Development of a growth monitoring and promotion index to improve child health in Zimbabwe

Growth Monitoring and Promotion Index Development: A Novel Approach

“…The construction of the GMPI was guided by the conceptual framework by Ashworth et al [14] and adapted for this study as shown by Moyo et al [11] in their protocol paper. It was deemed the best fit to depict the study as a whole.…”

“…Generally, caregivers do not want to walk long distances to seek health care services. This was noted as a barrier towards GMP attendance [9], and furthermore, such barriers create negative attitudes towards attendance to GMP by caregivers. A study conducted by Mphasha et al [10] in Polokwane, South Africa, explored the attitudes of caregivers towards GMP.…”

“…From the protocol by Moyo et al [11], a data challenge in the Umguza district, in Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe, was identified where CHWs were not compiling GMP statistics. This rendered the data poor-quality and of little use.…”

“…Some studies have even shown that healthcare workers mainly emphasized weighing the children in the absence of counselling for mothers/caregivers on children's feeding based on the growth curve [12], and other studies conducted on GMP practice reported that counselling offered to mothers/caregivers during GMP service is weak [13,14]. The protocol by Moyo et al [11] also adapted a conceptual framework by Ashworth et al [14]. This framework showed how these different elements (caregivers of CU5, CHWs) were interlinked and ultimately affect the health and nutritional status of CU5.…”

“…In the build-up to the GMP index (GMPI), literature was reviewed which highlighted a gap with regard to the types and number of child health indexes currently existing. No index combines the metrics of both CHW performance and caregiver barriers and facilitators towards GMP [9]. It is against this background that this research sought to construct a GMPI along with validating its construction.…”