Maternal and neonatal outcome in pregnant women undergone induction of labor at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

INTRODUCTION: Labor induction is a common obstetric intervention aimed at initiating labor when spontaneous onset is delayed or deemed necessary for maternal or fetal well-being. Despite its widespread use, the practice's impact on maternal and neonatal outcomes remains a subject of ongoing research and debate. This study aims to evaluate the maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with labor induction in a tertiary hospital setting in Tanzania. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive analytical cross-sectional study was conducted over a seven-month period from January 2021 to July 2021 at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A total of 120 pregnant women who underwent labor induction during this period were included in the analysis. Data on maternal demographics, obstetric characteristics, indications for induction, methods of induction, labor outcomes, and neonatal outcomes were collected from medical records and analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: Among 4773 deliveries during the study period, 120 women underwent labor induction, accounting for 120 (2.5%) of all deliveries. The most common indications for induction were postdate pregnancy 60 (50%), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy 38 (31.7%), and premature rupture of membranes 22 (17.5%). The majority of induced women 74 (61.7%) delivered vaginally, with 46 (38.3%) undergoing cesarean section. Maternal complications were minimal, with the most common being failed induction of labor 17 (14.2%). Neonatal outcomes were generally positive, with 120 (100%) of neonates having Apgar scores of 7 or higher at five minutes, although 10 (8.3%) required admission to the neonatal ward for further care. CONCLUSION: Labor induction at Muhimbili National Hospital demonstrated favorable maternal and neonatal outcomes, with low rates of maternal complications and positive neonatal Apgar scores. Postdate pregnancy emerged as the most common indication for induction. While the study highlights the benefits of labor induction, its retrospective nature and single-center setting limit the generalizability of findings. Prospective studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to validate these findings and inform evidence-based obstetric practices.

Long-term retention on antiretroviral treatment after enrolment in prevention of vertical HIV transmission services: a prospective cohort study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

INTRODUCTION: To prevent vertical HIV transmission and ensure healthy mothers and children, pregnant women with HIV must remain on antiretroviral treatment (ART) for life. However, motivation to remain on ART may decline beyond the standard 2-year breastfeeding/postpartum period. We assessed attrition and retention in ART care among women with HIV up to 6 years since enrolment in vertical transmission prevention services in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 22,631 pregnant women with HIV were enrolled in vertical transmission prevention services between January 2015 and December 2017 in routine healthcare settings and followed-up to July 2021. Kaplan-Meier was used to estimate time to ART attrition (died, stopped ART or was lost to follow-up [no show ≥90 days since scheduled appointment]) and the proportion retained in care. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) of ART attrition in relation to predictors. RESULTS: Participants were followed-up to 6 years for a median of 3 years (IQR: 0.1-4). The overall ART attrition rate was 13.8 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 13.5-14.1), highest in the first year of enrolment at 27.1 (26.3-27.9), thereafter declined to 9.5 (8.9-10.1) in year 3 and 2.7 (2.1-3.5) in year 6. The proportion of women retained in care were 78%, 69%, 63%, 60%, 57% and 56% at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 years, respectively. ART attrition was higher in young women aged <20 years (aHR 1.63, 95% CI: 1.38-1.92) as compared to 30-39 year-olds and women enrolled late in the third versus first trimester (aHR 1.29, 95% CI: 1.16-1.44). In contrast, attrition was lower in older women ≥40 years, women who initiated ART before versus during the index pregnancy and women attending higher-level health facilities. CONCLUSIONS: ART attrition among women with HIV remains highest in the first year of enrolment in vertical transmission prevention services and declines markedly following a transition to chronic HIV care. Targeted interventions to improve ART continuity among women with HIV during and beyond prevention of vertical transmission are vital to ending paediatric HIV and keeping women and children alive and healthy.

The impact of a community health worker intervention on uptake of antenatal care: a cluster-randomized pragmatic trial in Dar es Salaam.

The provision of high-quality antenatal care (ANC) is important for preventing maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, but only around half of pregnant women in Tanzania attended four or more ANC visits in 2019. Although there is emerging evidence on the benefit of community health worker (CHW) interventions on ANC uptake, few large-scale pragmatic trials have been conducted. This pragmatic cluster-randomized trial, implemented directly through the public sector health system, assessed the impact of an intervention that trained public sector CHWs to promote the uptake of ANC. We randomized 60 administrative wards in Dar es Salaam to either a targeted CHW intervention or a standard of care. The impact of the intervention was assessed using generalized estimating equations with an independent working correlation matrix to account for clustering within wards. A total of 243 908 women were included in the analysis of our primary outcome of four or more ANC visits. The intervention significantly increased the likelihood of attending four or more ANC visits [relative risk (RR): 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05, 1.92] and had a modest beneficial effect on the total number of ANC visits (percent change: 7.7%; 95% CI: 0.2%, 15.5%). While slightly more women in the intervention arm attended ANC in their first trimester compared with the standard-of-care arm (19% vs 18.7%), the difference was not significant (RR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.84, 1.22). Our findings suggest that trained CHWs can increase attendance of ANC visits in Dar es Salaam and similar settings. However, additional interventions appear necessary to promote the early initiation of ANC. This study demonstrates that routine health system data can be leveraged for outcome assessment in trials and programme evaluation and that the results are likely superior, both in terms of bias and precision, to data that are collected specifically for science.

