Clan‐involved approaches to increasing antenatal care use in a rural minority area of China: implementation research. (20th December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ma, Wei; Liu, Bo; Nan, Lei; Portela, Anayda; Yin, Bibo; Wei, Chongyi; Rollins, Nigel; Wang, Shumei; Emu, Aga; Zhou, Haiqun
• Other Names: Portela Anayda guestEditor.; Qazi Shamim Ahmad guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Acta pædiatrica. Volume 107(2018)Supplement 471
• Page Start: 7
• Page End: 16
• Publication Date: 2018-12-20
• Subjects: Antenatal care -- China -- Community‐based interventions -- Quality improvement; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pediatrics; 618.92
• DOI: 10.1111/apa.14357
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0803-5253

Abstract

Abstract: Aim: This study aimed to test a model which involved clans and health providers to increase antenatal care attendance in rural minority areas of China with high HIV prevalence. Methods: Formative research was conducted to determine barriers and facilitators to antenatal care use. A strategy involving clans in addressing the barriers identified was developed. Implementation of the new strategy was done through three plan‐do‐study‐act (PDSA) cycles, lasting four months each. Results: Awareness and uptake of antenatal care increased significantly after the intervention. The proportion of post‐partum women who used any antenatal care increased from 21.3% to 64.5% (p < 0.001), and the proportion who knew that antenatal care is necessary increased from 77.8% to 89.8% (p < 0.001). The proportion of pregnant women who attended antenatal care (p < 0.001) and the proportion of pregnant women who went for a first antenatal care visit in early pregnancy (p < 0.001) all showed increasing trends during the study period. Conclusion: Involving clans in antenatal care programmes in rural minority areas of China had an impact on antenatal care use. A quality improvement approach incorporating PDSA cycles can help local health authorities make context‐specific, evidence‐informed decisions to improve uptake of health services.