Chamas for Change: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

NCT ID: NCT05787392

Last Updated: 2023-04-25

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Total Enrollment: 444 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-03-14
• Study Completion Date: 2025-03-13

Brief Summary

In Kenya, the chamas strategy (a peer support approach aimed at improving MNCH and reducing gender and social inequalities) has been shown to significantly improve maternal and child health outcomes while also providing social and financial support to participating women. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions in women's work and MNCH services around the world due to reallocation of health care resources, COVID-19 fears, transportation restrictions, and lockdowns. These consequences appeared to disproportionately affect the poor, particularly poor women. The purpose of this participatory action design study is to determine how Chamas participation intersected with other factors to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and economic well-being of women and children.

Detailed Description

The study objectives are:

To evaluate the effect of Chama participation on mitigating the effects of the pandemic on social and gender equity.

• Impact on economic status (assessed using the changes in the Poverty Probability index scores)
• Impact on health service utilization and behaviours (assessed using enrollment in the national health insurance scheme, number of ANC visits attended, facility delivery, maternal death, newborn death, infant death, exclusive breastfeeding, number of children fully immunized at age 1)
• Social attitudes and well-being (assessed using, attitude towards harsh punishment of children, level of parental stress)
• COVID-19 related information (assessed using COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 vaccination, and effects of COVID restrictions)

To use an equity-centered design process and narrative approach to share research findings.

The research team intends to evaluate women's experiences during the pandemic using a mixed method approach and a participatory action design method. The focus will be on 3 study cohorts: (1) women who participated in Chamas throughout the pandemic, (2) women who left Chamas during the pandemic, (3) women whose communities were randomized to not receive the Chamas intervention. To better understand the effects of Chama participation on study outcomes, we will conduct an interviewer-administered survey among the described cohorts of women. This will be followed by qualitative studies to contextualize the study findings and investigate gender dynamics as social processes. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) will be conducted to further investigate our study cohort's experiences during the pandemic and identify strategies used by participants to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic and its associated restrictions.

Conditions

Gender Equity

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Completed Chamas program

women who participated in Chamas throughout the pandemic

Chamas cha MamaToto program

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Chamas is a community health volunteer (CHV)-led group programme that engages women during pregnancy and the first 1000 days of their child's life. The strategy focuses on promoting maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) by providing health education, peer support, and opportunities to access financial capital, all while addressing inequities that perpetuate poor outcomes.

Did not complete Chamas program

women who left Chamas during the pandemic

Chamas cha MamaToto program

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Chamas is a community health volunteer (CHV)-led group programme that engages women during pregnancy and the first 1000 days of their child's life. The strategy focuses on promoting maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) by providing health education, peer support, and opportunities to access financial capital, all while addressing inequities that perpetuate poor outcomes.

Did not participate in Chamas program

women whose communities were randomized to not receive the Chamas intervention

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Chamas cha MamaToto program

Chamas is a community health volunteer (CHV)-led group programme that engages women during pregnancy and the first 1000 days of their child's life. The strategy focuses on promoting maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) by providing health education, peer support, and opportunities to access financial capital, all while addressing inequities that perpetuate poor outcomes.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Women who participated in the 2021 Chamas study in Western Kenya

Exclusion Criteria

• Women who did not participate in the 2021 study.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 15 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

International Development Research Centre, Canada

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of British Columbia

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Indiana University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Toronto

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Moi University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Astrid Christoffersen-Deb

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Julia Songok

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

AMPATH Kenya

Sammy Masibo

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Trans Nzoia county government

Michael Scanlon

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Indiana University

Laura Ruhl

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Indiana University

Julie Thorne

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

University of Toronto

Violet Naanyu

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Moi University

Locations

Trans Nzoia county

Kiminini, , Kenya

Trans-Nzoia County

Kitale, , Kenya

Countries

Kenya

Provided Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol

View Document

Other Identifiers

MoiU7

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id