Vertical HIV transmission within 18 months post partum among women on lifelong antiretroviral therapy for HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The UNAIDS estimate of vertical HIV transmission in Tanzania is high (11%), despite 84% uptake of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among pregnant women with HIV. We aimed to evaluate vertical transmission and its determinants by 18 months post partum among women on lifelong ART in routine health-care settings in Tanzania. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study in 226 health facitilies across Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Eligible participants were pregnant women of any age with HIV, and later their infants, who enrolled in routine health-care services for the prevention of vertical transmission. We prospectively followed up mother-infant pairs at routine monthly visits until 18 months post partum and extracted data from the care and treatment clinic (CTC2) database, a national electronic database that stores patient-level HIV care and treatment clinic data. The primary outcome was time from birth to HIV diagnosis, defined as a positive infant HIV DNA PCR or antibody test from age 18 months. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate cumulative risk of vertical transmission by 18 months post partum and Cox proportional hazards regression with shared frailties to account for potential clustering in health facilities to evaluate predictors of transmission. FINDINGS: Between Jan 1, 2015, and Dec 31, 2017, 22 930 pregnant women with HIV (median age 30 years, IQR 25-34) enrolled on a care programme. After excluding 9140 (39·9%) women and 539 (2·4%) infants with missing outcome data, 13 251 (59·0%) mother-infant pairs were analysed, of whom 6072 (45·8%) women were already on ART before pregnancy. By 18 months post partum, 159 (1·2%) of 13 251 infants were diagnosed with HIV, equivalent to a risk of vertical transmission of 1·4% (95% CI 1·2-1·6). In the complete case analysis, the rates of vertical transmission were higher among women who enrolled in the third trimester of pregnancy than among those who enrolled in the first trimester (adjusted hazard ratio 3·01, 95% CI 1·59-5·70; p=0·0003), among women with advanced HIV disease than among those with early-stage disease (1·89, 1·22-2·93; p=0·0046), and among women who were on a second-line ART regimen than among those on a first-line regimen (3·58, 1·08-11·82; p=0·037). By contrast, the rate of vertical transmission was lower among women who were already on ART at enrolment than among those starting ART at enrolment (0·39, 0·25-0·60; p<0·0001) as well as among women in high-volume clinics than among those in low-volume clinics (0·46 (0·24-0·90; p<0·0097). INTERPRETATION: Provision of ART for life (WHO's option B+ recommendation) has reduced the risk of vertical transmission to less than 2% among pregnant women with HIV in routine care settings in urban Tanzania. There is still a need to improve timely HIV diagnosis and ART uptake, and to optimise follow-up for the prevention of vertical transmission and the uptake of infant HIV testing. FUNDING: Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

Effect of peer-mother interactive programme on prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission outcomes among pregnant women on anti-retroviral treatment in routine healthcare in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Peer support services are increasingly being integrated in programmes for the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT). We aimed to evaluate the effect of a peer-mother interactive programme on PMTCT outcomes among pregnant women on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) in routine healthcare in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Twenty-three health facilities were cluster-randomized to a peer-mother intervention and 24 to a control arm. We trained 92 ART experienced women with HIV to offer peer education, adherence and psychosocial support to women enrolling in PMTCT care at the intervention facilities. All pregnant women who enrolled in PMTCT care at the 47 facilities from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2019 were identified and followed up to 31st July 2021. The primary outcome was time to ART attrition (no show >90 days since the scheduled appointment, excluding transfers) and any difference in one-year retention in PMTCT and ART care between intervention and control facilities. Secondary outcomes were maternal viral suppression (<400 viral copies/mL) and mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) by ≥12 months post-partum. Analyses were done using Kaplan Meier and Cox regression (ART retention/attrition), generalized estimating equations (viral suppression) and random effects logistic regression (MTCT); reporting rates, proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CI). There were 1957 women in the peer-mother and 1384 in the control facilities who enrolled in routine PMTCT care during 2018-2019 and were followed for a median [interquartile range (IQR)] of 23 [10, 31] months. Women in both groups had similar median age of 30 [IQR 25, 35] years, but differed slightly with regard to proportions in the third pregnancy trimester (14% versus 19%); advanced HIV (22% versus 27%); and ART naïve (55% versus 47%). Peer-mother facilities had a significantly lower attrition rate per 1000 person months (95%CI) of 14 (13, 16) versus 18 (16, 19) and significantly higher one-year ART retention (95%CI) of 78% (76, 80) versus 74% (71, 76) in un-adjusted analyses, however in adjusted analyses the effect size was not statistically significant [adjusted hazard ratio of attrition (95%CI) = 0.85 (0.67, 1.08)]. Viral suppression (95%CI) was similar in both groups [92% (91, 93) versus 91% (90, 92)], but significantly higher among ART naïve women in peer-mother [91% (89, 92)] versus control [88% (86, 90)] facilities. MTCT (95%CI) was similar in both groups [2.2% (1.4, 3.4) versus 1.5% (0.7, 2.8)]. In conclusion, we learned that integration of peer-mother services in routine PMTCT care improved ART retention among all women and viral suppression among ART naïve women but had no significant influence on MTCT.

