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Objectives The World Health Organization estimates that 422 million people have diabetes, three-quarters of whom live in low- and middle-income countries. Global action plans to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs) recognise the centrality of community engagement to create an enabling environment within which to address risk factors. Study design In this article, we describe and critically reflect on a cocreated community engagement approach to address type 2 diabetes in the southern plains of Nepal. We coproduced the engagement approach with 40 artists from the Janakpur Women's Development Centre to create an environment for dialogue about diabetes and NCD risk between artists and the general public. Methods We used participatory action research to produce contextually relevant interactive methods and materials. Methods included artists' peer research to inform creative workshops, a drama performed in 19 villages and a two-day funfair in a public park. We used qualitative and participatory methods to analyse the effect of this engagement and reflect on lessons learned. Results Around 2000 people saw the drama, and around 4000 people attended the funfair. Community dialogue about prevention of diabetes was facilitated by drama and through games and songs at the funfair. Artists grew confident to interact with their peers and drama audiences about the causes of diabetes and prevention strategies. Despite crowds at the funfair, it was difficult to reach women because the venue was often used by men and boys, and patriarchal norms prevent women from free movement. Village interactions were able to engage a more mixed audience. Conclusion Innovative, asset-based community engagement about diabetes and other NCDs at scale is possible through locating, building on and strengthening community resources to address local health issues. Engagement could be enhanced by considering the gendered nature of community engagement spaces and by increasing opportunities for interaction between artists and the general public through more intimate and large-scale events., Highlights • There is a need for innovative approaches to engage with communities to prevent and control non-communicable diseases. • We coproduced a population-based community engagement approach with artists in southern Nepal using peer research, a community drama and a two-day funfair in a public park. • We successfully engaged with more than 4000 people who enjoyed our creative art-based approach, which stimulated dialogue about diabetes among artists and the general public. • Innovative, asset-based community engagement at scale is possible through locating, building on and strengthening community resources to address local health issues, creating empowered communities. • Engagement could be enhanced by considering the gendered nature of public engagement spaces and by increasing opportunities for interaction between artists and the general public through more intimate and large-scale events.

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus poses a major health challenge worldwide and in low-income countries such as Bangladesh, however little is known about the care-seeking of people with diabetes. We sought to understand the factors that affect care-seeking and diabetes management in rural Bangladesh in order to make recommendations as to how care could be better delivered. Methods Survey data from a community-based random sample of 12,047 adults aged 30 years and above identified 292 individuals with a self-reported prior diagnosis of diabetes. Data on health seeking practices regarding testing, medical advice, medication and use of non-allopathic medicine were gathered from these 292 individuals. Qualitative semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with people with diabetes and semi-structured interviews with health workers explored care-seeking behaviour, management of diabetes and perceptions on quality of care. We explore quality of care using the WHO model with the following domains: safe, effective, patient-centred, timely, equitable and efficient. Results People with diabetes who are aware of their diabetic status do seek care but access, particularly to specialist diabetes services, is hindered by costs, time, crowded conditions and distance. Locally available services, while more accessible, lack infrastructure and expertise. Women are less likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and attend specialist services. Furthermore costs of care and dissatisfaction with health care providers affect medication adherence. Conclusion People with diabetes often make a trade-off between seeking locally available accessible care and specialised care which is more difficult to access. It is vital that health services respond to the needs of patients by building the capacity of local health providers and consider practical ways of supporting diabetes care. Trial registration ISRCTN41083256. Registered on 30/03/2016.

Maternal anaemia prevalence in low‐income countries is unacceptably high. Our research explored the individual‐, family‐ and community‐level factors affecting antenatal care uptake, iron folic acid (IFA) intake and consumption of micronutrient‐rich diets among pregnant women in the plains of Nepal. We discuss how these findings informed the development of a home visit and community mobilisation intervention to reduce anaemia in pregnancy. We used a qualitative methodology informed by the socio‐ecological framework, conducting semi‐structured interviews with recently pregnant women and key informants, and focus group discussions with mothers‐in‐law and fathers. We found that harmful gender norms restricted women's access to nutrient‐rich food, restricted their mobility and access to antenatal care. These norms also restricted fathers' role to that of the provider, as opposed to the caregiver. Pregnant women, mothers‐in‐law and fathers lacked awareness about iron‐rich foods and how to manage the side effects of IFA. Fathers lacked trust in government health facilities affecting access to care and trust in the efficacy of IFA. Our research informed interventions by (1) informing the development of intervention tools and training; (2) informing the intervention focus to engaging mothers‐in‐law and men to enable behaviour change; and (3) demonstrating the need to work in synergy across individual, family and community levels to address power and positionality, gender norms, trust in health services and harmful norms. Participatory groups and home visits will enable the development and implementation of feasible and acceptable strategies to address family and contextual issues generating knowledge and an enabling environment for behaviour change.

There is an urgent need for population-based interventions to slow the growth of the diabetes epidemic in low-and middle-income countries. We tested the effectiveness of a population-based mHealth voice messaging intervention for T2DM prevention and control in rural Bangladesh through a cluster randomised controlled trial. mHealth improved knowledge and awareness about T2DM but there was no detectable effect on T2DM occurrence. We conducted mixed-methods research to understand this result. Exposure to messages was limited by technological faults, high frequency of mobile phone number changes, message fatigue and (mis)perceptions that messages were only for those who had T2DM. Persistent social norms, habits and desires made behaviour change challenging, and participants felt they would be more motivated by group discussions than mHealth messaging alone. Engagement with mHealth messages for T2DM prevention and control can be increased by (1) sending identifiable messages from a trusted source (2) using participatory design of mHealth messages to inform modelling of behaviours and increase relevance to the general population (3) enabling interactive messaging. mHealth messaging is likely to be most successful if implemented as part of a multi-sectoral, multi-component approach to address T2DM and non-communicable disease risk factors.

