Key correlates of exclusive breastfeeding at three timepoints: Evidence from Ethiopia

Aim

To compare factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) within 1 h of birth, within 3 days, and within the first 6 months post-birth.

Methods

We used multivariate logistic regression models and data from "The Alive and Thrive Phase 2 Amhara Baseline Survey 2015" from Ethiopia (N = 3113).

Results

Giving colostrum was strongly associated with EBF at all three time points, controlling for multiple confounders. Putting the baby to the breast before cleaning the baby and before cleaning the mother was significantly associated with EBF within 1 h and for the first 3 days. EBF within an hour of birth was more likely for girl babies than boy babies. Having a healthcare professional check whether the baby was sucking well was significantly associated with EBF 3 days post-birth.

Conclusions

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding within 1 h of birth and exclusively thereafter for 6 months, which can improve health outcomes for infants and children. In Ethiopia, many factors influence breastfeeding practices, but little is known about how these factors differ at various key timepoints in the 6 months after birth. Our study provides important information on correlates of EBF at three timepoints and shows that factors that are significantly correlated with EBF vary over time. Future research should assess the potential causal links among statistically significant associations between EBF and risk factors at various times between birth and 6 months of age. Ultimately, these findings have the potential to inform areas of intervention related to promoting EBF.

"Collaboration Toward One Collective Goal": A Mixed-Methods Study of Short-Term Learning Outcomes and Long-Term Impacts Among Students Participating in an Undergraduate Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Course

Background: Research shows positive learning outcomes for students participating in service learning. However, the impacts of undergraduate student participation in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) courses are minimally studied.

Methods: We used a triangulation mixed-methods design approach to analyze short- and long-term (1–5 years post-course) data collected from 59 undergraduate students across 5 cohorts of a CBPR course (2014–19). Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data and descriptive statistics and frequencies were generated to analyze the quantitative data.

Results: We developed five key themes based on short-term qualitative data: integration of CBPR and traditional research skills; importance of community engagement in research; identity; accountability; and collaboration. Themes from qualitative course evaluations aligned with these findings. Long-term qualitative data revealed that former students gained research knowledge, research skills, and professional skills and then applied these in other settings. This aligns with quantitative findings, where >79% of respondents reported that course participation “extensively” improved their research skills. Post-course, students still reflected on the importance of community engagement in research and reported a substantially enhanced likelihood of civic engagement.

Discussion/Conclusions: Students gained critical knowledge and skills that positively impact their ability to engage in community-based work well after the end of course participation. Some students reported considering research-oriented careers and graduate programs for the first time after course participation. Collaborative learning experiences with community partners and members encouraged students to reflect on research designs that center community voices. We stress here that community partnerships require extensive cultivation, but they can create opportunities to translate findings directly back to communities and provide numerous benefits to undergraduate students. We hope that our findings provide the information needed to consider pilot testing practice-based CBPR courses in a variety of public health training contexts.

Strategies to Build Readiness in Community Mobilization Efforts for Implementation in a Multi-Year Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative

PURPOSE

This paper describes an assessment of community readiness to implement a community-wide teen pregnancy prevention initiative, Youth First, and presents strategies used to enhance this readiness as informed by the assessment.

METHODS

Twenty-five community stakeholder interviews were conducted to assess four domains of readiness: (1) attitudes, perception, and knowledge of teen pregnancy; (2) perceived level of readiness; (3) resources, existing and current efforts; and (4) leadership. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed to identify key themes.

RESULTS

Stakeholders acknowledged teen pregnancy as an issue but lacked contextual information. They also perceived the community as ready to address the issue and recognized some organizations already championing efforts. However, many key players were not involved, and ongoing data collection to assess teen pregnancy and prevention efforts was limited. Though many stakeholders were ready to engage in teen pregnancy prevention efforts, they required additional information and training to appropriately address the issue.

CONCLUSIONS

In response to the assessment findings, several strategies were applied to address readiness and build Youth First partners' capacity to implement the community-wide initiative. Thus, to successfully implement community-wide prevention efforts, it is valuable to assess the level of community readiness to address health issues.

Enhancing Adolescent Reproductive Health Services: Assessment of Health Care Practices in Holyoke and Springfield, MA Engaged in the Youth First Initiative

Health care practices can play a key role in reducing teen pregnancies, though current health care systems do not adequately meet adolescents' reproductive health needs. To address this gap, Youth First, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded, community-wide initiative in Holyoke and Springfield (Massachusetts) established partnerships with nine local health care practices to increase adolescent access to health services. However, we had limited knowledge about their reproductive health services and policies. To address this gap, assessments were conducted with staff using structured interviews and surveys to inform targeted efforts to enhance the quality and youth friendliness of adolescent reproductive health services. Findings revealed that many of the youth-friendly services best practices recommended by the CDC were not routinely implemented by all health care practices. Findings from this assessment can be used to support health care practices to facilitate widespread adoption of best practices related to meeting adolescents' reproductive health needs.

Assessing research interest and capacity in community health centers

OBJECTIVE

Community health centers (CHCs) have great potential to participate in the development of evidence-based primary care but face obstacles to engagement in clinical translational research.

METHODS

To understand factors associated with CHC interest in building research infrastructure, Harvard Catalyst and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers conducted an online survey of medical directors in all 50 Massachusetts CHC networks.