Health care costs associated with clinic visits for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

ABSTRACT: Early and appropriate antenatal care (ANC) is key for the effectiveness of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We evaluated the importance of ANC visits and related service costs for women receiving option B+ to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV in Tanzania.A cost analysis from a health care sector perspective was conducted using routine data of 2224 pregnant women newly diagnosed with HIV who gave birth between August 2014 and May 2016 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We evaluated risk of infant HIV infection at 12 weeks postnatally in relation to ANC visits (<4 vs ≥4 visits). Costs for service utilisation were estimated through empirical observations and the World Health Organisation Global Price Reporting Mechanism.Mean gestational age at first ANC visit was 22 (±7) weeks. The average number of ANC/prevention of MTCT visits among the 2224 pregnant women in our sample was 3.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.6-3.7), and 57.3% made ≥4 visits. At 12 weeks postnatally, 2.7% (95% CI 2.2-3.6) of HIV exposed infants had been infected. The risk of MTCT decreased with the number of ANC visits: 4.8% (95% CI 3.6-6.4) if the mother had <4 visits, and 1.0% (95% CI 0.5-1.7) at ≥4. The adjusted MTCT rates decreased by 51% (odds ratio 0.49, 95% CI 0.31-0.77) for each additional ANC visit made. The potential cost-saving was 2.2 US$ per woman at ≥4 visits (84.8 US$) compared to <4 visits (87.0 US$), mainly due to less defaulter tracing.Most pregnant women living with HIV in Dar es Salaam initiated ANC late and >40% failed to adhere to the recommended minimum of 4 visits. Improved ANC attendance would likely lead to fewer HIV-infected infants and reduce both short and long-term health care costs due to less spending on defaulter tracing and future treatment costs for the children.

Long-term virological outcomes in women who started option B+ care during pregnancy for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Option B+ marked a milestone in prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV by recommending lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all pregnant women with HIV. Nevertheless, concerns remain regarding long-term outcomes in settings with a high HIV burden. We analysed long-term virological outcomes in women enrolled on option B+ in Tanzania. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, we extracted data for pregnant women with HIV starting PMTCT care between Oct 1, 2014, and Sept 30, 2016, in routine health-care settings in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from national HIV and district health information system databases. We then excluded women who exited study sites before 6 months of ART follow-up and women who did not have a viral load test. Women were followed up until March 8, 2019. We used Poisson generalised estimating equations to examine trends in HIV viral suppression (<400 copies per mL) and virological failure (≥400 copies per mL), reporting relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs adjusted for maternal age, gestational age, and several clinical characteristics. FINDINGS: We identified 15 586 pregnant women with HIV, of whom 10 161 were eligible for follow-up. Women were followed up for a median of 37 months (IQR 31-45) and a maximum of 53 months. The median age at PMTCT initiation was 31 years (IQR 27-35). At PMTCT enrolment, 1245 (17·0%) of 7318 women with available data were in their third trimester, 4901 (48·2%) of 10 161 women started ART at least 1 month before PMTCT enrolment, and 3380 (33·4%) of 10 131 women with available data had advanced HIV. Overall, a viral suppression rate of 88·2% (95% CI 87·8-88·7) was observed over the entire follow-up period, ranging from 85·1% (84·3-85·9) in viral load tests done at 0-11 months to 90·6% (89·7-91·4) at 36 months or longer since PMTCT enrolment. In a complete-case analysis (ie, including patients with <30% missing data; n=7306), the risk of virological failure among women who remained in HIV care decreased over time (adjusted RR 0·87 [95% CI 0·80-0·95] at 12-23 months since PMTCT enrolment; 0·65 [0·59-0·72] at 24-35 months; and 0·63 [0·55-0·71] at ≥36 months vs at 0-11 months). Younger women (aged <20 years: 1·76 [1·40-2·23] vs aged 30-39 years) and those starting PMTCT late in pregnancy (third trimester: 1·28 [1·10-1·50] vs first trimester) or with advanced HIV (1·33 [1·16-1·51] vs without advanced HIV) had increased risk of virological failure. Women who attended an antenatal care facility where more than 50% of attendees received couples HIV testing had a decreased risk of virological failure (adjusted RR 0·81 [0·65-0·99] vs <50% having couples testing). INTERPRETATION: High rates of viral suppression among women starting option B+ who remain in HIV care are sustainable, and might increase, at least up to 53 months. This rate might be further improved by addressing challenges of adolescent mothers, late presenters, and couples HIV testing at antenatal care. FUNDING: Swedish International Development Agency.