Background The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is rising rapidly in Bangladesh, and there is an urgent need to engage populations in preventing and controlling diabetes. Mhealth may offer a scalable way to deliver educational advice, information and motivation for behaviour change. We conducted qualitative research to explore how a population-based mobile health (mhealth) voice messaging intervention could be effective in this context. The intervention was tested through a cluster randomised controlled trial and, despite high coverage of messages, there was no evidence of effect. Our analysis identified the role of trust as a key mediator. Aim To analyse the role of trust as a causal mechanism in mhealth messaging. Methods We conducted non-participant observation while messages were being received, and four focus group discussions (FGDs) with men and women who had subscribed to messages, and one key informant interview. We conducted descriptive content analysis in Nvivo as a team. Results Mass messaging for advertising was common in the study context, and despite efforts to identify messages, this may have affected receipt. The Diabetic Association of Bangladesh was a well-known and trusted institution which meant that mhealth messages were believed and trusted, and therefore it was beneficial to establish this early in message content. We found that many felt the messages were irrelevant as they did not feel at risk of diabetes. Messages being delivered by a trusted organisation was of limited use for diabetes prevention, because this framed messages within a disease paradigm which many felt that they didn’t fit into. Conclusion Trust was a mediator of intervention effect, but association with diabetes may have made the intervention less attractive for populations who believe themselves not to be at risk. Participatory design of mhealth messaging may be equally as important as the trustworthiness of the implementing organisation.

Background An estimated 463 million people globally have diabetes, with the prevalence growing in low-and middle-income settings, such as Bangladesh. Given the need for context-appropriate interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the ‘Diabetes: Community-led Awareness, Response and Evaluation’ (D:Clare) trial will rigorously evaluate the replication and scale-up of a participatory learning and action (PLA) cycle intervention in Bangladesh, to inform policy on population-level T2DM prevention and control. Methods This is a stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial, with integrated process and economic evaluations, conducted from March 2020 to September 2022. The trial will evaluate a community-based four-phase PLA cycle intervention focused on prevention and control of T2DM implemented over 18 months, against a control of usual care. Twelve clusters will be randomly allocated (1:1) to implement the intervention at project month 1 or 12. The intervention will be evaluated through three cross-sectional surveys at months 1, 12 and 24. The trial will be conducted in Alfadanga Upazila, Faridpur district, with an estimated population of 120,000. Clusters are defined as administrative geographical areas, with approximately equal populations. Each of the six unions in Alfadanga will be divided into two clusters, forming 12 clusters in total. Given the risk of inter-cluster contamination, evaluation surveys will exclude villages in border areas. Participants will be randomly sampled, independently for each survey, from a population census conducted in January 2020. The primary outcome is the combined prevalence of intermediate hyperglycaemia and T2DM, measured through fasting and 2-h post-glucose load blood tests. A total of 4680 participants provide 84% power to detect a 30% reduction in the primary outcome, assuming a baseline of 30% and an ICC of 0.07. The analysis will be by intention-to-treat, comparing intervention and control periods across all clusters, adjusting for geographical clustering. Discussion This study will provide further evidence of effectiveness for community-based PLA to prevent T2DM at scale in a rural Bangladesh setting. However, we encountered several challenges in applying the stepped-wedge design to our research context, with particular consideration given to balancing seasonality, timing and number of steps and estimation of partial versus full effect. Trial registration ISRCTN: ISRCTN42219712. Registered on 31 October 2019

Summary Background Strategies are needed to prevent and control type 2 diabetes and intermediate hyperglycaemia, which together affect roughly a third of adults in Bangladesh. We aimed to assess the effects of mHealth and community mobilisation on the prevalence of intermediate hyperglycaemia and diabetes among the general adult population in rural Bangladesh, and to assess the effect of these interventions on the incidence of type 2 diabetes among people with intermediate hyperglycaemia within the study population. Methods DMagic was a three-arm, cluster-randomised trial of participatory community mobilisation, mHealth mobile phone messaging, and usual care (control) in 96 villages (population roughly 125 000) in Bangladesh. Community mobilisation involved 18 monthly group meetings, led by lay facilitators, applying a participatory learning and action (PLA) cycle focused on diabetes prevention and control. mHealth involved twice-weekly voice messages over 14 months promoting behaviour change to reduce diabetes risk. The primary outcomes were the combined prevalence of type 2 diabetes and intermediate hyperglycaemia in the overall population at the end of the intervention implementation period, and 2-year cumulative incidence of type 2 diabetes in a cohort with intermediate hyperglycaemia at baseline. Primary outcomes were assessed through fasting blood glucose concentrations and 2-h oral glucose tolerance tests among a cross-section of adults aged 30 years and older and a cohort of individuals identified with intermediate hyperglycaemia. Prevalence findings are based on a cross-sectional survey at the end of the study; incidence findings are based on 2-year follow-up survey of a cohort of individuals identified with intermediate hyperglycaemia through a cross-sectional survey at baseline. We also assessed the cost-effectiveness of the interventions. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN41083256, and is completed. Findings The study took place between June 27, 2015, and June 28, 2018, with the PLA intervention running in 32 villages from June, 2016, to December, 2017, and the mHealth intervention running in 32 villages from Oct 21, 2016, to Dec 24, 2017. End-of study prevalence was assessed in 11 454 individuals and incidence in 2100 individuals. There was a large reduction in the combined prevalence of type 2 diabetes and intermediate hyperglycaemia in the PLA group compared with the control group at the end of the study (adjusted [for stratification, clustering, and wealth] odds ratio [aOR] 0·36 [0·27–0·48]), with an absolute reduction of 20·7% (95% CI 14·6–26·7). Among 2470 adults with intermediate hyperglycaemia at baseline, 2100 (85%) were followed-up at 2 years. The 2-year cumulative incidence of diabetes in this cohort was significantly lower in the PLA group compared with control (aOR 0·39, 0·24–0·65), representing an absolute incidence reduction of 8·7% (3·5–14·0). There was no evidence of effect of mHealth on combined prevalence of intermediate hyperglycaemia and diabetes (aOR 0·93, 0·74–1·16) or the incidence of diabetes (1·02, 0·73–1·43). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for PLA were INT$316 per case of intermediate hyperglycaemia or type 2 diabetes prevented and $6518 per case of type 2 diabetes prevented among individuals with intermediate hyperglycaemia. Interpretation Our data provide strong evidence to support the use of community mobilisation based on PLA to prevent type 2 diabetes in this rural Bangladeshi population. Despite raising knowledge and awareness of diabetes, the mHealth intervention did not change disease outcomes in our population. Replication studies in other populations should be a priority. Funding UK Medical Research Council.

