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. 2018 Mar;21(4):796-806.
doi: 10.1017/S1368980017002993. Epub 2017 Nov 6.

Improving maternal, infant and young child nutrition in Nepal via peer mobilization

Akriti Singh  1 , Rolf D W Klemm  2 , Gary Mundy  3 , Pooja Pandey Rana  4 , Bhim Pun  4 , Kenda Cunningham  4
Affiliations

Improving maternal, infant and young child nutrition in Nepal via peer mobilization

Akriti Singh et al. Public Health Nutr. 2018 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a peer facilitator (PF) approach for improving mothers' knowledge and practices relating to maternal and child nutrition.

Design: A quasi-experimental design nested within a large-scale integrated nutrition programme, Suaahara, in Nepal. Suaahara interventions were implemented in all study sites, but peer facilitators were used in only half of the study sites.

Setting: Rural, disadvantaged villages in three districts of Nepal: Bhojpur, Bajhang and Rupandehi.

Subjects: Mothers of children aged 6-23·9 months (n 1890).

Results: Differences over time between comparison (C) and intervention (I) groups show that the PF approach had a significant positive impact on several indicators of mothers' knowledge and practices relating to maternal and child nutrition: (i) knowing that fruits and vegetables are good for children 6-23·9 months (C: -0·7, I: 10·6; P=0·03); (ii) child dietary diversity (C: 0·02, I: 0·04; P=0·02); (iii) child minimum dietary diversity (≥4 of 7 food groups; (C: 6·9, I: 16·0; P=0·02); (iv) maternal dietary diversity (C: 0·1, I: 0·4; P=0·01); and (v) maternal minimum dietary diversity (≥4 food groups; C: 3·6, I: 14·0; P=0·03). Additionally, exposure to a PF three or more times in the past 6 months was positively associated with a small improvement in maternal (β=0·06, P=0·04) and child (β=0·06, P=0·02) dietary diversity scores. Improvements were not observed in maternal health-seeking behaviours such as number of antenatal care visits.

Conclusions: Peer mobilization is a potential approach for improving health- and nutrition-related knowledge and behaviours among women in hard-to-reach communities of Nepal.

Keywords: Child nutrition; Hard-to-reach; Infant and young child feeding; Maternal nutrition; Peer mobilization.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Timeline of the PF intervention and impact evaluation (PF, peer facilitator; VDC, village development committee)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Peer facilitator sampling strategy. *Sample size calculation was based on four districts, but analysis was restricted to three districts which had data available for two time points (VDC, village development committee; PPS, probability proportional to size; DAG, disadvantaged group)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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