Postpartum depression among women with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in Tanzania; a call for integrative intervention.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression (PPD) complicates maternal wellbeing, maternal-infant bonding, and cognitive function in children and woman's relationship with her partner. Clinical observations suggest a higher risk of postpartum depression among those women with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia compared to the general population. However, the evidence is inconsistent and not from settings similar to Tanzanian. This study aimed to determine the magnitude and risk factors for PPD among women diagnosed with pre-eclampsia or eclampsia at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Tanzania. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 390 women who had pre-eclampsia or eclampsia during pregnancy attending postnatal care clinic at MNH. PPD was assessed using Edinburg postnatal depression scoring scale (EPDS). Face to face interviews was conducted and data was analysed using descriptive and logistic regression analysis to address the two respective objectives. RESULTS: PPD was prevalent among 20.5% of women who had pre-eclampsia or eclampsia but varied with severity. Factors associated with PPD included young age (AOR = 10.13 95% CI 1.99-52.02), being a single mother (AOR = 3.18 95% CI 1.02-9.95), having a lower level of education (AOR = 3.83 95% CI 1.45-10.16), having a perinatal death (AOR = 5.14 95% CI 2.53-10.45), lack of family support (AOR = 7.06 95% CI 1.25-39.90), and experience of stressful event during pregnancy (AOR = 15.14 95% CI 2.38-96.19). CONCLUSION: One in five women with pre-eclampsia or eclampsia had PPD and the magnitude increased with the severity of the disease condition. To address PPD, efforts should be done to screen and provide treatment to pregnant women presenting with pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, especially those with young age, low education level, single marital status, perinatal loss, lack of family support, and those reported to have a stressful event during pregnancy.

Community health workers to improve uptake of maternal healthcare services: A cluster-randomized pragmatic trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Home delivery and late and infrequent attendance at antenatal care (ANC) are responsible for substantial avoidable maternal and pediatric morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. This cluster-randomized trial aimed to determine the impact of a community health worker (CHW) intervention on the proportion of women who (i) visit ANC fewer than 4 times during their pregnancy and (ii) deliver at home. METHODS AND FINDINGS: As part of a 2-by-2 factorial design, we conducted a cluster-randomized trial of a home-based CHW intervention in 2 of 3 districts of Dar es Salaam from 18 June 2012 to 15 January 2014. Thirty-six wards (geographical areas) in the 2 districts were randomized to the CHW intervention, and 24 wards to the standard of care. In the standard-of-care arm, CHWs visited women enrolled in prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) care and provided information and counseling. The intervention arm included additional CHW supervision and the following additional CHW tasks, which were targeted at all pregnant women regardless of HIV status: (i) conducting home visits to identify pregnant women and refer them to ANC, (ii) counseling pregnant women on maternal health, and (iii) providing home visits to women who missed an ANC or PMTCT appointment. The primary endpoints of this trial were the proportion of pregnant women (i) not making at least 4 ANC visits and (ii) delivering at home. The outcomes were assessed through a population-based household survey at the end of the trial period. We did not collect data on adverse events. A random sample of 2,329 pregnant women and new mothers living in the study area were interviewed during home visits. At the time of the survey, the mean age of participants was 27.3 years, and 34.5% (804/2,329) were pregnant. The proportion of women who reported having attended fewer than 4 ANC visits did not differ significantly between the intervention and standard-of-care arms (59.1% versus 60.7%, respectively; risk ratio [RR]: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.82-1.15; p = 0.754). Similarly, the proportion reporting that they had attended ANC in the first trimester did not differ significantly between study arms. However, women in intervention wards were significantly less likely to report having delivered at home (3.9% versus 7.3%; RR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.30-0.95; p = 0.034). Mixed-methods analyses of additional data collected as part of this trial suggest that an important reason for the lack of effect on ANC outcomes was the perceived high economic burden and inconvenience of attending ANC. The main limitations of this trial were that (i) the outcomes were ascertained through self-report, (ii) the study was stopped 4 months early due to a change in the standard of care in the other trial that was part of the 2-by-2 factorial design, and (iii) the sample size of the household survey was not prespecified. CONCLUSIONS: A home-based CHW intervention in urban Tanzania significantly reduced the proportion of women who reported having delivered at home, in an area that already has very high uptake of facility-based delivery. The intervention did not affect self-reported ANC attendance. Policy makers should consider piloting, evaluating, and scaling interventions to lessen the economic burden and inconvenience of ANC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01932138.