Verbal autopsy (VA) presents the opportunity to understand the disease burden in many low-income countries where vital registration systems are underdeveloped and most deaths occur in the community. Advances in technology have led to the development of software that can provide probable cause of death information in real time, and research considering the ethical implications of these advances is necessary to inform policy. Our research explores these ethical issues in rural Nepal using a public health ethics framework. We considered the burdens and benefits of VA and giving cause of death information to families of the deceased through qualitative research with VA interviewers, community members, national policy stakeholders and international academics. Burdens can be experienced differently, and it is important to balance the emotional burden of VA with utilization of the data to inform planning and increased access to health services. The training, support and supervision of VA interviewers should be prioritized if VA is taken to scale. Initial and ongoing community engagement is recommended in addition to engaging ethical, legal, health and policy personnel in developing protocols and systems. Integrating rigorous research while cautiously moving forward is recommended to ensure systems and responses to concerns are relevant to contexts.

Background Diabetes is 7th largest cause of death worldwide, and prevalence is increasing rapidly in low-and middle-income countries. There is an urgent need to develop and test interventions to prevent and control diabetes and develop the theory about how such interventions can be effective. We conducted a participatory learning and action (PLA) intervention with community groups in rural Bangladesh which was evaluated through a cluster randomised controlled trial. There was a large reduction in the combined prevalence of type 2 diabetes and intermediate hyperglycaemia in the PLA group compared with the control group. We present findings from qualitative process evaluation research to explore how this intervention was effective. Methods We conducted group interviews and focus group discussions using photovoice with purposively sampled group attenders and non-attenders, and intervention implementers. Data were collected before the trial analysis. We used inductive content analysis to generate theory from the data. Results The intervention increased the health literacy of individuals and communities - developing their knowledge, capacity and self-confidence to enact healthy behaviours. Community, household and individual capacity increased through social support and social networks, which then created an enabling community context, further strengthening agency and enabling community action. This increased opportunities for healthy behaviour. Community actions addressed lack of awareness about diabetes, gendered barriers to physical activity and lack of access to blood glucose testing. The interaction between the individual, household, and community contexts amplified change, and yet there was limited engagement with macro level, or ‘state’, barriers to healthy behaviour. Conclusions The participatory approach enabled groups to analyse how context affected their ability to have healthy behaviours and participants engaged with issues as a community in the ways that they felt comfortable. We suggest measuring health literacy and social networks in future interventions and recommend specific capacity strengthening to develop public accountability mechanisms and health systems strengthening to complement community-based interventions. Trial registration Registered at ISRCTN on 30th March 2016 (Retrospectively Registered) Registration number: ISRCTN41083256.

Maternal and neonatal mortality rates are highest in the poorest countries, and financial barriers impede access to health care. Community loan funds can increase access to cash in rural areas, thereby reducing delays in care seeking. As part of a participatory intervention in rural Nepal, community women's groups initiated and managed local funds. We explore the factors affecting utilization and management of these funds and the role of the funds in the success of the women's group intervention. We conducted a qualitative study using focus group discussions, group interviews and unstructured observations. Funds may increase access to care for members of trusted 'insider' families adjudged as able to repay loans. Sustainability and sufficiency of funds was a concern but funds increased women's independence and enabled timely care seeking. Conversely, the perceived necessity to contribute may have deterred poorer women. While funds were integral to group success and increased women's autonomy, they may not be the most effective way of supporting the poorest, as the risk pool is too small to allow for repayment default.

In his exploration of ‘the phenomenon of the look’ in Being and Nothingness (Sartre 1969, p. 268), Jean-Paul Sartre suggests that the self is split into two by the look of the other, such that ‘my being-as-object or being-for-others is profoundly different from my being-for-myself’ (1969, p. 273). In this article, I suggest that Sartre’s ‘duality’ of the looked-upon self is relevant to celebrity studies discourse which holds that the celebrity is divided into a core self and a public persona (Morin 1961, Braudy 1986, Dyer and McDonald 1998, Marshall 1998, Rojek 2001). The unease Sartre describes as part of his philosophy of ontological duality sheds light on the psychology of celebrity duality, which Leo Braudy describes as a ‘constant tension’ for those subjected to ‘the incessant spotlight’ of fame (Braudy 1986, p. 592). Sartre’s argument that the self is an unstable entity (Sartre 1969, p. 74) complicates the idea of celebrity duality, such that the relationship between celebrity self and persona is ar...

Women's groups, working through participatory learning and action, can improve maternal and newborn survival. We describe how they stimulated change in rural Nepal and the factors influencing their effectiveness. We collected data from 19 women's group members, 2 group facilitators, 16 health volunteers, 2 community leaders, 21 local men, and 23 women not attending the women's groups, through semi-structured interviews, group interviews, focus group discussions and unstructured observation of groups. Participants took photographs of their locality for discussion in focus groups using photoelicitation methods. Framework analysis procedures were used, and data fed back to respondents. When group members were compared with 11 184 women who had recently delivered, we found that they were of similar socioeconomic status, despite the context of poverty, and caste inequalities. Four mechanisms explain the women's group impact on health outcomes: the groups learned about health, developed confidence, disseminated information in their communities, and built community capacity to take action. Women's groups enable the development of a broader understanding of health problems, and build community capacity to bring health and development benefit.

