Descriptive study to assess the awareness and existing practices related to Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) among In-service Auxiliary Nurses and Midwifes (ANMs) for Reproductive and child health care (RCH) care

Abstract

Introduction:As per WHO thousands of women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth howevermost could have been prevented. Operational Guidelines on Maternal and Newborn Health by Government ofIndia revealed that Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) is needed to promote positive health practices formaternal and newborn health, and to discourage harmful practices. Objective of present study was to assessawareness of BCC and existing practices related to BCC among In-service ANMs and to assess the opinionof learning BCC by Self Learning Material(SLM) and to identify the content to be covered in SLM as teachingmodule.Material and Method: Exploratory & descriptive survey design was used to Collect the baseline data in termsof their awareness and existing practices for BCC among in-service Auxiliary Nurse and Midwives (ANMs). Data collected from 20 ANMs, 10 PHNs, and 10 Medical officers working in different health units of Delhiusing developed and validated questionnaire. Informed consent was taken from all the study subjects. Results:Findings revealed that ANMs were not aware of BCC and related practices for Reproductive and Child healthcare (RCH) care but conducting health education sessions and using various methods of communication likeindividual IPC, demonstration, home visit and use of IEC material for creating awareness in the community.ANMs were aware of dropout cases and the way to identify them but not planning and conducting BCC sessionsfor drop out cases. It is interpreted that in-service ANMs were in need to have awareness regarding BCC topractice in community. The data in relation to opinion on selected topics for information to creating awarenessfor BCC on RCH care components shows that for topics related to Antenatal care, post-natal care and childcare component, there was 100% agreement from all the study samples. Majority of samples (80%) expresseddisagreement for anemia and nutrition and identification of RTI and STI topics under adolescent healthcare component and expressed that these can be covered under maternal care component. It was suggested bymajority of doctors (25%) that ANMs should have awareness on types of delay under maternal care componentand major causes of maternal, neonatal and child mortality and delayed PPH as awareness on suggested topicswill make them sensitize to prevent the causes of mortality. There was 100% agreement for learning BCC forRCH issues by self-learningmaterial in booklet form and for the language preference it was expressed by all thestudy subject (100%) that SLM for In-service ANMs should be in Hindi. Conclusion: There is lack of awarenessregarding, Behaviour change communication and related practices among in-service ANMs which supportedthe need to develop a self-learning material on BCC.