The impact of the Safe Delivery Application on knowledge and skills managing postpartum haemorrhage in a low resource setting: a cluster randomized controlled trial in West Wollega region, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum haemorrhage is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in low-income countries. Improving health workers' competencies in obstetric emergencies in low-income settings, has been recognized as an important factor in preventing maternal mortality and morbidity. mHealth interventions in maternal and newborn health care has shown the potential to improve health service delivery. Strong study designs such as randomized controlled trials are missing to estimate the effectiveness of the mHealth interventions. METHODS: Between August 2013 and August 2014, 70 health facilities in West Wollega Region, Ethiopia were included and randomized to intervention or control in a cluster randomized controlled trial. At intervention facilities birth attendants were provided with a smartphone with the SDA installed. Of 176 midwives and "health extension workers," 130 completed at 12 months follow-up. At baseline and after 6- and 12-months participants were assessed. Knowledge was tested by a Key Feature Questionnaire, skills by an Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills in a structured role-play scenario. RESULTS: Baseline skills scores were low and comparable with a median of 12/100 in the intervention and the control group. After 6 months skills had doubled in the intervention group (adjusted mean difference 29.6; 95% CI 24.2-35.1 compared to 1·8; 95% CI - 2.7 to 6.3 in the control group). At 12 months skills had further improved in the intervention group (adjusted mean difference 13.3; 95% CI 8.3-18.3 compared to 3.1; 95% CI - 1.0 to 7.3 in the control group). Knowledge scores also significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control (adjusted mean difference after 12 months 8.5; 95% CI 2.0-15.0). CONCLUSION: The Safe Delivery App more than doubled clinical skills for managing postpartum haemorrhage among birth attendants making it an attractive tool to reduce maternal mortality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrial.gov Identifier NCT01945931. September 5, 2013.

Maternal mortality caused by postpartum haemorrhage is a major public health concern in many low-income countries. Having access to skilled health care professionals during pregnancy and childbirth can prevent maternal deaths related to postpartum haemorrhage. mHealth interventions like the Safe Delivery App (SDA), a smartphone application, has shown the potential to improve the quality of care in emergency situations related to childbirth in low-income health system settings.This study examines the SDA as a training/education tool for improving health workers' competencies and performances in managing postpartum haemorrhage. The SDA contained animated instruction videos on how to prevent and treat postpartum haemorrhage and a list of essential drugs and basic equipment.In Ethiopia, 70 health facilities and 176 birth attendants were included in a randomized controlled trial. The intervention group received a smartphone with the SDA installed and half a day of introduction to the use of the app. Birth attendants' skills and knowledge in managing postpartum haemorrhage in the control and the intervention group were tested at baseline, 6 and 12 months after intervention.Our study found that the SDA is an effective tool to improve and sustain birth attendants' knowledge and skills in the management of postpartum haemorrhage in a rural, low-resource health system setting in Ethiopia, which confirms findings in other non-randomized studies examining the SDA on the management of postpartum haemorrhage.

Infection Prevention Performance among Hospital Staff during Vaginal Birth: Results from a Criterion-Based Audit at a Zonal Referral Hospital in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare associated infections is a global burden and is one of the main causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality during the time of labour when admitted to the hospital. Healthcare workers' hands are in most cases the vehicle for transmission of microorganisms from patient to patient. Good hand hygiene practices at the bedside are a simple way of reducing healthcare associated infections. The objective was to assess the impact of a criterion-based audit on infection prevention performance and knowledge during vaginal delivery at a hospital in Tanzania. The quantitative findings were discussed with staff to identify barriers and solutions to quality improvement. METHODS: A mixed-method uncontrolled, before and after intervention study by criterion-based audit was performed at the labour ward at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre. Criteria for best practice were established together with key staff based on national and international guidelines. Sixty clean procedures during vaginal birth were observed and assessed by a structured checklist based on the audit criteria. Baseline findings were discussed with staff and an intervention performed including a short training and preparation of alcohol-based hand rub. Hereafter another 60 clean procedures were observed, and performance compared to the care before the intervention. Furthermore, a knowledge test was performed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Hand washing increased significantly after a procedure from 46.7% to 80% (RR=1.71 95% CI; 1.27 to 2.31), the use of alcohol-based hand rub before a procedure from 1.7% to 33.3% p<.001), and the use of alcohol-based hand rub after procedure from 0% to 30% p<.00l). After the intervention the mean score for the knowledge test increased insignificantly from 59.3% to 65.3%, (mean difference = 6.1%, 95% CI; -4.69 to 16.88). CONCLUSION: The criterion-based audit process identified substandard care for infection prevention at the labour ward. An intervention of discussing baseline findings and a short training session and introducing alcohol-based hand rub resulted in improvements on infection prevention performance.