Data sourcesMedline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL and OpenGREY databases without language restriction until March 2016 plus manual searching of four specific journals and consideration of reference lists.Study selectionStudies evaluating different methods of periodontal treatment in Down syndrome patients measuring at least two periodontal parameters at different periods of assessment. Titles, abstracts and full texts were considered by two independent reviewers and a third where discussion did not reach consensus. Randomised controlled trials were evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The observational studies were evaluated using an adapted version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.Data extraction and synthesisData extraction was carried out independently by two reviewers and organised into evidence tables. No meta-analysis was undertaken, however a narrative synthesis was presented.ResultsNine studies met the inclusion criteria; four longitudinal studies, one prospective case series and four clinical trials which included two cross-over studies and a controlled trial. The studies showed marked heterogeneity in terms of methodology, intervention and outcome measures. All studies, however, included assessment of different plaque and gingival indices.Three studies investigated outcomes after scaling and root planing, one of which compared surgical and non-surgical approaches. Periodontal pockets of 1-3 mm were statistically significantly improved with non-surgical treatment in comparison with pockets greater than 4 mm which showed greater reduction with surgical treatment. Six studies investigated different forms and uses of chlorhexidine, three of which investigated its use as an adjuvant to mechanical debridement and one which also included plaque disclosing as an intervention. Chlorhexidine was shown to be most effective when used daily as a 1% gel for toothbrushing. The use of a plaque disclosing tablet and fluoridated tooth paste, however, showed further improved outcomes with regards to plaque control.ConclusionsEight of the nine studies included showed improvement in the primary outcomes of improved plaque and gingival bleeding indices. Professional intervention and periodontal maintenance significantly reduced plaque and gingival indices, irrespective of the treatment performed. Increased frequency of interventions was associated with better outcomes, especially in younger age groups.

Background Shortages of health workers in rural areas are a global problem. The problem is more acute in poorer countries where the distribution of skilled, supported and motivated health workers is affected by internal and international migration. In Nepal, most women deliver at home, and the government has prioritized training and recruitment of nurses in rural areas to meet development goals. Health sector reform for increased retention: Decentralisation of authority to district level health facility management committees (HFMCs) has the potential to increase public accountability and make health services more locally responsive. The Government of Nepal is encouraging local recruitment of nurses by HFMCs to increase access to maternal health care. Our research describes the differences between nurses on different contracts, examining their motivation, job satisfaction and retention in rural areas.

Breast density is positively linked to the risk of developing breast cancer. We have developed a semi-automated, stepwedge-based method that has been applied to the mammograms of 1,289 women in the UK breast screening programme to measure breast density by volume and area. 116 images were analysed by three independent operators to assess inter-observer variability; 24 of these were analysed on 10 separate occasions by the same operator to determine intra-observer variability. 168 separate images were analysed using the stepwedge method and by two radiologists who independently estimated percentage breast density by area. There was little intra-observer variability in the stepwedge method (average coefficients of variation 3.49% - 5.73%). There were significant differences in the volumes of glandular tissue obtained by the three operators. This was attributed to variations in the operators' definition of the breast edge. For fatty and dense breasts, there was good correlation between breast density assessed by the stepwedge method and the radiologists. This was also observed between radiologists, despite significant inter-observer variation. Based on analysis of thresholds used in the stepwedge method, radiologists' definition of a dense pixel is one in which the percentage of glandular tissue is between 10 and 20% of the total thickness of tissue.

Breast density is positively linked to the risk of developing breast cancer Furthermore, the addition of breast density as an input to breast cancer risk prediction models has been shown to improve their predictive power Such models are used in the management of women at high risk but could potentially be used to determine screening strategy A stepwedge-based technique has been used to measure volumetric density from the mammograms of 1,289 women in the UK screening programme who additionally completed a questionnaire on risk-related factors The sample had a mean age of 60.1 (range 48.0 – 78.0), a mean breast thickness of 59mm (range 21 – 102mm) and a mean volumetric breast density of 11% (range 0.5 – 58%) Using Pearson's correlation coefficient, breast density was found to be significantly correlated with weight (r = -0.45), body mass index (r = -0.48), age (r = -0.13) and breast thickness (r =-0.65) at the p = 0.01 level Absolute glandular volume was also found to be significantly correlated with these parameters although the extent of correlation was weaker.

