Examining the Role of Gender Transformative Community Interventions to Strengthen Gender Equity and Improve Immunization Outcomes in Togo and Pakistan
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Gender Equality and Its Impact on Immunization Uptake
- Sponsor
- Jhpiego
- Enrollment
- 448
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Sharing of childcare and household tasks
- Status
- Active, Not Recruiting
- Last Updated
- 7 months ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to test the role of community-based men's engagement interventions in improving immunization uptake and strengthening gender equity at the household level. The main questions it aims to answer are: (1) Does household and community engagement of male caregivers and couples improve equitable gender relations, including increased male involvement in household tasks and childcare, in Togo and Pakistan, compared with communities that did not receive an intervention? (2) Can household and community engagement of male caregivers and couples increase support for and rates of age-appropriate timely immunization among children under 12 months of age, in Togo and Pakistan, compared with communities that did not receive an intervention? (3) How feasible, acceptable, and appropriate is it for CSO staff/volunteers to engage female and male caregivers and community leaders using gender transformative approaches (including household visits and group discussions) as assessed over a seven-month period? (4) What is the cost of gender transformative engagement of male and female caregivers and community leaders by CSO staff/volunteers compared to standard childhood immunization outreach services over a seven-month period?
Participants (male and female caregivers of children under 12 months of age) will be sorted into intervention or comparison groups based on their community of residence. Participants in the intervention group will:
- Receive household visits to raise awareness of immunization benefits and gender equity
- Participate in couples communication discussion groups
- Receive immunization and gender equity messaging from community leaders and other influencers.
Researchers will compare the intervention group with comparison groups in similar communities to see if the intervention group demonstrates improved equitable gender relations and increased rates of immunization compared to the comparison group which does not receive the intervention.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Caregivers Pakistan:
- •Adult women and men aged 18-49 who are in a monogamous relationship, or polygamous relationship in which the male partner agrees to participate with one female partner, and are together caregivers of at least one child 12 months of age or younger
- •Have lived in the study site for at least one year
- •Plan to continue to live in the study site for at least one year from time of recruitment
- •If the caregiver is drawn from one of the intervention Union Councils, must be willing to fully participated in the intervention for the full implementation period
- •Caregivers Togo:
- •Adult women and men aged 18-49 who are in a monogamous relationship, or are in a polygamous relationship in which the man resides only with the woman who is also involved in the study, and who and are together caregivers of at least one child 12 months of age or younger
- •Have lived in the study site for at least one year
- •Plan to continue to live in the study site for at least one year from time of recruitment
- •If the caregiver is drawn from one of the intervention communities, must be willing to fully participate in the intervention for the full implementation period
Exclusion Criteria
- •Any individuals that do not meet all of the above inclusion criteria or do not agree to participate in the study will be excluded from data collection. In addition, individuals who are unable to make decisions/respond to questions on their own without assistance by someone else will also be excluded from enrolment.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Sharing of childcare and household tasks
Time Frame: 7 months
Administered to all male caregivers via survey, sample of female caregivers via FGDs: How do you divide the following childcare and household tasks: (1) washing clothes/laundry; (2) cleaning the house and surroundings; (3) cooking for the household; (4) making the bed; (5) providing daily care of children; (6) bathing children. \[Gendered division of household labor\] Responses range from 1 = woman always does the task, 3 = shared equally or done together, 5 = man always does the task.
Secondary Outcomes
- Appropriateness of the intervention(Pulse surveys: monthly; Lessons learned workshop: Month 4)
- Couples' communication(7 months)
- Vaccination uptake(7 months)
- Feasibility of the intervention(Pre/post test: prior to intervention, as part of implementer training (month zero); pulse surveys and supervision data: monthly; Lessons learned workshop: Month 4)
- Decision-making about child health practices, including vaccination(7 months)
- Cost of intervention(Months 1-4)
- Acceptability of intervention(Pre/post test: prior to intervention, as part of implementer training (month zero); pulse surveys: monthly; Lessons learned workshop: Month 4)