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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2017:2017:6081470.
doi: 10.1155/2017/6081470. Epub 2017 Apr 11.

Impact of an Intensive Perinatal Handwashing Promotion Intervention on Maternal Handwashing Behavior in the Neonatal Period: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Rural Bangladesh

Pavani Kalluri Ram  1 , Sharifa Nasreen  2 , Kelly Kamm  1 , Jelena Allen  1 , Swapna Kumar  1 , Mohammad Anisur Rahman  2 , K Zaman  2 , Shams El Arifeen  2 , Stephen P Luby  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Impact of an Intensive Perinatal Handwashing Promotion Intervention on Maternal Handwashing Behavior in the Neonatal Period: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Rural Bangladesh

Pavani Kalluri Ram et al. Biomed Res Int. 2017.

Abstract

One-quarter of neonatal deaths are attributed to infections. Maternal handwashing with soap may prevent neonatal sepsis. We examined impact of intensive handwashing promotion on handwashing behavior of mothers of neonates. In Matlab, Bangladesh, we randomly allocated pregnant women at 28-32 weeks' gestation to intensive handwashing promotion or control. Behavior change communicators used a participatory approach to motivate maternal handwashing with soap and provided soap and handwashing stations. In the neonatal period, we observed soap and water at handwashing places and, at the end of the neonatal period, we estimated impact on maternal handwashing by structured observation. Among 253 women enrolled, intervention households were between 5.7 and 15.2 times as likely as control households to have soap and water present at the handwashing station in the baby's sleeping area. Intervention mothers washed hands with soap 4.1 times as frequently as controls (95% CI 2.55-6.59); handwashing with soap at recommended times was infrequent in both intervention (9%) and control (2%) groups. Intensively promoting handwashing with soap resulted in increased availability of soap and water at handwashing places, but only a modest increase in maternal handwashing with soap. Novel approaches to motivating handwashing behavior to protect newborns should be developed and evaluated.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Timing of intervention and data collection visits.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Eligibility, allocation, and completion of data collection among pregnant women, Matlab, Bangladesh, 2010-11.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Proportion of households with at least one handwashing station with soap and water, by treatment arm, Matlab, Bangladesh, 2010-11.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Proportion of households with a handwashing station with soap and water observed in the baby's sleeping area, by treatment arm, Matlab, Bangladesh, 2010-11.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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