# name
Community health worker knowledge and management of
                pre-eclampsia in southern Mozambique

# metadata.dc.description.abstract[].value
BACKGROUND: Mozambique has drastically improved an array of
                health indicators in recent years, including maternal mortality
                rates which decreased 63 % from 1990-2013 but the rates still
                high. Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia constitute the third major
                cause of maternal death in the country. Women in rural areas,
                with limited access to health facilities are at greatest risk.
                This study aimed to assess the current state of knowledge and
                the regular practices regarding pre-eclampsia and eclampsia by
                community health workers in southern Mozambique. METHODS: This
                mixed methods study was conducted from 2013 to 2014, in Maputo
                and Gaza Provinces, southern Mozambique. Self-administered
                questionnaires, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions
                were conducted with CHWs, district medical officers, community
                health workers' supervisors, Gynaecologists-Obstetricians and
                matrons. Quantitative data were entered into a database written
                in REDCap and subsequently analyzed using Stata 13. Qualitative
                data was imported into NVivo10 for thematic analysis. RESULTS:
                Ninety-three percent of CHW had some awareness of pregnancy
                complications. Forty-one percent were able to describe the signs
                and symptoms of hypertension. In cases of eclampsia, CHWs
                reported to immediately refer the women. The vast majority of
                the CHWs surveyed reported that they could neither measure blood
                pressure nor proteinuria (90 %). Fewer reported confidence in
                providing oral antihypertensives (14 %) or injections in
                pregnancy (5 %). The other community health care providers are
                matrons. They do not formally offer health services, but assists
                pregnant women in case of an emergency. Regarding pre-eclampsia
                and eclampsia, matrons were unable to recognise these biomedical
                terms. CONCLUSIONS: Although CHWs are aware of pregnancy
                complications, they hold limited knowledge specific to
                pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. There is a need to promote studies
                to evaluate the impact of enhancing their training to include
                additional content related to the identification and management
                of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

# metadata.dc.relation.ispartof[].value
Reproductive Health, 2016, vol. 13(Suppl. 2), num. 105

# metadata.dc.source[].value
Articles publicats en revistes (ISGlobal)

# metadata.dc.title[].value
Community health worker knowledge and management of
                pre-eclampsia in southern Mozambique