title: Undertaking a complex evaluation of safe motherhood in rural Burkina Faso.
abstract: Evaluations of composite health interventions, such as those attempting to make motherhood safer, are by definition complex, but nevertheless regarded as essential to informing progress in global health. This paper introduces a series of reports which set out the basis of Family Care International's Skilled Care Initiative in rural Burkina Faso, go on to describe strategies and methods for evaluating it, and present evaluation findings in terms of pregnancy outcomes, utilisation and effects of the intervention and economics. Although there were encouraging findings, no 'magic bullets' emerged from these studies, illustrating the reality that sustained and increasing resources are needed to achieve safe motherhood for all. There is no cheap or short-cut solution.
authors.affiliation: Immpact, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. w.graham@abdn.ac.uk
authors.forename: Wendy J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: S Ghislaine
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Conombo
authors.forename: D Sosthène
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Zombré
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Meda
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Byass
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Brouwere
mesh_terms: D002050:Burkina Faso; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000592:standards