The effect of a community health worker intervention on public satisfaction: evidence from an unregistered outcome in a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of evidence on the causal effects of different care delivery approaches on health system satisfaction. A better understanding of public satisfaction with the health system is particularly important within the context of task shifting to community health workers (CHWs). This paper determines the effects of a CHW program focused on maternal health services on public satisfaction with the health system among women who are pregnant or have recently delivered. METHODS: From January 2013 to April 2014, we carried out a cluster-randomized controlled health system implementation trial of a CHW program. Sixty wards in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were randomly allocated to either a maternal health CHW program (36 wards) or the standard of care (24 wards). From May to August 2014, we interviewed a random sample of women who were either currently pregnant or had recently delivered a child. We used five-level Likert scales to assess women's satisfaction with the CHW program and with the public-sector health system in Dar es Salaam. RESULTS: In total, 2329 women participated in the survey (response rate 90.2%). Households in intervention areas were 2.3 times as likely as households in control areas to have ever received a CHW visit (95% CI 1.8, 3.0). The intervention led to a 16-percentage-point increase in women reporting they were satisfied or very satisfied with the CHW program (95% CI 3, 30) and a 15-percentage-point increase in satisfaction with the public-sector health system (95% CI 3, 27). CONCLUSIONS: A CHW program for maternal and child health in Tanzania achieved better public satisfaction than the standard CHW program. Policy-makers and implementers who are involved in designing and organizing CHW programs should consider the potential positive impact of the program on public satisfaction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, EJF22802.

Engaging community leaders to improve male partner participation in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Male partner participation improves uptake, retention and outcomes of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services. However, in patriarchal settings few men accompany their partners to antenatal care (ANC) and PMTCT services. We explored whether community leaders can improve male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT. METHODS: We integrated initiatives to increase male partner participation in routine ANC care in six health facilities (attending about 4,500 new pregnant women per quarter) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in 2015/16. These initiatives were adapted from a best performing health facility, on male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT, referred to as the "best practice site". At the six purposively selected intervention sites, we sensitized and garnered commitment from healthcare providers to provide couple friendly services. We then worked with the providers to sensitize and engage community leaders to integrate and promote male partner participation initiatives in their routine community activities. We assessed change in male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT using the proportion of women testing for HIV together with their partners (i.e. couple HIV testing) by quarter. We used 203 ANC facilities (attending about 31,000 new pregnant women per quarter) in the same area as control sites. RESULTS: After one year, couple HIV testing in the six intervention sites had tripled from 11.9% at baseline to 36.0% (p<0.001) while there was very little change (from 17.7% to 18.3%) in the 203 control sites (p = 0.07). Statistically significant improvements in couple testing were observed in four of the six intervention sites (6.7% to 19.1%; 9.3% to 74.6%; 46.2% to 95.2%; and 4.7% to 15.1% respectively. p<0.001 for all sites). Two of these four sites, located in the same administrative district as the best practice site, achieved remarkably high couple HIV testing (95.2% and 74.6%). This may be attributable to the greater engagement and active participation of the community leaders in these two sites compared to the other four. CONCLUSION: Effective engagement and functional partnerships between healthcare providers and community leaders can contribute to improve male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT services. PMTCT programs should capitalize on community leaders, in addressing low male partner participation in ANC and PMTCT, in order to improve effective uptake, retention and outcomes of HIV prevention and treatment services among pregnant and breastfeeding women, their partners, infants and families.

Program assessment of efforts to improve the quality of postpartum counselling in health centers in Morogoro region, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: The postpartum period represents a critical window where many maternal and child deaths occur. We assess the quality of postpartum care (PPC) as well as efforts to improve service delivery through additional training and supervision in Health Centers (HCs) in Morogoro Region, Tanzania. METHODS: Program implementers purposively selected nine program HCs for assessment with another nine HCs in the region remaining as comparison sites in a non-randomized program evaluation. PPC quality was assessed by examining structural inputs; provider and client profiles; processes (PNC counselling) and outcomes (patient knowledge) through direct observations of equipment, supplies and infrastructure (n = 18) and PPC counselling (n = 45); client exit interviews (n = 41); a provider survey (n = 62); and in-depth provider interviews (n = 10). RESULTS: While physical infrastructure, equipment and supplies were comparable across study sites (with water and electricity limitations), program areas had better availability of drugs and commodities. Overall, provider availability was also similar across study sites, with 63% of HCs following staffing norms, 17% of Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) providers absent and 14% of those providing PPC being unqualified to do so. In the program area, a median of 4 of 10 RCH providers received training. Despite training and supervisory inputs to program area HCs, provider and client knowledge of PPC was low and the content of PPC counseling provided limited to 3 of 80 PPC messages in over half the consultations observed. Among women attending PPC, 29 (71%) had delivered in a health facility and sought care a median of 13 days after delivery. Barriers to PPC care seeking included perceptions that PPC was of limited benefit to women and was primarily about child health, geographic distance, gaps in the continuity of care, and harsh facility treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Program training and supervision activities had a modest effect on the quality of PPC. To achieve broader transformation in PPC quality, client perceptions about the value of PPC need to be changed; the content of recommended PPC messages reviewed along with the location for PPC services; gaps in the availability of human resources addressed; and increased provider-client contact encouraged.