This paper summarizes lessons learned from formative research conducted in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Mali and Nepal to inform the development of newborn health interventions, mostly in the context of field trials. Current practices, constraints to the adoption of optimal practices and implications for implementing inventions to improve newborn survival are discussed for: optimal care during pregnancy; skilled care at birth; optimal delivery and newborn care practices; special care of low birth weight babies; and timely and appropriate care seeking for newborn illness. General lessons concerning target audiences and intervention strategy are also drawn. In brief, interventions to reduce neonatal mortality need to start during pregnancy not only to promote birth preparedness and institutional delivery, but also to start the process of change concerning early newborn care practices. Their target audience should not only be pregnant or recently delivered women, but also include the main gatekeepers, particularly traditional birth attendants, grandmothers and other family members. Health providers' opinions also matter as care practices are less likely to change if families receive conflicting messages from different sources. Interventions are more likely to succeed if they are not simply message based, but include problem solving approaches, and a behavior change component to address community norms. Although antenatal care (ANC) is theoretically a good channel for newborn interventions, capitalising on its potential is not straightforward, and will require considerable investment and intervention development in its own right in order to improve ANC counselling, which will need to extend beyond training and tackle the many working day constraints encountered by ANC providers. Removing or subsidising the cost of deliveries may be a necessary action to increase institutional deliveries, but it is unlikely to be sufficient; measures will need to be put in place to ensure the basic quality of institutional deliveries and newborn care, and to change staff attitudes and practices. Post-natal visits should include observation of the baby, referral and counselling of the mother concerning danger signs in addition to promoting optimal care practices. The lessons learned should guide the development of interventions in other contexts, and ensure that key essential elements are not overlooked. They do not, however, mean that formative research will not be needed in other contexts, although the list of questions to address should be considerably reduced; successful intervention strategies require adaptation to make them local, context-specific if they are to be effective, and ongoing process monitoring to ensure the quality of intervention delivery, to check that it is having its intended effect, and to respond to any concerns from its implementers, recipients or the community. Finally, major gaps in evidence are highlighted. These include: establishing levels of recognition of asphyxiated babies and effectiveness of local solutions for resuscitation; clarifying the extent of the overlap between community perceptions of 'at risk' babies and low birthweight babies; developing and evaluating effective interventions to enable ANC services to deliver effective behaviour change counselling for pregnant and newborn health; evaluating effectiveness of delivering community-based newborn interventions at scale through routine services.

Inability to reduce neonatal and maternal mortality in poor countries is sometimes blamed on a lack of contextual knowledge about care practices and care-seeking behavior. There is a lack of knowledge about how to translate formative research into effective interventions to improve maternal and newborn health. We describe the findings of formative research and how they were used to inform the development of such an intervention in rural Nepal. Formative research was carried out in four parts. Part 1 involved familiarization with the study area and literature review, and parts 2, 3 and 4 involved community mapping, audit of health services, and qualitative and quantitative studies of perinatal care behaviors. Participatory approaches have been successful at reducing neonatal mortality and may be suitable in our context. Community mapping and profiling helped to describe the community context, and we found that community-based organizations often sought to involve the Female Community Health Volunteer in community mobilization. She was not routinely conducting monthly meetings and found them difficult to sustain without support and supervision. In health facilities, most primary care staff were in post, but doctors and staff nurses were absent from referral centers. Mortality estimates reflected under-reporting of deaths and hygiene and infection control strategies had low coverage. The majority of women give birth at home with their mother-in-law, friends and neighbors. Care during perinatal illness was usually sought from traditional healers. Cultural issues of shyness, fear and normalcy restricted women's behavior during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period, and decisions about her health were usually made after communications with the family and community. The formative research indicated the type of intervention that could be successful. It should be community-based and should not be exclusively for pregnant women. It should address negotiations within families, and should tailor information to the needs of local groups and particular stakeholders such as mothers-in-law and traditional healers. The intervention should not only accept cultural constructs but also be a forum in which to discuss ideas of pollution, shame and seclusion. We used these guidelines to develop a participatory, community-based women's group intervention, facilitated through a community action cycle. The success of our intervention may be because of its acceptability at the community level and its sensitivity to the needs and beliefs of families and communities.

Background A randomised controlled trial of participatory women's groups in rural Nepal previously showed reductions in maternal and newborn mortality. In addition to the outcome data we also collected previously unreported information from the subgroup of women who had been pregnant prior to study commencement and conceived during the trial period. To determine the mechanisms via which the intervention worked we here examine the changes in perinatal care of these women. In particular we use the information to study factors affecting positive behaviour change in pregnancy, childbirth and newborn care. Methods Women's groups focusing on perinatal care were introduced into 12 of 24 study clusters (average cluster population 7000). A total of 5400 women of reproductive age enrolled in the trial had previously been pregnant and conceived during the trial period. For each of four outcomes (attendance at antenatal care; use of a boiled blade to cut the cord; appropriate dressing of the cord; not discarding colostrum) each of these women was classified as BETTER, GOOD, BAD or WORSE to describe whether and how she changed her pre-trial practice. Multilevel multinomial models were used to identify women most responsive to intervention. Results Among those not initially following good practice, women in intervention areas were significantly more likely to do so later for all four outcomes (OR 1.92 to 3.13). Within intervention clusters, women who attended groups were more likely to show a positive change than non-group members with regard to antenatal care utilisation and not discarding colostrum, but non-group members also benefited. Conclusion Women's groups promoted significant behaviour change for perinatal care amongst women not previously following good practice. Positive changes attributable to intervention were not restricted to specific demographic subgroups.

We did a cost-effectiveness analysis alongside a cluster-randomised controlled trial of a participatory intervention with women's groups to improve birth outcomes in rural Nepal. The average provider cost of the women's group intervention was US0.75 dollars per person per year (0.90 dollars with health-service strengthening) in a population of 86,704. The incremental cost per life-year saved (LYS) was 211 dollars (251 dollars), and expansion could rationalise on start-up costs and technical assistance, reducing the cost per LYS to 138 dollars (179 dollars). Sensitivity analysis showed a variation from 83 dollars to 263 dollars per LYS for most variables. This intervention could provide a cost-effective way of reducing neonatal deaths.

Background Neonatal mortality rates are high in rural Nepal where more than 90% of deliveries are in the home. Evidence suggests that death rates can be reduced by interventions at community level. We describe an intervention which aimed to harness the power of community planning and decision making to improve maternal and newborn care in rural Nepal. Methods The development of 111 women's groups in a population of 86 704 in Makwanpur district, Nepal is described. The groups, facilitated by local women, were the intervention component of a randomized controlled trial to reduce perinatal and neonatal mortality rates. Through participant observation and analysis of reports, we describe the implementation of this intervention: the community entry process, the facilitation of monthly meetings through a participatory action cycle of problem identification, community planning, and implementation and evaluation of strategies to tackle the identified problems. Results In response to the needs of the group, participatory health education was added to the intervention and the women's groups developed varied strategies to tackle problems of maternal and newborn care: establishing mother and child health funds, producing clean home delivery kits and operating stretcher schemes. Close linkages with community leaders and community health workers improved strategy implementation. There were also indications of positive effects on group members and health services, and most groups remained active after 30 months. Conclusion A large scale and potentially sustainable participatory intervention with women's groups, which focused on pregnancy, childbirth and the newborn period, resulted in innovative strategies identified by local communities to tackle perinatal care problems.

