Impact Evaluation of a Social Franchise Model for Improving Infant and Young Child Feeding and Child Nutrition in Vietnam

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Exclusive Breastfeeding; Stunting; Child Nutrition; Complementary Feeding
• Interventions: Behavioral: Standard government health services; Behavioral: Mass media campaign; Behavioral: Alive & Thrive IYCF franchise services

• Registration Number: NCT01676623
• Lead Sponsor: International Food Policy Research Institute

Brief Summary

Alive \& Thrive is an initiative that aims to improve infant and young child feeding practices and reduce childhood stunting. In Vietnam, Alive \& Thrive's primary intervention is implemented through a social franchise linked with the government's health system. The impact evaluation is conducted using a cluster-randomized design in which 20 commune health centers (CHC) were assigned to the social franchise model, and 20 CHC were assigned to routine government services. Repeated cross-sectional baseline and endline surveys will be used to assess the public health impact of this intervention. The baseline was in 2010 and an endline survey in the same communities will be conducted in 2014. Mixed methods process evaluation will be conducted in 2011, 2012 and 2013 to study the pathways through which the program impact is achieved.

Detailed Description

Link provided to journal manuscript describing design of evaluation provides additional detail: http://fnb.sagepub.com/content/34/3_suppl2/S195.full.pdf

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2010-04
• Study First Submitted: 2012-08-29
• Study First Submitted QC: 2012-08-29
• Study First Posted: 2012-08-31
• Primary Completion: 2014-07
• Study Completion: 2014-12
• Status Verified: 2016-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-02-29
• Last Update Posted: 2016-03-02

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 4000

Inclusion Criteria

• Children 0-60 months of age

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Exclusion Criteria

• None

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
A&T Franchise	Standard government health services	In this arm, the 20 CHCs will offer Alive \& Thrive branded franchise services with enhanced quality of IYCF counseling through interpersonal contact between health workers at the commune level and clients who use the commune health services. In addition, the clients could also be exposed to the mass media campaign.
Comparison area, only standard government services	Standard government health services	This intervention arm will receive the standard government services offered at CHCs all over Vietnam. In addition, participants in this arm will be exposed to the nationwide mass media campaign.
Comparison area, only standard government services	Mass media campaign	This intervention arm will receive the standard government services offered at CHCs all over Vietnam. In addition, participants in this arm will be exposed to the nationwide mass media campaign.
A&T Franchise	Mass media campaign	In this arm, the 20 CHCs will offer Alive \& Thrive branded franchise services with enhanced quality of IYCF counseling through interpersonal contact between health workers at the commune level and clients who use the commune health services. In addition, the clients could also be exposed to the mass media campaign.
A&T Franchise	Alive & Thrive IYCF franchise services	In this arm, the 20 CHCs will offer Alive \& Thrive branded franchise services with enhanced quality of IYCF counseling through interpersonal contact between health workers at the commune level and clients who use the commune health services. In addition, the clients could also be exposed to the mass media campaign.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Exclusive breastfeeding among children 0-6 months of age	4 years	Exclusive breastfeeding in children 0-6 months of age is one of the eight WHO-recommended IYCF core indicators will be measured to capture breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. It is measured using survey based recall by interviewing mothers of children in the age group for the indicator.
Child heights and weights (children 24-60 months of age)	4 years	Heights and weights of children in the intervention and comparison communes covered by the CHCs in the study will be assessed in 2014. A new sample of children 24-60 months will be measured in the repeated cross-sectional endline survey to measure these outcomes and compute height-for-age, weight-for-age and weight-for-height z-scores based on the WHO growth reference standards.
Complementary feeding for children 6-23.9 months of age	4 years	Indicators of complementary feeding - diet diversity, minimum acceptable diet, and minimum meal frequency, measured in children 6-23.9 months of age are one of the eight WHO-recommended IYCF core indicators will be measured to capture breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. These are measured using survey based recall by interviewing mothers of children in the age group for the indicator.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Early initiation of breastfeeding in children 0-24 months of age	4 years	Early initiation of breastfeeding (in the first hour after birth) is measured in children 0-23.9 months of age and it is one of the eight WHO-recommended IYCF core indicators will be measured to capture breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. These are measured using survey based recall by interviewing mothers of children in the age group for the indicator. Samples for children 0-6 months and 6-23.9 are combined to calculate this indicator

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Alive & Thrive & International Food Policy Research Institute; 🇻🇳 Hanoi, Vietnam