Job satisfaction and turnover intentions among health care staff providing services for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Option B+ for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV (i.e., lifelong antiretroviral treatment for all pregnant and breastfeeding mothers living with HIV) was initiated in Tanzania in 2013. While there is evidence that this policy has benefits for the health of the mother and the child, Option B+ may also increase the workload for health care providers in resource-constrained settings, possibly leading to job dissatisfaction and unwanted workforce turnover. METHODS: From March to April 2014, a questionnaire asking about job satisfaction and turnover intentions was administered to all nurses at 36 public-sector health facilities offering antenatal and PMTCT services in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with job dissatisfaction and intention to quit one's job. RESULTS: Slightly over half (54%, 114/213) of the providers were dissatisfied with their current job, and 35% (74/213) intended to leave their job. Most of the providers were dissatisfied with low salaries and high workload, but satisfied with workplace harmony and being able to follow their moral values. The odds of reporting to be globally dissatisfied with one's job were high if the provider was dissatisfied with salary (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.6, 95% CI 1.2-26.8), availability of protective gear (aOR 4.0, 95% CI 1.5-10.6), job description (aOR 4.3, 95% CI 1.2-14.7), and working hours (aOR 3.2, 95% CI 1.3-7.6). Perceiving clients to prefer PMTCT Option B+ reduced job dissatisfaction (aOR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.8). The following factors were associated with providers' intention to leave their current job: job stability dissatisfaction (aOR 3.7, 95% CI 1.3-10.5), not being recognized by one's superior (aOR 3.6, 95% CI 1.7-7.6), and poor feedback on the overall unit performance (aOR 2.7, 95% CI 1.3-5.8). CONCLUSION: Job dissatisfaction and turnover intentions are comparatively high among nurses in Dar es Salaam's public-sector maternal care facilities. Providing reasonable salaries and working hours, clearer job descriptions, appropriate safety measures, job stability, and improved supervision and feedback will be key to retaining satisfied PMTCT providers and thus to sustain successful implementation of Option B+ in Tanzania.

The potential of task-shifting in scaling up services for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV: a time and motion study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: In many African countries, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services are predominantly delivered by nurses. Although task-shifting is not yet well established, community health workers (CHWs) are often informally used as part of PMTCT delivery. According to the 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) Task-shifting Guidelines, many PMTCT tasks can be shifted from nurses to CHWs. METHODS: The aim of this time and motion study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was to estimate the potential of task-shifting in PMTCT service delivery to reduce nurses' workload and health system costs. The time used by nurses to accomplish PMTCT activities during antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) visits was measured. These data were then used to estimate the costs that could be saved by shifting tasks from nurses to CHWs in the Tanzanian public-sector health system. RESULTS: A total of 1121 PMTCT-related tasks carried out by nurses involving 179 patients at ANC and PNC visits were observed at 26 health facilities. The average time of the first ANC visit was the longest, 54 (95% confidence interval (CI) 42-65) min, followed by the first PNC visit which took 29 (95% CI 26-32) minutes on average. ANC and PNC follow-up visits were substantially shorter, 15 (95% CI 14-17) and 13 (95% CI 11-16) minutes, respectively. During both the first and the follow-up ANC visits, 94% of nurses' time could be shifted to CHWs, while 84% spent on the first PNC visit and 100% of the time spent on the follow-up PNC visit could be task-shifted. Depending on CHW salary estimates, the cost savings due to task-shifting in PMTCT ranged from US$ 1.3 to 2.0 (first ANC visit), US$ 0.4 to 0.6 (ANC follow-up visit), US$ 0.7 to 1.0 (first PNC visit), and US$ 0.4 to 0.5 (PNC follow-up visit). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses working in PMTCT spend large proportions of their time on tasks that could be shifted to CHWs. Such task-shifting could allow nurses to spend more time on specialized PMTCT tasks and can substantially reduce the average cost per PMTCT patient.

Stigma, Facility Constraints, and Personal Disbelief: Why Women Disengage from HIV Care During and After Pregnancy in Morogoro Region, Tanzania.

Millions of children are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, and the primary mode of these childhood infections is mother-to-child transmission. While existing interventions can virtually eliminate such transmission, in low- and middle-income settings, only 63 % of pregnant women living with HIV accessed medicines necessary to prevent transmission. In Tanzania, HIV prevalence among pregnant women is 3.2 %. Understanding why HIV-positive women disengage from care during and after pregnancy can inform efforts to reduce the impact of HIV on mothers and young children. Informed by the tenets of Grounded Theory, we conducted qualitative interviews with 40 seropositive postpartum women who had disengaged from care to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). Nearly all women described antiretroviral treatment (ART) as ultimately beneficial but effectively inaccessible given concerns related to stigma. Many women also described how their feelings of health and vitality coupled with concerns about side effects underscored a desire to forgo ART until they deemed it immediately necessary. Relatively fewer women described not knowing or forgetting that they needed to continue their treatment regimens. We present a theory of PMTCT disengagement outlining primary and ancillary barriers. This study is among the first to examine disengagement by interviewing women who had actually discontinued care. We urge that a combination of intervention approaches such as mother-to-mother support groups, electronic medical records with same-day tracing, task shifting, and mobile technology be adapted, implemented, and evaluated within the Tanzanian setting.