Health workers' experiences with the Safe Delivery App in West Wollega Zone, Ethiopia: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Health workers in many low-income countries are not adequately trained to deliver pregnant women safely. In response to this, the Safe Delivery App (SDA) has been developed, which provides animated clinical instruction videos in basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care. The SDA aims to improve knowledge and skills of health workers located in the periphery of the health system in order to improve quality of care and potentially save the lives of mothers and newborns. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the users' experiences with using the SDA and in which ways the SDA influences their work situation and their perceived ability to conduct safe deliveries. METHODS: Eleven focus group discussions and four individual interviews were conducted with a total of 56 midwives, nurses and health extension workers from five districts in West Wollega Zone, Oromiya region of Ethiopia. The data further include observations and informal conversations. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, checked for corrections and analysed using systematic text condensation. RESULTS: The findings indicate that health workers perceive the SDA as a useful tool, which helps them memorize and update knowledge and skills, and improves their confidence. User patterns follow the relevancy of the tool to the health workers' work situation - those who conduct many deliveries have more often used the app in emergency situations, whereas those who conduct few deliveries more often use it to improve their knowledge and to provide health education to pregnant women. Thus, the SDA is used in varying ways depending on internal and external factors such as own competencies, availability of equipment and frequency of births attended. Health workers experienced that community members showed more recognition and trust in their abilities and ascribed this to their increased confidence in assisting in deliveries. The increased recognition from communities may also be associated to a medical technology. CONCLUSION: The health workers perceive the SDA as having improved their ability to manage complications during childbirth and have gained increased recognition and trust from the communities.

Criterion-Based Audit of Hand Hygiene Performance During Caesarean Section at a Referral Hospital in Northern Tanzania: An Uncontrolled Interventional Study.

BACKGROUND: Health-care-associated infection (HCAI) is a big challenge in both low- and high-income countries. Around childbirth, infection is among the main causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Appropriate hand hygiene practice is a simple and cost-effective way of reducing HCAIs. This study aimed to assess the baseline performance and knowledge of proper hand hygiene during caesarean sections and the impact of interventions guided by a criterion-based audit at a tertiary health facility in Tanzania. METHODS: A noncontrolled, before-and-after intervention study, guided by a criterion-based audit, was carried out. A criterion based checklist was used for direct observations of hand hygiene performance during cesarean section. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess knowledge on infection prevention. Performance was compared before and after a half-way intervention. RESULTS: At baseline, low-quality hand hygiene performance was observed. Significant improvements of hand hygiene performance were observed for a number of criteria. Long nails: performance reduction from 15 (25%) to 3 (5%) (P=.04), polished nails: from 11 (18%) to 1 (2%) (P=.04), a score increase in hand wash with water from 43.8 (73%) to 60 (100%) (P=.001). Postoperatively, correct glove removal increased from 20 (33%) to 37.8 (66%) (P=.01). Alcohol-based hand rub use increased from 2 (3%) to 21 (35%) (P=.001). The number of health-care workers who did not wash hands after procedure with either water or alcohol-based hand rub reduced from 35 (58%) to 10 (17%) (P=.001). After the intervention, poor knowledge among health-care workers reduced from 7 (39%) to 3 (17%), while moderate knowledge increased from 8 (44%) to 12 (67%). CONCLUSION: Feedback, discussion of findings, training, visual reminders, and distribution of alcohol-based hand rub, as part of a criterion-based audit is a powerful way of improving hand hygiene performance and knowledge in surgical wards.

Association Between the Safe Delivery App and Quality of Care and Perinatal Survival in Ethiopia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE: Health apps in low-income countries are emerging tools with the potential to improve quality of health care services, but few apps undergo rigorous scientific evaluation. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of the safe delivery app (SDA) on perinatal survival and on health care workers' knowledge and skills in neonatal resuscitation. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In a cluster-randomized clinical trial in 5 rural districts of Ethiopia, 73 health care facilities were randomized to the mobile phone intervention or to standard care (control). From September 1, 2013, to February 1, 2015, 3601 women in active labor were included at admission and followed up until 7 days after delivery to record perinatal mortality. Knowledge and skills in neonatal resuscitation were assessed at baseline and at 6 and 12 months after the intervention among 176 health care workers at the included facilities. Analyses were performed based on the intention-to-treat principle. INTERVENTIONS: Health care workers in intervention facilities received a smartphone with the SDA. The SDA is a training tool in emergency obstetric and neonatal care that uses visual guidance in animated videos with clinical instructions for management. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was perinatal death. Secondary outcomes included the knowledge and clinical management of neonatal resuscitation (skills) of health care workers before the intervention and after 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: The analysis included 3601 women and 176 health care workers. Use of the SDA was associated with a nonsignificant lower perinatal mortality of 14 per 1000 births in intervention clusters compared with 23 per 1000 births in control clusters (odds ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.32-1.81). The skill scores of intervention health care workers increased significantly compared with those of controls at 6 months (mean difference, 6.04; 95% CI, 4.26-7.82) and 12 months (mean difference, 8.79; 95% CI, 7.14-10.45) from baseline, corresponding to 80% and 107%, respectively, above the control level. Knowledge scores also significantly improved in the intervention compared with the control group at 6 months (mean difference, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.02-2.32) and at 12 months (mean difference, 1.54; 95% CI, 0.98-2.09), corresponding to 39% and 38%, respectively, above the control level. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The SDA was an effective method to improve and sustain the health care workers' knowledge and skills in neonatal resuscitation as long as 12 months after introduction. Perinatal mortality was nonsignificantly reduced after the intervention. The results are highly relevant in low-income countries, where quality of care is challenged by a lack of continuing education. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01945931.

