Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Sep 12:10:959482.
doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.959482. eCollection 2022.

Monitoring healthcare improvement for mothers and newborns: A quantitative review of WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA standards using Every Mother Every Newborn assessment tools

Gloria Mutimbwa Siseho  1   2 , Thubelihle Mathole  1 , Debra Jackson  1   3
Affiliations

Monitoring healthcare improvement for mothers and newborns: A quantitative review of WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA standards using Every Mother Every Newborn assessment tools

Gloria Mutimbwa Siseho et al. Front Pediatr. .

Abstract

Background: Assessment tools with the ability to capture WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA standard quality-of-care measures are needed. This study aimed to assess the ability of Every Mother Every Newborn (EMEN) tools to capture WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA maternal and newborn quality improvement standard indicators.

Methods: A quantitative study using the EMEN quality assessment framework was applied. The six EMEN tools were compared with the WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA maternal and newborn quality improvement standards. Descriptive statistics analysis was carried out with summaries using tables and figures.

Results: Overall, across all EMEN tools, 100% (164 of 164) input, 94% (103 of 110) output, and 97% (76 of 78) outcome measures were assessed. Standard 2 measures, i.e., actionable information systems, were 100% (17 of 17) completely assessed by the management interview, with 72% to 96% of standard 4-6 measures, i.e., client experiences of care, fulfilled by an exit interview tool.

Conclusion: The EMEN tools can reasonably measure WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA quality standards. There was a high capacity of the tools to capture enabling policy environment and experiences of care measures not covered in other available tools which are used to measure the quality of care.

Keywords: assessment tools; childbirth; healthcare improvement; measures; monitoring; standards; statements.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA quality of care standards, statements and measures.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Conceptual model for analysis of childbirth healthcare assessment tools: A comprehensive measure of care elements (inputs, process and output, and outcomes).
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Fulfilment of the quality standards by tool.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Fulfilment of quality statements by tool.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Goyet S, Broch-Alvarez V, Becker C. Quality improvement in maternal and newborn healthcare: lessons from programmes supported by the German development organisation in Africa and Asia. BMJ Glob Health. (2019) 4:e001562. 10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001562 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. WHO/UNICEF. Ending Preventable Newborn Deaths and Stillbirths: Moving Faster Towards High-Quality Universal Health Coverage in 2020-2025. New York, NY: UNICEF; (2020).
    1. Lawn JE, Blencowe H, Waiswa P, Amouzou A, Mathers C, Hogan D, et al. Stillbirths: rates, risk factors, and acceleration towards 2030. Lancet. (2016) 387:587–603. 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00837-5 - DOI - PubMed
    1. WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA. Quality, Equity, Dignity: The Network to Improve Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health - Strategic Objectives Geneva, Avenue Appia20, 1211. Geneva: World Health Organisation; (2018).
    1. WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA. Standards for Improving Quality of Maternal and Newborn Care in Health Facilities. Avenue Appia 20, CH-1211. Geneva: World Health Organisation; (2016). 84 p.

LinkOut - more resources