Neonatal deaths in developing countries make the largest contribution to global mortality in children younger than 5 years. 90% of deliveries in the poorest quintile of households happen at home. We postulated that a community-based participatory intervention could significantly reduce neonatal mortality rates.We pair-matched 42 geopolitical clusters in Makwanpur district, Nepal, selected 12 pairs randomly, and randomly assigned one of each pair to intervention or control. In each intervention cluster (average population 7000), a female facilitator convened nine women's group meetings every month. The facilitator supported groups through an action-learning cycle in which they identified local perinatal problems and formulated strategies to address them. We monitored birth outcomes in a cohort of 28?931 women, of whom 8% joined the groups. The primary outcome was neonatal mortality rate. Other outcomes included stillbirths and maternal deaths, uptake of antenatal and delivery services, home care practices, infant morbidity, and health-care seeking. Analysis was by intention to treat. The study is registered as an International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial, number ISRCTN31137309.From 2001 to 2003, the neonatal mortality rate was 26.2 per 1000 (76 deaths per 2899 livebirths) in intervention clusters compared with 36.9 per 1000 (119 deaths per 3226 livebirths) in controls (adjusted odds ratio 0.70 [95% CI 0.53-0.94]). Stillbirth rates were similar in both groups. The maternal mortality ratio was 69 per 100000 (two deaths per 2899 livebirths) in intervention clusters compared with 341 per 100000 (11 deaths per 3226 livebirths) in control clusters (0.22 [0.05-0.90]). Women in intervention clusters were more likely to have antenatal care, institutional delivery, trained birth attendance, and hygienic care than were controls.Birth outcomes in a poor rural population improved greatly through a low cost, potentially sustainable and scalable, participatory intervention with women's groups.

Tremendous progress has been made in the field of neonatal–perinatal medicine over the past two decades. However, the incidence of prematurity continues to increase in the United States. Care of infants born prematurely is evolving continuously based on evidence and experience. In 2004, a steering committee (Jatinder Bhatia, Rangasamy Ramanathan, Kris Sekar and Istvan Seri) was established to organize a scientific meeting to present results from randomized controlled trials or when there is no evidence from controlled trials; ‘experts’ in neonatal medicine were invited to discuss their ‘experience’. The 4th Annual Conference in Chicago focused on nutrition of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), fetal inflammation and lung injury, resuscitation and stabilization of the preterm infant, strategies in protecting the preterm infant's lungs and newer therapeutic options for ELBW infants. National and international experts participated in the meeting to discuss these topics. As program chair, I began the meeting with a brief introduction about the specific aim of the meeting, which is to provide the updated information and take-home messages to clinicians caring for sick newborns based on evidence or experience. Henry Ford, pediatric surgeon from Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), whose research interest has been to study the role of gut immunity on NEC, elegantly presented data on the role of gut-associated lymphoid tissue, gut epithelial barrier function and pathophysiology of NEC. Following Dr Ford's presentation, Victoria Camerini, also from CHLA, discussed spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP), which is being increasingly recognized as a different entity from NEC among ELBW infants. She also presented evidence from randomized trials on the medical and surgical management of NEC and SIP and discussed the role of primary peritoneal drainage vs laprotomy. Boris Kramer, from Academisch ziekenhuis Maastricht (the Netherlands), presented on the role of fetal inflammation in initiating lung injury. Use of room air or oxygen during resuscitation of the newborn, especially the preterm infant remains controversial. Professor Ola Saugstad of Oslo, Norway, an internationally known scientist for his work in this area, presented evidence for the optimal resuscitation of infants at birth. Marilyn Escobedo, from Oklahoma University Children's Hospital, a member of the neonatal resuscitation program steering committee, presented revised resuscitation guidelines and practical implications of changes in the guidelines. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia continues to be a major morbidity among preterm infants. Waldemar Carlo, from the University of Alabama, talked about the use of continuous positive airway pressure in the delivery room. I discussed evidence from controlled clinical trials on lung-protective ventilatory strategies in very low birth weight infants requiring positive pressure ventilation. Surfactant therapy is one of the few interventions that has been studied extensively in neonatology. Professor Henry Halliday, from Royal Maternity Hospital in Belfast, Ireland, was our keynote speaker, and he took us through the past, present and future of surfactant therapy. In the final session of our meeting, Roger Soll, from the University of Vermont, reviewed results from the meta-analysis on the prevention of heat loss in preterm infants. Hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) frequently complicates the clinical course in ELBW infants. Dr Sekar, from Oklahoma University Children's Hospital, discussed the pros and cons of treatment of PDA with indomethacin vs ibuprofen. Management of infants delivered at the threshold of viability continues to be a major ethical and moral challenge. Dr Seri, from CHLA, discussed the various approaches in the management of micropreemies and provided an algorithm for the management of these tiny infants.

