 4-day training sessions for skilled birth attendants
• 1-day peer practice coordinator training after first training session
• Weekly, peer-led practice sessions using MamaNatalie® and NeoNatalie™ anatomic models
• SMS reminder messages and quizzes
• Routine telephone calls between master mentors and peer practice coordinators, and between project staff and master mentors
• Health information officer training
• Data collection and use training
• Supply of simulators, newborn resuscitation equipment, and delivery sets

Comparison

Training on data collection and reporting

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Active Comparison

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Training on data collection and reporting

Interventions

Low dose high frequency health worker training approach

• Two 4-day training sessions for skilled birth attendants
• 1-day peer practice coordinator training after first training session
• Weekly, peer-led practice sessions using MamaNatalie® and NeoNatalie™ anatomic models
• SMS reminder messages and quizzes
• Routine telephone calls between master mentors and peer practice coordinators, and between project staff and master mentors
• Health information officer training
• Data collection and use training
• Supply of simulators, newborn resuscitation equipment, and delivery sets

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Active Comparison

Training on data collection and reporting

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Public or faith based hospital
• At least three skilled birth attendants on staff
• At least 30 births per month

• Health providers who attend births in participating health facilities and consent to be assessed at the time of enrollment and at several points in time over the study period

Exclusion Criteria

• Private hospital
• Public or faith based hospital with less than three skilled birth attendants on staff
• Public or faith based hospital with less than 30 births per month

• Health providers who decline to participate

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Jhpiego

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Patricia Gomez

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Senior Technical Advisor

References

Gomez PP, Nelson AR, Asiedu A, Addo E, Agbodza D, Allen C, Appiagyei M, Bannerman C, Darko P, Duodu J, Effah F, Tappis H. Accelerating newborn survival in Ghana through a low-dose, high-frequency health worker training approach: a cluster randomized trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2018 Mar 22;18(1):72. doi: 10.1186/s12884-018-1705-5.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 29566659 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

OPP1087303

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id