Do male engagement and couples' communication influence maternal health care-seeking? Findings from a household survey in Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: This study explored effects of couples' communication and male participation in birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) on delivery in a health facility ("institutional delivery"). A cross-sectional, baseline household survey was conducted in November 2016 prior to an integrated maternal and child health project in Nampula and Sofala Provinces in Mozambique. METHODS: The study used the Knowledge, Practices and Coverage survey tool, a condensed version of the Demographic and Health Survey and other tools. The sample included 1422 women. Multivariable logit regression models tested the association of institutional delivery with couples' communication and four elements of BPCR both with and without male partners: 1) saving money, 2) arranging transport, 3) choosing a birth companion, and 4) choosing a delivery site; controlling for partners' attendance in antenatal care and social and demographic determinants (education, wealth, urban/rural location, and province). RESULTS: The odds that women would deliver in a health facility were 46% greater (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-2.10, p = 0.04) amongst women who discussed family planning with their partners than those who did not. Approximately half of this effect was mediated through BPCR. When a woman arranged transport on her own, there was no significant increase in institutional delivery, but with partner involvement, there was a larger, significant association (aOR = 4.31, 2.64-7.02). Similarly, when a woman chose a delivery site on her own, there was no significant association with institutional delivery (aOR 1.52,0.81-2.83), but with her partner, there was a larger and significant association (aOR 1.98, 1.16-3.36). Neither saving money nor choosing a birth companion showed a significant association with institutional delivery-with or without partner involvement. The odds of delivering in a facility were 28% less amongst poor women whose partners did not participate in BPCR than wealthy women, but when partners helped choose a place of delivery and arrange transport, this gap was nearly eliminated. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings add to growing global evidence that men play an important role in improving maternal and newborn health, particularly through BPCR, and that couples' communication is a key approach for promoting high-impact health behaviors.

Toxicities affecting quality of life after chemo-IMRT of oropharyngeal cancer: prospective study of patient-reported, observer-rated, and objective outcomes.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) aiming to spare the salivary glands and swallowing structures would reduce or eliminate the effects of xerostomia and dysphagia on quality of life (QOL). METHODS AND MATERIALS: In this prospective, longitudinal study, 72 patients with stage III-IV oropharyngeal cancer were treated uniformly with definitive chemo-IMRT sparing the salivary glands and swallowing structures. Overall QOL was assessed by summary scores of the Head Neck QOL (HNQOL) and University of Washington QOL (UWQOL) questionnaires, as well as the HNQOL "Overall Bother" question. Quality of life, observer-rated toxicities (Common Toxicity Criteria Adverse Effects scale, version 2), and objective evaluations (videofluoroscopy assessing dysphagia and saliva flow rates assessing xerostomia) were recorded from before therapy through 2 years after therapy. Correlations between toxicities/objective evaluations and overall QOL were assessed using longitudinal repeated measures of analysis and Pearson correlations. RESULTS: All observer-rated toxicities and QOL scores worsened 1-3 months after therapy and improved through 12 months, with minor further improvements through 24 months. At 12 months, dysphagia grades 0-1, 2, and 3, were observed in 95%, 4%, and 1% of patients, respectively. Using all posttherapy observations, observer-rated dysphagia was highly correlated with all overall QOL measures (P<.0001), whereas xerostomia and mucosal and voice toxicities were significantly correlated with some, but not all, overall QOL measures, with lower correlation coefficients than dysphagia. Late overall QOL (≥6 or ≥12 months after therapy) was primarily associated with observer-rated dysphagia, and to a lesser extent with xerostomia. Videofluoroscopy scores, but not salivary flows, were significantly correlated with some of the overall QOL measures. CONCLUSION: After chemo-IMRT, although late dysphagia was on average mild, it was still the major correlate of QOL. Further efforts to reduce swallowing dysfunction are likely to yield additional gains in QOL.