Comparing hands-on and video training for postpartum hemorrhage management.

The objective was to compare two teaching methods for postpartum hemorrhage management: interactive hands-on training and non-interactive video training. In a controlled intervention study at a secondary health care center in Kenya, the two training methods, based on the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics curriculum, were evaluated utilizing structured observation of a standardized scenario before and after training. Both intervention groups significantly increased in performance scores after receiving hands-on training: 40% (95% CI 29.5-47.0) and video training: 34.5% (95% CI 25.0-42.0); likewise, pass rates improved significantly. No significant differences in performance score or pass rates were found between the two methods. The findings indicate that postpartum hemorrhage management training by mobile media might be just as effective as conventional hands-on training and a feasible way to overcome the outreach gap in sub-Saharan Africa's rural areas, where peripheral health facilities are generally difficult to reach with conventional training programs.

Disclosing doubtful indications for emergency cesarean sections in rural hospitals in Tanzania: a retrospective criterion-based audit.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate in depth to what extent indications for emergency cesarean sections followed evidence-based audit criteria for realistic best practice. DESIGN: A quality assurance analysis based on a retrospective criterion-based audit. SETTING: Two rural hospitals in Tanzania. POPULATION: From 2009, 400 cesarean section instances were investigated. Of these, 303 were emergency cesarean sections and therefore included. METHODS: Documented indications for and management preceding the emergency cesarean sections were compared with the audit criteria. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of suboptimal care. RESULTS: Of the emergency sections, 26% appeared to be decided based on inappropriate indications, and in an additional 38%, the indications were unclear. Prolonged labor was the leading indication; in 36% of these, labor progressed timely and/or the membranes were still intact. In 26%, previous cesarean section was the indication, half of these with one previous section only. Fetal distress was an indication in 14%, but for 84% of these the fetal heart rate was either reassuring or not documented. For nine women, section was decided upon because of intrauterine fetal death; none had a trial of forceps/vacuum extraction or destructive surgery. CONCLUSION: A considerable number of the audited emergency cesarean sections were performed on doubtful indications. In the light of the rising trend in global cesarean section rates, there seems to be a need to ensure quality of management preceding cesarean sections. This is particularly called for in rural sub-Saharan Africa where cesarean rates are still low and health risks of emergency surgery not negligible.

Childbirth attendance strategies and their impact on maternal mortality and morbidity in low-income settings: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To review quantitative evidence of the effect on maternal health of different childbirth attendance strategies in low-income settings. DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: Studies using quantitative methods, referring to the period 1987-2011, written in English and reporting the impact of childbirth attendance strategies on maternal mortality or morbidity in low-income settings were included. Guidelines developed by the Cochrane collaboration and the Centre for Review and Dissemination, University of York were followed. The included articles were read and sorted by category of strategy that emerged from the reading. RESULTS: The search criteria yielded 29 articles. The following three main categories of strategy emerged: (i) those primarily intended to improve quality of care; (ii) "centrifugal strategies," which sought to bring services to the women; and (iii) "centripetal strategies," which sought to bring the women to the services. Few of the studies had a design that provided strong evidence for the impact of the strategy concerned. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence emerging from the studies was difficult to compare, because concepts were not defined in a consistent manner (such as "skilled birth attendance") and many studies examined the impact of a package of interventions without ferreting out the impact of individual components. Yet, some studies described individual aspects with great promise (such as cost, transport, outreach-friendly drugs or targeted training). There is a need for clearer conceptual frameworks, including some which permit assessment of packages of interventions.

