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Published in: Trials 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Study protocol

Ghana’s Ensure Mothers and Babies Regular Access to Care (EMBRACE) program: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

Authors: Kimiyo Kikuchi, Evelyn Ansah, Sumiyo Okawa, Akira Shibanuma, Margaret Gyapong, Seth Owusu-Agyei, Abraham Oduro, Gloria Quansah-Asare, Abraham Hodgson, Masamine Jimba, for the Ghana EMBRACE Implementation Research Project

Published in: Trials | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

The United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals call for improving maternal and child health status. Their progress, however, has been minimal and uneven across countries. The continuum of care is a key to strengthening maternal, newborn, and child health. In this context, the Japanese government launched the Ghana Ensure Mothers and Babies Regular Access to Care (EMBRACE) Implementation Research Project in collaboration with the Ghanaian government. This study aims to evaluate the implementation process and effects of an intervention to increase the continuum of care for maternal, newborn, and child health status in Ghana.

Methods/Design

We will conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial using an effectiveness-implementation hybrid design in Dodowa, Kintampo, and Navrongo, Ghana. We will provide an intervention package to women living in randomly allocated intervention clusters. The study population is women of reproductive age between the ages of 15 and 49 years. The package includes: 1) use of a new continuum of care card, 2) continuum of care orientation for health workers, 3) 24-hour health facility retention of mothers and newborns after delivery, and 4) postnatal care by home visits. We will measure maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes for both intervention and implementation impacts. The intervention outcomes are continuum of care completion rate, rate of postnatal care within 48 hours, complication rate requiring mothers' and newborns' hospitalizations, and perinatal and neonatal mortality. The implementation outcomes are intervention coverage of the target population, intervention adoption and fidelity, implementation cost, and sustainability.

Discussion

In this trial, we will investigate how successful continuum of care can contribute to improving maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes. If successful, this model will then be implemented further in Ghana and other neighboring countries.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN90618993. Registered on 3 September 2014.
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Metadata
Title
Ghana’s Ensure Mothers and Babies Regular Access to Care (EMBRACE) program: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial
Authors
Kimiyo Kikuchi
Evelyn Ansah
Sumiyo Okawa
Akira Shibanuma
Margaret Gyapong
Seth Owusu-Agyei
Abraham Oduro
Gloria Quansah-Asare
Abraham Hodgson
Masamine Jimba
for the Ghana EMBRACE Implementation Research Project
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Trials / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1745-6215
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-014-0539-3

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