Gender counts: A systematic review of evaluations of gender-integrated health interventions in low- and middle-income countries

Schriver, Brittany; Mandal, Mahua; Muralidharan, Arundati; Nwosu, Anthony; Dayal, Radhika; Das, Madhumita; Fehringer, Jessica A.

doi:10.1080/17441692.2016.1149596

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Findings from reviews (Dickin et al, 2021; Muralidharan et al, 2015; Schriver et al, 2017) and studies (Bégin et al, 1999; Chintalapudi et al, 2018; Engebretsen et al, 2010; Kulkarni et al, 2020; Shroff et al, 2011) suggest that pervasive traditional household gender norms and roles can negatively impact child health, nutrition and care through inequitable household decision‐making, intra‐household food allocation and limited paternal support in the provision of resources and caregiving. However, with the exception of a few studies in Northern Malawi and rural Zambia, there is limited intervention research that has examined the impact of household gender roles on complementary feeding (Bezner Kerr, 2005, 2016; Kumar et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal and paternal involvement in complementary feeding in Kaduna State, Nigeria: The continuum of gender roles in urban and rural settings

Allotey

Flax

Ipadeola³

et al. 2022

Maternal & Child Nutrition

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Household gender roles influence infant and young child feeding behaviours and may contribute to suboptimal complementary feeding practices through inequitable household decision-making, intra-household food allocation and limited paternal support for resources and caregiving. In Igabi local government area of Kaduna State, Nigeria, the Alive & Thrive (A&T) initiative implemented an intervention to improve complementary feeding practices through father engagement. This study describes household gender roles among A&T participants and how they influence maternal and paternal involvement in complementary feeding. We conducted 16 focus group discussions with mothers and fathers of children aged 6-23 months in urban and rural administrative wards and analysed them using qualitative thematic analysis methods. Most mothers and fathers have traditional roles with fathers as 'providers' and 'supervisors' and mothers as 'caregivers'. Traditional normative roles of fathers limit their involvement in 'hands-on' activities, which support feeding and caring for children. Less traditional normative roles, whereby some mothers contributed to the provision of resources and some fathers contributed to caregiving, were also described by some participants and were more salient in the urban wards.In the rural wards, more fathers expressed resistance to fathers playing less traditional roles. Fathers who participated in caregiving tasks reported respect from their children, strong family relationships and had healthy home environments. Our research findings point to the need for more context-specific approaches that address prevalent gender normative roles in complementary feeding in a variety of settings.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal and paternal involvement in complementary feeding in Kaduna State, Nigeria: The continuum of gender roles in urban and rural settings

Allotey

Flax

Ipadeola³

et al. 2022

Maternal & Child Nutrition

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“…Of the records detailing interventions conducted in high-income countries (HICs) the majority detailed interventions in the USA ( n = 16), and UK ( n = 4). Three systematic reviews [ 26 – 28 ], and one guidance document did not systematically detail the countries of implementation.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gender-aware theories were less widely cited and defined than more traditional theories of behaviour change. A key record identified in relation to the use of gender in interventions, however, was the review by Schriver and colleagues [ 28 ]. This examined the evaluation of 99 gender-aware and -transformative health promotion interventions as per the Interagency Gender Working Group definition of the Gender Equality Continuum.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It should be considered that the publications reviewed here may have lacked exhaustive detail of intervention programming and theory in their reporting, even when these were present. It is possible that programmes are underpinned by behaviour change theory in their development and implementation, but that this goes unreported or underreported [ 28 ]. For instance, word limits imposed on academic publications might restrict the provision of information on theoretical underpinning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nothing so practical as theory: a rapid review of the use of behaviour change theory in family planning interventions involving men and boys

et al. 2021

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Background There is growing recognition of the need for interventions that effectively involve men and boys to promote family planning behaviours. Evidence suggests that the most effective behavioural interventions in this field are founded on theoretical principles of behaviour change and gender equality. However, there are few evidence syntheses on how theoretical approaches are applied in this context that might guide best practice in intervention development. This review addresses this gap by examining the application and reporting of theories of behaviour change used by family planning interventions involving men and boys. Methods We adopted a systematic rapid review approach, scoping findings of a previously reported evidence and gap map of intervention reviews (covering 2007–2018) and supplementing this with searches of academic databases and grey literature for reviews and additional studies published between 2007 and 2020. Studies were eligible for inclusion if their title, abstract or keywords referred to a psychosocial or behavioural intervention targeting family planning behaviours, involved males in delivery, and detailed their use of an intervention theory of change. Results From 941 non-duplicate records identified, 63 were eligible for inclusion. Most records referenced interventions taking place in low- and middle-income countries (65%). There was a range of intervention theories of change reported, typically targeting individual-level behaviours and sometimes comprising several behaviour change theories and strategies. The most commonly identified theories were Social Cognitive Theory, Social Learning Theory, the Theory of Planned Behaviour, and the Information-Motivation-Behaviour Skills (IMB) Model. A minority of records explicitly detailed gender-informed elements within their theory of change. Conclusion Our findings highlight the range of prevailing theories of change used for family planning interventions involving men and boys, and the considerable variability in their reporting. Programmers and policy makers would be best served by unified reporting and testing of intervention theories of change. There remains a need for consistent reporting of these to better understand how complex interventions that seek to involve men and boys in family planning may lead to behaviour change.

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“…This includes identifying if and how intervention studies take sex/gender into account when formulating research questions and in any underpinning theories, in study design, sample recruitment and measurement instruments, and in all aspects of the reporting of sex/gender related data. [15][16][17] Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate sex/gender considerations in a comprehensive way in intervention studies aimed at promoting PA and/or reducing SB in children and adolescents.…”

Section: Text Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Intervention Studies to Promote Physical Activity and Reduce Sedentary Behavior in Children and Adolescents Take Sex/Gender Into Account? A Systematic Review

Schlund¹,

Reimers²,

Bucksch³

et al. 2021

Journal of Physical Activity and Health

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Background: Physical inactivity is often reported in youth and differs among boys and girls. The aim of this study is to assess sex/gender considerations in intervention studies promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in youth using a sex/gender checklist. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in August 2018 to identify all relevant controlled trials. Studies screened must have reported a quantified measure of physical activity and/or sedentary behavior, and identified participants by sex/gender at baseline. For evaluation of the sex/gender consideration, the authors used a sex/gender checklist developed by expert consensus. Results: The authors reviewed sex/gender considerations in all aspects of intervention development, implementation, and evaluation in 217 studies. Sex/gender aspects were only rudimentarily taken into account, most frequently during statistical analyses, such as stratification or interaction analysis. Conclusions: Sex/gender effects are not sufficiently reported. To develop guidelines that are more inclusive of all girls and boys, future interventions need to document sex/gender differences and similarities, and explore whether sex/gender influences different phases of intervention programs. The newly developed sex/gender checklist can hereby be used as a tool and guidance to adequately consider sex/gender in the several steps of intervention planning, implementation, and evaluation.

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Gender counts: A systematic review of evaluations of gender-integrated health interventions in low- and middle-income countries

Cited by 11 publications

References 50 publications

Maternal and paternal involvement in complementary feeding in Kaduna State, Nigeria: The continuum of gender roles in urban and rural settings

Maternal and paternal involvement in complementary feeding in Kaduna State, Nigeria: The continuum of gender roles in urban and rural settings

Nothing so practical as theory: a rapid review of the use of behaviour change theory in family planning interventions involving men and boys

Do Intervention Studies to Promote Physical Activity and Reduce Sedentary Behavior in Children and Adolescents Take Sex/Gender Into Account? A Systematic Review

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