Towards a sustainable community database: taking advantage of the Road-to-Health cards to monitor and evaluate health interventions targeting under fives

Abstract

Abstract:The Road-to-Health (RTH) card has served as a tool for monitoring nutrition and vaccination status individual child for several decades. The card has the potential to serve as a community database for research if kept by the caretaker for a considerable period. This study aimed to assess whether the magnitude of possession and retention of RTH cards is adequate to serve as a community database for monitoring and evaluating health interventions targeting under fives. This cross-sectional study was conducted among under fives in Korogwe town and its suburbs in Tanzania. Six wards and four villages were randomly selected and all under fives found were included. Using a structured questionnaire, demographic information was obtained from the parent/guardian of the child. Information was collected on the presence of RTH card from which the date of birth was recorded. A total of 4899 households were involved and information obtained for 6364 under fives. The overall card possession rate was 74.3%. Possession of RTH cards was found to be highest among the last born under fives (78.3%) than the third-from-last born under fives (45.1%). Caretakers who were married and educated had higher card possession rate. In conclusion the possession of RTH cards was adequate to serve as a community database for monitoring health status and evaluating health interventions targeting the under fives. However, the low retention rate poses a limitation for the cards to serve as a permanent community database. This paper discusses some of the strategies to increase retention of the cards by caretakers. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Factors Associated with Child Health Card Holding among Mothers of Western Rural Nepal: A Cross Sectional Community Based Study

“…In a study carried out at a VDC of Nawalparasi, only about 40% of the mothers could present the card [12]. Studies carried out in other parts of the world show varying results for the retention; 78.3% and 94.4% mothers possessed the card as revealed by the studies conducted in Tanzania and Zimbabwe respectively [23,24]. A study carried out in Bangladesh revealed 49% clients had retained the Family Health Card (FHC) issued to them [25].…”

“…Therefore, due to higher chances of contact with community mobiliser-run growth monitoring programs, mothers may perceive CHCholding to be necessary for next visit and this could have contributed to the retention of the card. The high retention rate of CHC can be indicative of opportunity for its effective use to assess the health status of the child and monitor utilization of child health interventions [23].…”

Approaches to effectively documenting prior single dose nevirapine exposure among women in Africa

“…A cross-sectional study done in Kampala in 2005 and in Dar es Salaam indicate between 67 and 74% rate of retention. [10] The introduction of these interventions was accompanied by political commitment, extensive health care worker training, and the creation of community awareness. Creating a mother to child dyad card alongside this already successful model may be viable.…”