RESULTS

Thirty-two (64%) medical directors completed the survey representing 126 clinical sites. Over 80% reported that their primary care providers (PCPs) were slightly to very interested in future clinical research and that they were interested in building research infrastructure at their CHC. Frequently cited barriers to participation in research included financial issues, lack of research skills, and lack of research infrastructure. In bivariate analyses, PCP interest in future clinical research and a belief that involvement in research contributed to PCP retention were significantly associated with interest in building research infrastructure.

CONCLUSION

CHCs critical role in caring for vulnerable populations ideally positions them to raise relevant research questions and translate evidence into practice. Our findings suggest a high interest in engagement in research among CHC leadership. CTSAs have a unique opportunity to support local CHCs in this endeavor.

Community capacity building and sustainability: outcomes of community-based participatory research

BACKGROUND

For communities, the value of community-based participatory research (CBPR) is often manifested in the outcomes of increased capacity and sustainable adoption of evidence-based practices for social change. Educational opportunities that promote discourse between community and academic partners can help to advance CBPR and better define these outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

This paper describes a community-academic conference to develop shared definitions of community capacity building and sustainability related to CBPR and to identify obstacles and facilitators to both.

METHODS

"Taking It to the Curbside: Engaging Communities to Create Sustainable Change for Health" was planned by five Clinical Translational Science Institutes and four community organizations. After a keynote presentation, breakout groups of community and academic members met to define community capacity building and sustainability, and to identify facilitators and barriers to achieving both. Groups were facilitated by researcher-community partner teams and conversations were recorded and transcribed. Qualitative analysis for thematic content was conducted by a subset of the planning committee.

RESULTS

Important findings included learning that (1) the concepts of capacity and sustainability were considered interconnected; (2) partnership was perceived as both a facilitator and an outcome of CBPR; (3) sustainability was linked to "transfer of knowledge" from one generation to another within a community; and (4) capacity and sustainability were enhanced when goals were shared and health outcomes were achieved.

CONCLUSIONS

Community capacity building and sustainability are key outcomes of CBPR for communities. Co-learning opportunities that engage and mutually educate both community members and academics can be useful strategies for identifying meaningful strategies to achieve these outcomes.

Community-based participatory research skills and training needs in a sample of academic researchers from a clinical and translational science center in the Northeast

PURPOSE

To determine the community-based participatory research (CBPR) training interests and needs of researchers interested in CBPR to inform efforts to build infrastructure for conducting community-engaged research.

METHOD

A 20-item survey was completed by 127 academic health researchers at Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard affiliated hospitals.

RESULTS

Slightly more than half of the participants reported current or prior experience with CBPR (58 %). Across all levels of academic involvement, approximately half of the participants with CBPR experience reported lacking skills in research methods and dissemination, with even fewer reporting skills in training of community partners. Regardless of prior CBPR experience, about half of the respondents reported having training needs in funding, partnership development, evaluation, and dissemination of CBPR projects. Among those with CBPR experience, more than one-third of the participants wanted a mentor in CBPR; however only 19 % were willing to act as a mentor.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite having experience with CBPR, many respondents did not have the comprehensive package of CBPR skills, reporting a need for training in a variety of CBPR skill sets. Further, the apparent mismatch between the need for mentors and availability in this sample suggests an important area for development.

A funding initiative for community-based participatory research: lessons from the Harvard Catalyst Seed Grants

BACKGROUND

The National Institutes of Health-funded Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) have increasingly focused on community-engaged research and funded investigators for community-based participatory research (CBPR). However, because CBPR is a collaborative process focused on community-identified research topics, the Harvard CTSA and its Community Advisory Board (CERAB) funded community partners through a CBPR initiative.

OBJECTIVES

We describe lessons learned from this seed grants initiative designed to stimulate community-academic CBPR partnerships.

METHODS

The CBPR program of the Harvard CTSA and the CERAB developed this initiative and each round incorporated participant and advisory feedback toward program improvement.

LESSONS LEARNED

Although this initiative facilitated relevant and innovative research, challenges included variable community research readiness, insufficient project time, and difficulties identifying investigators for new partnerships.

CONCLUSION

Seed grants can foster innovative CBPR projects. Similar initiatives should consider preliminary assessments of community research readiness as well as strategies for meaningful academic researcher engagement.

Mental health care services for children with special health care needs and their family members: prevalence and correlates of unmet needs

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the prevalence and correlates of unmet needs for mental health care services for children with special health care needs and their families.

METHODS

We use the National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs to estimate the prevalence of unmet mental health care needs among children with special health care needs (1-17 years old) and their families. Using logistic-regression models, we also assess the independent impact of child and family factors on unmet needs.

RESULTS

Substantial numbers of children with special health care needs and members of their families have unmet needs for mental health care services. Children with special health care needs who were poor, uninsured, and were without a usual source of care were statistically significantly more likely to report that their mental health care needs were unmet. More severely affected children and those with emotional, developmental, or behavioral conditions were also statistically significantly more likely to report that their mental health care needs went unmet. Families of severely affected children or of children with emotional, developmental, or behavioral conditions were also statistically significantly more likely to report that their mental health care needs went unmet.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that children with special health care needs and their families are at risk for not receiving needed mental health care services. Furthermore, we find that children in families of lower socioeconomic status are disproportionately reporting higher rates of unmet needs. These data suggest that broader policies to identify and connect families with needed services are warranted but that child- and family-centered approaches alone will not meet the needs of these children and their families. Other interventions such as anti-poverty and insurance expansion efforts may be needed as well.