Advanced life support in obstetrics (ALSO) and post-partum hemorrhage: a prospective intervention study in Tanzania.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO) training on staff performance and the incidences of post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) at a regional hospital in Tanzania. DESIGN: Prospective intervention study. SETTING: A regional, referral hospital. POPULATION: A total of 510 women delivered before and 505 after the intervention. METHODS: All high- and mid-level providers involved in childbirth at the hospital attended a two-day ALSO provider course. Staff management was observed and post-partum bleeding assessed at all vaginal deliveries for seven weeks before and seven weeks after the training. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: PPH (blood loss ≥500ml), severe PPH (blood loss ≥1000ml) and staff performance to prevent, detect and manage PPH. RESULTS: The incidence of PPH was significantly reduced from 32.9 to 18.2%[RR 0.55 (95%CI: 0.44-0.69)], severe PPH from 9.2 to 4.3%[RR 0.47 (95%CI: 0.29-0.77)]. The active management of the third stage of labor was also significantly improved. There was a significant decrease in episiotomies. By visual estimation, staff identified one in 25 of the PPH cases before the ALSO training and one in five after the training. A significantly higher proportion of women with PPH had continuous uterine massage, oxytocin infusion and bimanual compression of the uterus after the training. CONCLUSIONS: A two-day ALSO training course can significantly improve staff performance and reduce the incidence of PPH, at least as evaluated by short-term effects.

User and provider perspectives on emergency obstetric care in a Tanzanian rural setting: a qualitative analysis of the three delays model in a field study.

The aim of this field study was to analyze the main dynamics and conflicts in attending and providing good quality delivery care in a local Tanzanian rural setting. The women and their relatives did not see the problems of pregnancy and birth in isolation but in relation to multiple other problems they were facing in the context of poverty. Local health professionals were aware of the poor quality of care at health facilities but were still blaming the community. The study describes the difficulties within the conceptual framework of the widely used "three delays model" to disentangle different perspectives and to identify a feasible strategy of action to improve access to timely and effective emergency obstetric care. There seems to be a need for a supplementary analytic model that more clearly has the health system as the central agent responsible for improving maternal health. A modified "actantial model is suggested for that purpose.

Impact of ALSO training on the management of prolonged labor and neonatal care at Kagera Regional Hospital, Tanzania.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the management of prolonged labor and neonatal care before and after Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO) training. METHODS: Staff involved in childbirth at Kagera Regional Hospital, Tanzania, attended a 2-day ALSO provider course. In this prospective intervention study conducted between July and November 2008, the management and outcomes of 558 deliveries before and 550 after the training were observed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the rate of cesarean deliveries owing to prolonged labor, and vacuum delivery was not practiced after the intervention. During prolonged labor, action was delayed for more than 3 hours in half of the cases. The stillbirth rate, Apgar scores, and frequency of neonatal resuscitation did not change significantly. After the intervention, there was a significant increase in newborns given to their mothers within 10 minutes, from 5.6% to 71.5% (RR 12.71; 95% CI, 9.04-17.88). There was a significant decrease from 6 to 0 neonatal deaths before discharge among those born with an Apgar score after 1 minute of 4 or more (P=0.03). CONCLUSION: ALSO training had no effect on the management of prolonged labor. Early contact between newborn and mother was more frequently practiced after ALSO training and the immediate neonatal mortality decreased.

Substandard emergency obstetric care - a confidential enquiry into maternal deaths at a regional hospital in Tanzania.

OBJECTIVE: (i) To identify clinical causes of maternal deaths at a regional hospital in Tanzania and through confidential enquiry (CE) assess major substandard care and make a comparison to the findings of the internal maternal deaths audits (MDAs); (ii) to describe hospital staff reflections on causes of substandard care. METHODS: A CE into maternal deaths was conducted based on information available from written sources supplemented with participatory observations and interviews with staff. The compiled information was summarized and presented anonymously for external expert review to assess for major substandard care. Hospital based maternal deaths between 2006 and 2008 (35 months) were included. Of 68 registered maternal deaths sufficient information for reviewing was retrieved for 62 cases (91%). As a supplement, in-depth interviews with staff about the underlying causes of substandard care were performed. RESULTS: The causes of death were infection (40%), abortion (25%), eclampsia (13%), post-partum haemorrhage (12%), obstructed labour (6%) and others (4%). The median time available for hospital staff to manage the fatal complication was 47 h. The CE identified major substandard care in 46 (74%) of the 62 cases reviewed. During the same time period MDA identified substandard care in 18 cases. Staff perceived poor organization of work and lack of training as important causes for substandard care. Local MDA was considered useful although time-consuming and sometimes threatening, and staff dedication to the process was questioned. CONCLUSION: Quality assurance of emergency obstetric care might be strengthened by supplementing internal MDA with external CE.