Predictors of Patient Dissatisfaction with Services for Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV remains a major source of new HIV infections in children. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) using lifelong antiretroviral treatment (ART) for all pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV (Option B+) is the major strategy for eliminating paediatric HIV. Ensuring that patients are satisfied with PMTCT services is important for optimizing uptake, adherence and retention in treatment. METHODS: We conducted a facility based quantitative cross-sectional survey in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, between March and April 2014, when the country was transitioning to the implementation of PMTCT Option B+. We interviewed 595 pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV, who received PMTCT care in 36 public health facilities. Predictors of overall dissatisfaction with PMTCT services were identified using a multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall 8% of the patients expressed dissatisfaction with PMTCT services. Patients who perceived health care workers (HCW) communication skills as poor, had a 5-fold (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.8-13.4) increased risk of dissatisfaction and those who perceived HCW capacity to understand client concerns as poor, had a 6-fold (OR 5.7, 95% CI 2.3-14.0) increased risk. Having a total visit time longer than two hours was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of being dissatisfied (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.7). Every 30-minute increment in total visit time was associated with a 10% higher (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.2) risk of being dissatisfied. The probability of being dissatisfied ranged from 4% (95% CI 2% - 6%) in the presence of patient-perceived good communication, good understanding of patient concerns, and a total visit time below two hours, to 70% (95% CI 47% - 86%) if HCW failed in all of these aspects. CONCLUSION: Patient dissatisfaction with PMTCT services was generally low; reflecting that quality of care was maintained during Tanzania's transition to Option B+ strategy aiming to increase the number of women initiating life-long ART in PMTCT clinics. Improved HCW communication with clients, their understanding of patient concerns and a reduction of the total visit time would further optimize women's overall satisfaction with PMTCT services in Tanzania.

A qualitative exploration of health workers' and clients' perceptions of barriers to completing four antenatal care visits in Morogoro Region, Tanzania.

Antenatal care (ANC) remains an important contact point on the continuum of care for mothers and children in low- and middle-income countries. In Tanzania, the proportion of pregnant women completing at least four ANC visits (ANC-4) dropped from 70% to 43% between 1999 and 2010. To identify potential causes of the decline in the number of ANC visits, we conducted qualitative research at 18 health centres in Morogoro Region, exploring providers' communication about ANC visits and clients' and providers' perceptions of changes in ANC services and barriers to completing four visits. We also observed counselling messages delivered during 203 ANC consultations. Our results indicate that provider communication about ANC visit recommendations is inadequate, and confusion exists among clients about when and how often they should attend. Participants highlighted how the scale up of Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission, with routine human immunodeficiency virus testing for women and their male partners, presents additional barriers for some women. Changes to the timing and content of ANC services following the adoption of the Focused ANC model was described by participants as changing women's perceptions and decisions in how they utilize ANC services. In particular, condensed delivery of technical interventions fostered a sense among clients that multiple visits are unnecessary. Other barriers that may contribute to declining ANC-4 include changing norms about family planning and birth spacing, out-of-pocket costs for clients and informal practices adopted by health facilities and providers such as turning women away who attend early in pregnancy or are not accompanied by male partners. Further research is needed to determine the role and extent that these barriers may be contributing to declining ANC-4. Issues of poor communication, supply inadequacies and informal practices, deserve immediate attention from the health system.

Profile, knowledge, and work patterns of a cadre of maternal, newborn, and child health CHWs focusing on preventive and promotive services in Morogoro Region, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Despite impressive decreases in under-five mortality, progress in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in Tanzania has been slow. We present an evaluation of a cadre of maternal, newborn, and child health community health worker (MNCH CHW) focused on preventive and promotive services during the antenatal and postpartum periods in Morogoro Region, Tanzania. Study findings review the effect of several critical design elements on knowledge, time allocation, service delivery, satisfaction, and motivation. METHODS: A quantitative survey on service delivery and knowledge was administered to 228 (of 238 trained) MNCH CHWs. Results are compared against surveys administered to (1) providers in nine health centers (n = 88) and (2) CHWs (n = 53) identified in the same districts prior to the program's start. Service delivery outputs were measured by register data and through a time motion study conducted among a sub-sample of 33 randomly selected MNCH CHWs. RESULTS: Ninety-seven percent of MNCH CHWs (n = 228) were interviewed: 55% male, 58% married, and 52% with secondary school education or higher. MNCH CHWs when compared to earlier CHWs were more likely to be unmarried, younger, and more educated. Mean MNCH CHW knowledge scores were <50% for 8 of 10 MNCH domains assessed and comparable to those observed for health center providers but lower than those for earlier CHWs. MNCH CHWs reported covering a mean of 186 households and were observed to provide MNCH services for 5 h weekly. Attendance of monthly facility-based supervision meetings was nearly universal and focused largely on registers, yet data quality assessments highlighted inconsistencies. Despite program plans to provide financial incentives and bicycles for transport, only 56% of CHWs had received financial incentives and none received bicycles. CONCLUSIONS: Initial rollout of MNCH CHWs yields important insights into addressing program challenges. The social profile of CHWs was not significantly associated with knowledge or service delivery, suggesting a broader range of community members could be recruited as CHWs. MNCH CHW time spent on service delivery was limited but comparable to the financial incentives received. Service delivery registers need to be simplified to reduce inconsistencies and yet expanded to include indicators on the timing of antenatal and postpartum visits.

