Valerie L. Flax|Mekebeb Negerie|Alawiyatu Usman Ibrahim|Sheila Leatherman|Eric J. Daza|Margaret E. Bentley
Integrating Group Counseling, Cell Phone Messaging, and Participant-Generated Songs and Dramas into a Microcredit Program Increases Nigerian Women’s Adherence to International Breastfeeding Recommendations
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
northern nigeria interventions urgently needed narrow large gap international breastfeeding recommendations actual breastfeeding practices studies integrated microcredit community health interventions documented success modifying health behaviors typically uncontrolled designs conducted clusterrandomized controlled trial bauchi state nigeria aim increasing early breastfeeding initiation exclusive breastfeeding among female microcredit clients intervention 3 components trained credit officers led monthly breastfeeding learning sessions regularly scheduled microcredit meetings 10 mo text voice messages sent weekly cell phone provided small groups microcredit clients 57 women small groups prepared songs dramas messages presented monthly microcredit meetings control arm continued regular microcredit program randomization occurred level monthly meeting groups pregnant clients recruited baseline interviewed infants aged 6 mo logistic regression models accounting clustering used estimate odds performing recommended behaviors among clients completed final survey n 390 odds exclusive breastfeeding 6 mo 24 95 ci 14 40 timely breastfeeding initiation 26 95 ci 16 41 increased intervention vs control arm delayed introduction water explained increase exclusive breastfeeding among clients receiving intervention conclusion breastfeeding promotion intervention integrated microcredit increased likelihood women adopted recommended breastfeeding practices intervention could scaled nigeria local organizations provide microcredit 500000 clients furthermore intervention could adopted widely given 150 million women many childbearing age involved microfinance globally