A pooled analysis of data from three studies in South Asia demonstrates an association between use of clean delivery kits during home births and reduced risk of neonatal mortality., Background Sepsis accounts for up to 15% of an estimated 3.3 million annual neonatal deaths globally. We used data collected from the control arms of three previously conducted cluster-randomised controlled trials in rural Bangladesh, India, and Nepal to examine the association between clean delivery kit use or clean delivery practices and neonatal mortality among home births. Methods and Findings Hierarchical, logistic regression models were used to explore the association between neonatal mortality and clean delivery kit use or clean delivery practices in 19,754 home births, controlling for confounders common to all study sites. We tested the association between kit use and neonatal mortality using a pooled dataset from all three sites and separately for each site. We then examined the association between individual clean delivery practices addressed in the contents of the kit (boiled blade and thread, plastic sheet, gloves, hand washing, and appropriate cord care) and neonatal mortality. Finally, we examined the combined association between mortality and four specific clean delivery practices (boiled blade and thread, hand washing, and plastic sheet). Using the pooled dataset, we found that kit use was associated with a relative reduction in neonatal mortality (adjusted odds ratio 0.52, 95% CI 0.39–0.68). While use of a clean delivery kit was not always accompanied by clean delivery practices, using a plastic sheet during delivery, a boiled blade to cut the cord, a boiled thread to tie the cord, and antiseptic to clean the umbilicus were each significantly associated with relative reductions in mortality, independently of kit use. Each additional clean delivery practice used was associated with a 16% relative reduction in neonatal mortality (odds ratio 0.84, 95% CI 0.77–0.92). Conclusions The appropriate use of a clean delivery kit or clean delivery practices is associated with relative reductions in neonatal mortality among home births in underserved, rural populations. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary, Editors' Summary Background Worldwide, around 3.3 million babies die in the first month of life, according to data for 2009 from the World Health Organization. Although the global neonatal mortality rate declined by 28% (from 33.2 deaths per 1,000 live births to 23.9) between 1990 and 2009, the proportion of child deaths that are now in the neonatal period has increased in all regions of the world, and currently stands at 41%. This figure is concerning and neonatal mortality remains a big obstacle to the international community in meeting the target of Millennium Development Goal 4—to reduce deaths in children under 5 years by two-thirds from 1990 levels by 2015. At least 15% of all neonatal deaths are due to sepsis (systematic bacterial infection) and an estimated 30%–40% of infections are transmitted at the time of birth. Therefore preventing infections through clean delivery practices is an important strategy to reduce sepsis-related deaths in newborns and can contribute to reducing the overall burden of neonatal deaths. Why Was This Study Done? In South Asia, around 65% of deliveries occur at home, without skilled birth attendants, making practices around clean delivery particularly challenging. To date, evidence on the impact of clean delivery kits and clean delivery practices on neonatal mortality or sepsis-related neonatal deaths from community-based studies is scarce. In this study the researchers explored the associations between neonatal mortality, the use of clean delivery kits, and individual clean delivery practices by using data from the control arms of three cluster-randomized controlled trials conducted among rural populations in South Asia. What Did the Researchers Do and Find? The researchers used data from almost 20,000 (19,754) home births available from the control arms of three community-based cluster-randomized trials conducted between 2000 and 2008 in India (n = 6,841, 18 clusters), Bangladesh (n = 7,041, five clusters), and Nepal (n = 5,872, five clusters). The researchers did not include data from other previously conducted trials on clean delivery practices because of the mix of designs used in these studies and limited their analysis to live-born singleton infants delivered at home in control areas, for whom data on birth kit use were available. The researchers conducted a separate analysis for each country on kit use and clean delivery practices and also analyzed the pooled dataset for all countries while controlling for factors about the mother, the pregnancy, the delivery, and the postnatal period. Using these methods, the researchers found that kits were used for 18.4% of home births in India, 18.4% in Bangladesh, and 5.7% in Nepal. Importantly, according to the pooled analysis, kit use was associated with a 48% relative reduction in neonatal mortality (odds ratio/chance 0.52), which was similar across all countries: 57% relative reduction in neonatal mortality in India, 32% in Bangladesh, and 49% in Nepal. Delivery practices were also important: in the pooled country analysis, the use of a boiled blade to cut the cord, antiseptic to clean the cord, a boiled thread to tie the cord, and a plastic sheet for a clean delivery surface were all associated with significant relative reductions in mortality after controlling for kit use and confounders common to all sites. The researchers found a 16% relative reduction in mortality with each additional clean delivery practice used. What Do These Findings Mean? These findings show that the appropriate use of a clean delivery kit and clean delivery practices could lead to substantial reductions in neonatal mortality among home births in poor rural communities with limited access to health care. The results also reinforce the importance of each clean delivery practice; hand washing and use of a sterilised blade, boiled thread, and plastic sheet were linearly associated with a reduction in neonatal deaths with each additional clean delivery practice used. Costs of such kits are low (US$0.44 in India, US$0.40 in Nepal, and US$0.27 in Bangladesh, although these costs may still be prohibitive for the poorest women), and given the impact of clean delivery kits and clean delivery practices in reducing neonatal practices, such strategies should be widely promoted by the international community. Additional Information Please access these websites via the online version of this summary at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001180. A recent PLoS Medicine study by Oestergaard et al. has the latest figures on neonatal mortality worldwide UNICEF has information about progress toward Millennium Development Goal 4 The United Nations Population Fund has more information about safe birth practices The EquiNam web site describes ongoing work on socioeconomic inequalities in newborn and maternal health in Asia and Africa by some of the study authors

BPD is a reduced VA/Q ratio. This can be described by the right shift of the SpO2 vs. PIO2 relationship. This can be derived from a single pair of PIO2 and SpO2 values and provides a simple method for defining BPD that grades disease severity. References [1] Jones JG, Jones SE. J Clin Monit Comput 2000;16:337–50. [2] Kjaergaard S, et al. Intensive Care Med 2003;29:727–34. [3] Olszowka A, Wagner P. Numerical analysis of gas exchange. Pulmonary gas exchange, vol. 1. New York: Academic Press; 1980. 263–306.