Supply-side dimensions and dynamics of integrating HIV testing and counselling into routine antenatal care: a facility assessment from Morogoro Region, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Integration of HIV into RMNCH (reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health) services is an important process addressing the disproportionate burden of HIV among mothers and children in sub-Saharan Africa. We assess the structural inputs and processes of care that support HIV testing and counselling in routine antenatal care to understand supply-side dynamics critical to scaling up further integration of HIV into RMNCH services prior to recent changes in HIV policy in Tanzania. METHODS: This study, as a part of a maternal and newborn health program evaluation in Morogoro Region, Tanzania, drew from an assessment of health centers with 18 facility checklists, 65 quantitative and 57 qualitative provider interviews, and 203 antenatal care observations. Descriptive analyses were performed with quantitative data using Stata 12.0, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically with data managed by Atlas.ti. RESULTS: Limitations in structural inputs, such as infrastructure, supplies, and staffing, constrain the potential for integration of HIV testing and counselling into routine antenatal care services. While assessment of infrastructure, including waiting areas, appeared adequate, long queues and small rooms made private and confidential HIV testing and counselling difficult for individual women. Unreliable stocks of HIV test kits, essential medicines, and infection prevention equipment also had implications for provider-patient relationships, with reported decreases in women's care seeking at health centers. In addition, low staffing levels were reported to increase workloads and lower motivation for health workers. Despite adequate knowledge of counselling messages, antenatal counselling sessions were brief with incomplete messages conveyed to pregnant women. In addition, coping mechanisms, such as scheduling of clinical activities on different days, limited service availability. CONCLUSION: Antenatal care is a strategic entry point for the delivery of critical tests and counselling messages and the framing of patient-provider relations, which together underpin care seeking for the remaining continuum of care. Supply-side deficiencies in structural inputs and processes of delivering HIV testing and counselling during antenatal care indicate critical shortcomings in the quality of care provided. These must be addressed if integrating HIV testing and counselling into antenatal care is to result in improved maternal and newborn health outcomes.

Equally able, but unequally accepted: Gender differentials and experiences of community health volunteers promoting maternal, newborn, and child health in Morogoro Region, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Despite emerging qualitative evidence of gendered community health worker (CHW) experience, few quantitative studies examine CHW gender differentials. The launch of a maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) CHW cadre in Morogoro Region, Tanzania enlisting both males and females as CHWs, provides an opportunity to examine potential gender differences in CHW knowledge, health promotion activities and client acceptability. METHODS: All CHWs who received training from the Integrated MNCH Program between December 2012 and July 2013 in five districts were surveyed and information on health promotion activities undertaken drawn from their registers. CHW socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, and health promotion activities were analyzed through bi- and multivariate analyses. Composite scores generated across ten knowledge domains were used in ordered logistic regression models to estimate relationships between knowledge scores and predictor variables. Thematic analysis was also undertaken on 60 purposively sampled semi-structured interviews with CHWs, their supervisors, community leaders, and health committee members in 12 villages from three districts. RESULTS: Of all CHWs trained, 97% were interviewed (n = 228): 55% male and 45% female. No significant differences were observed in knowledge by gender after controlling for age, education, date of training, marital status, and assets. Differences in number of home visits and community health education meetings were also not significant by gender. With regards to acceptability, women were more likely to disclose pregnancies earlier to female CHWs, than male CHWs. Men were more comfortable discussing sexual and reproductive concerns with male, than female CHWs. In some cases, CHW home visits were viewed as potentially being for ulterior or adulterous motives, so trust by families had to be built. Respondents reported that working as female-male pairs helped to address some of these dynamics. CONCLUSIONS: Male and female CHWs in this study have largely similar knowledge and health promotion outputs, but challenges in acceptance of CHW counseling for reproductive health and home visits by unaccompanied CHWs varied by gender. Programs that pair male and female CHWs may potentially overcome gender issues in CHW acceptance, especially if they change gender norms rather than solely accommodate gender preferences.