The Effectiveness of Community-Based Continuous Training on Promoting Positive Behaviors towards Birth Preparedness, Male Involvement, and Maternal Services Utilization among Expecting Couples in Rukwa, Tanzania: A Theory of Planned Behavior Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background Rukwa Region has the highest maternal mortality ratio, 860 deaths per 100,000 live births in Tanzania. The region has neonatal mortality rate of 38 deaths per 1,000 live births. Previous interventions to promote maternal and neonatal health targeted access to maternal services by removing financial barriers and increasing the number of health facilities. However, maternal service utilization remains very low, especially facility delivery. The proposed intervention was sought to address deep-rooted behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, control beliefs, and knowledge empowerment to determine their effect on improving birth preparedness, male involvement, and maternal services utilization. The study tested the effectiveness of a Community-Based Continuous Training (CBCT) intervention that was based upon the theory of planned behavior and was sought to promote positive behaviors. Methods The study used a quasi-experimental design. The design consisted of pre- and postintervention assessments of two nonequivalent groups. Two districts were selected conveniently using criteria of high home birth. A district to hold intervention was picked randomly. Study participants were expecting couples at gestation age of 24 weeks and below. After obtaining informed consents, participants were subjected to baseline assessment. Expecting couples in the intervention group had two training sessions and two encounter discussions. The three primary outcomes of the study were changes in the level of knowledge about birth preparedness, male involvement, and use of maternal services. Data were collected at preintervention, midintervention, and postintervention. Policy Implications of the Results The aim of this paper was to describe the study protocol of a quasi-experimental study design to test the effectiveness of an interventional program on promoting positive behaviors on birth preparedness, male involvement, and maternal services utilization among expecting couples. This study has a potential to address the challenge of low birth preparedness, male involvement, and use of maternal health services in Rukwa Region.

The Theory of Planned Behaviour in Medical Tourism: International Comparison in the Young Consumer Segment

“…The TPB has been also applied in research into health-related behaviours [14][15][16], e.g., healthy eating [17,18], pro-health behaviours [18][19][20][21], physicians' acceptance of telemedicine technology [22], substance use [23,24], and the use of medical services [25].…”

The impact of community based continuous training project on improving couples’ knowledge on birth preparedness and complication readiness in rural setting Tanzania; A controlled quasi-experimental study

“…This section of the method has been partly published previously in the protocol titled The Effectiveness of Community-Based Continuous Training on Promoting Positive Behaviors towards Birth Preparedness, Male Involvement, and Maternal Services Utilization among Expecting Couples in Rukwa, Tanzania: A Theory of Planned Behavior Quasi-Experimental Study [ 23 ].…”

“…A quasi-experimental study with control using pre-post-tests was conducted to evaluate the effect of the CBCT project on improving knowledge on BPCR in a rural setting of Rukwa Tanzania from June 2017 to March 2018 [ 23 ].…”

Assessing Male Partners’ Attitudes, Subjective Norms and Perceived Behavior Control towards Their Involvement in Maternal Health Services in Rural Settings, Tanzania: A Baseline Community-Based Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

“…Four research assistants were recruited and trained to participate in data collection. Semi-structured questionnaires developed using the theory of planned behavior were used to assess male partners' attitudes, perceived subjective norms, and perceived behavior control [33][34][35][36] .…”

“…A baseline community-based analytical cross-sectional study in a quantitative research approach was conducted in forty-ve villages within Rukwa region, the Southern Highlands of Tanzania from June 1 st -to October 30 th , 2017, among male partners of pregnant women [33][34][35][36] .…”