Summary Background Maternal and neonatal mortality rates remain high in many low-income and middle-income countries. Different approaches for the improvement of birth outcomes have been used in community-based interventions, with heterogeneous effects on survival. We assessed the effects of women's groups practising participatory learning and action, compared with usual care, on birth outcomes in low-resource settings. Methods We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials undertaken in Bangladesh, India, Malawi, and Nepal in which the effects of women's groups practising participatory learning and action were assessed to identify population-level predictors of effect on maternal mortality, neonatal mortality, and stillbirths. We also reviewed the cost-effectiveness of the women's group intervention and estimated its potential effect at scale in Countdown countries. Findings Seven trials (119 428 births) met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses of all trials showed that exposure to women's groups was associated with a 23% non-significant reduction in maternal mortality (odds ratio 0·77, 95% CI 0·48–1·23), a 20% reduction in neonatal mortality (0·80, 0·67–0·96), and a 7% non-significant reduction in stillbirths (0·93, 0·82–1·05), with high heterogeneity for maternal ( I 2 =64·0%, p=0·011) and neonatal results ( I 2 =73·2%, p=0·001). In the meta-regression analyses, the proportion of pregnant women in groups was linearly associated with reduction in both maternal and neonatal mortality (p=0·019 and p=0·009, respectively). A subgroup analysis of the four studies in which at least 30% of pregnant women participated in groups showed a 49% reduction in maternal mortality (0·51, 0·29–0·89) and a 33% reduction in neonatal mortality (0·67, 0·60–0·75). The intervention was cost effective by WHO standards and could save an estimated 283 000 newborn infants and 36 600 mothers per year if implemented in rural areas of 74 Countdown countries. Interpretation With the participation of at least a third of pregnant women and adequate population coverage, women's groups practising participatory learning and action are a cost-effective strategy to improve maternal and neonatal survival in low-resource settings. Funding Wellcome Trust, Ammalife, and National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for Birmingham and the Black Country programme.

Background: Nepal's Safe Delivery Incentive Programme (SDIP) was introduced nationwide in 2005 with the intention of increasing utilisation of professional care at childbirth. It provided cash to women giving birth in a health facility and an incentive to the health provider for each delivery attended, either at home or in the facility. We explored early implementation of the programme at the district-level to understand the factors that have contributed to its low uptake. Methods: We conducted in ten study districts a series of key informant interviews and focus group discussions with staff from health facilities and the district health office and other stakeholders involved in implementation. Manual content analysis was used to categorise data under emerging themes. Results: Problems at the central level imposed severe constraints on the ability of district-level actors to implement the programme. These included bureaucratic delays in the disbursement of funds, difficulties in communicating the policy, both to implementers and the wider public and the complexity of the programme's design. However, some district implementers were able to cope with these problems, providing reasons for why uptake of the programme varied considerably between districts. Actions appeared to be influenced by the pressure to meet local needs, as well individual perceptions and acceptance of the programme. The experience also sheds light on some of the adverse effects of the programme on the wider health system. Conclusion: The success of conditional cash transfer programmes in Latin America has led to a wave of enthusiasm for their adoption in other parts of the world. However, context matters and proponents of similar programmes in south Asia should give due attention to the challenges to implementation when capacity is weak and health services inadequate.

Background A global shortage of health workers in rural areas increases the salience of motivating and supporting existing health workers. Understandings of motivation may vary in different settings, and it is important to use measurement methods that are contextually appropriate. We identified a measurement tool, previously used in Kenya, and explored its validity and reliability to measure the motivation of auxiliary nurse midwives (ANM) and staff nurses (SN) in rural Nepal. Method Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to assess the content validity, the construct validity, the internal consistency and the reliability of the tool. We translated the tool into Nepali and it was administered to 137 ANMs and SNs in three districts. We collected qualitative data from 78 nursing personnel and district- and central-level stakeholders using interviews and focus group discussions. We calculated motivation scores for ANMs and SNs using the quantitative data and conducted statistical tests for validity and reliability. Motivation scores were compared with qualitative data. Descriptive exploratory analysis compared mean motivation scores by ANM and SN sociodemographic characteristics. Results The concept of self-efficacy was added to the tool before data collection. Motivation was revealed through conscientiousness. Teamwork and the exertion of extra effort were not adequately captured by the tool, but important in illustrating motivation. The statement on punctuality was problematic in quantitative analysis, and attendance was more expressive of motivation. The calculated motivation scores usually reflected ANM and SN interview data, with some variation in other stakeholder responses. The tool scored within acceptable limits in validity and reliability testing and was able to distinguish motivation of nursing personnel with different sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions We found that with minor modifications, the tool provided valid and internally consistent measures of motivation among ANMs and SNs in this context. We recommend the use of this tool in similar contexts, with the addition of statements about self-efficacy, teamwork and exertion of extra effort. Absenteeism should replace the punctuality statement, and statements should be worded both positively and negatively to mitigate positive response bias. Collection of qualitative data on motivation creates a more nuanced understanding of quantitative scores.

Globally, there is a shortage of health workers in rural areas. Effective health systems depend onhaving sufficient, accessible health workers with the right skills. In countries like Nepal, highlyskilled health workers often prefer to work overseas or in urban centres, and therefore, in the shortterm, it may be pragmatic to focus on ensuring support and skills development of mid level orparamedical health workers. Information technology has the potential to support these healthworkers. We describe a pilot intervention undertaken in Gulmi District, whereby all mid levelhealth workers in the district have been provided with a free phone number to call three GeneralPractitioner Doctors (GPs) in the District Hospital. The intervention aims to increase appropriatereferral, and increase connectivity between the District centre and peripheral health facilities. Wehope that our intervention will provide support to rural health workers, and, if implemented aspart of a package of interventions, may increase retention. We present some initial findings fromdiscussions with health workers and analysis of call-log data, and describe our next phase evaluationand possible scale-up._______________________________________________________________________________________Keywords: human resources; mobile phone; mhealth; Nepal; retention; rural.