Effectiveness of timed and targeted counselling about feeding and caring practices for infants and young children to mothers in West Bank: a randomised controlled trial
Date
2017-08-01
Authors
Al–Rabadi, Hana S
E Sharif, Nuha
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Background Restricted access to health facilities in some Palestinian localities is believed to contribute to little
knowledge and poor infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and care practices among mothers. The objective of this
study was to assess the effectiveness of a community approach called Timed Targeted Counselling in improving
mothers’ knowledge and practices of IYCF in four remote villages surrounding Bethlehem in the West Bank.
Methods We did a randomised controlled trial in four villages. All mothers of infants born between March 1, 2011, and
April 30, 2011, were identified by community health workers (CHWs) and randomly assigned to the intervention or
comparison group. Randomisation was done at the individual level, four villages who had similar characteristics were
identified and all newborns during the months of March and April, 2011, were assigned randomly into intervention
and comparison groups, univariate, and multivariate analysis were applied. CHWs targeted the intervention group
with key messages and support for positive IYCF and caring practices during two organised home visits (sometimes
three depending on their counselling) throughout 12 months. Women in the comparison group were not exposed to
any messages; they were visited only for data collection. Baseline and postintervention data from a questionnaire,
designed for the purpose of the study, were collected for both groups at the end of 12 months. Ethical approval was
given and informed consent obtained from participants. The primary endpoint was behavioural caring practices of
mothers towards their children. We did univariate and multivariate statistical analysis were planned to be done using
SPSS version 17.