TABLE 1. Description of Newborn Infection Management Intervention by Arm and Health System Level, Rural Ethiopia, 2008–2013
ControlIntervention
Community and Household
Half-day meetings to orient religious and administrative leaders and other community representatives on the study purpose and to obtain community consent to conduct study in these areasYesYes
1-day meetings with religious and administrative leaders and other community representatives to select female volunteers for the studyYesYes
4-day training for HEWs and volunteers on conducting home visits to counsel women and families on the importance of antenatal care, facility delivery, and postnatal care; birth preparedness (saving money, planning place of delivery, transport, and blood donor); healthy newborn care practices; recognition of danger signs in mothers and newborns that require prompt care seeking; postpartum family planning; and identification and referral of sick newbornsYesYes
2-day refresher training for volunteers to reinforce initial 4-day trainingYesYes
3-day training for HEWs on how to work with and support volunteersYesYes
Identification of pregnant women by study volunteersYesYes
Pregnancy and postnatal home visits by HEWs and volunteers per trainingYesYes
1-day meetings to raise community awareness of the availability of treatment for sick newborns at health postsNoYes
Health Post
6-day training for HEWs on assessment and referral of newborns with signs of PSBI and case management for sick children older than 2 months (using national iCCM materials)YesYes
1-day training for HEWs on treatment of newborns with signs of PSBI when referral is not possible or acceptableNoYes
Monthly meetings among PO, HEWs, and volunteers to reinforce counseling skills, referral of sick newborns, and reporting on home visitsYesYes
Supervision of HEWs by POsYesYes
Provision of antibiotics and supplies for PSBI case management to health postsNoYes
Treatment of newborns with signs of PSBI by HEWs, if referral to the health center was not possible or acceptableNoYes
Monthly PSBI case management review meetings between POs and HEWsNoYes
Documentation of symptoms, diagnosis, treatment initiation, and referrals for sick young infants by HEWs on iCCM registersYesYes
Tracking of the number and timing of antibiotic doses and outcome by HEWsNoYes
Health Center
7-day training for health center staff on IMNCI using national curriculumYesYes
Provision of antibiotics and supplies for PSBI case management to health centersYesYes
Documentation of symptoms, diagnosis, treatment initiation, and referrals for sick young infants by health center staff on IMNCI registersYesYes
  • Abbreviations: HEW, health extension worker; iCCM, integrated community case management; IMNCI, integrated management of neonatal and childhood illnesses; PSBI, possible severe bacterial infection; PO, project officer.