Niranjan Saggurti|Yamini Atmavilas|Akash Porwal|Janine Schooley|Rajshree Das|Narender Kande|Laili Irani|Katherine Hay
Effect of health intervention integration within women's self-help groups on collectivization and healthy practices around reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health in rural India
Population Council Institute|Population Council Institute|Project Concern International|Project Concern International|Population Council Institute
study evaluates eightsession behavior change health intervention womens selfhelp groups shgs aimed promote healthy maternal newborn practices among socially economically marginalized groupsusing prepost quasiexperimental design total 545 shgs divided two groups control group received usual microcredit intervention intervention group received additional participatory training around maternal neonatal child health issues women members shgs live birth 12 months preceding survey surveyed demographics practices around maternal neonatal child health mnch collectivization outcome effects assessed using differenceindifference methodswomen shgs health intervention relative controls time time 1 time 2 likely use contraceptive methods 9 percentage points pp p0001 institutional delivery 9pp p005 practice skintoskin care 17pp p005 delay bathing 3 days 19pp p0001 initiate timely breastfeeding 21pp p0001 exclusively breastfeed child 27pp p0001 provide ageappropriate immunization 9pp p0001 additionally women shgs health intervention compared control group time likely report collective efficacy 17pp p0001 support accompanying shg members antenatal care 8pp p005 receive visit shg member within 2 days postdelivery 32pp p0001 receive reproductive maternal neonatal child health information shg member 45pp p0001findings demonstrate structured participatory communication mnch womens groups improve positive health practices addition shgs reach substantial proportion women providing avenue pregnant women young mothers assisted others learning practicing healthy behaviors thus building social cohesion health