title: Research report--Volunteer infant feeding and care counselors: a health education intervention to improve mother and child health and reduce mortality in rural Malawi.
abstract: The aim of this report is to describe a health education intervention involving volunteer infant feeding and care counselors being implemented in Mchinji district, Malawi. The intervention was established in January 2004 and involves 72 volunteer infant feeding and care counselors, supervised by 24 government Health Surveillance Assistants, covering 355 villages in Mchinji district. It aims to change the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of women to promote exclusive breastfeeding and other infant care practices. The main target population are women of child bearing age who are visited at five key points during pregnancy and after birth. Where possible, their partners are also involved. The visits cover exclusive breastfeeding and other important neonatal and infant care practices. Volunteers are provided with an intervention manual and picture book. Resource inputs are low and include training allowances and equipment for counselors and supervisors, and a salary, equipment and materials for a coordinator. It is hypothesized that the counselors will encourage informational and attitudinal change to enhance motivation and risk reduction skills and self-efficacy to promote exclusive breastfeeding and other infant care practices and reduce infant mortality. The impact is being evaluated through a cluster randomised controlled trial and results will be reported in 2012.
authors: Centre for International Health and Development, UCL, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford St, London WC1N 1EH ; Centre for Anthropological Research, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa.
authors: Mikey
authors: M
authors: Rosato
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: Lewycka
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Mwansambo
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Kazembe
authors: Tambosi
authors: T
authors: Phiri
authors: Hilda
authors: H
authors: Chapota
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Vergnano
authors: Marie-Louise
authors: ML
authors: Newell
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Osrin
authors: Anthony
authors: A
authors: Costello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008295:Malawi / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D058028:Research Report; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D012424:Rural Population; D014838:Volunteers
references: Malawi Med J. 2010 Dec;22(4):112-9
references: 21977831
references: Trials. 2010 Sep 17;11:88
references: 20849613
references: AIDS. 2001 Feb 16;15(3):379-87
references: 11273218
references: Lancet. 2000 Nov 11;356(9242):1643-7
references: 11089824
references: Lancet. 1999 Apr 10;353(9160):1226-31
references: 10217083
references: Lancet. 2003 Apr 26;361(9367):1418-23
references: 12727395
references: J Hum Lact. 1996 Jun;12(2):97-103
references: 8932039