Building the system for maintaining high quality of Early Essential Newborn Care in the Western Pacific Region

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H07121
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Hygiene and public health
• Research Institution: Teikyo University
• Principal Investigator: Horiuchi Sayaka 帝京大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 助教 (00807646)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-08-25 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 医療の質 / 早期必須新生児ケア / ヘルスシステム強化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In Lao PDR, a clustered randomized controlled trial was started in July 20th, 2017 to compare the effectiveness of self-managed continuous monitoring with external supervisory visits to improve health workers’ satisfactory EENC performance and their knowledge and skills related to the EENC. In total of 200 health workers routinely involved in maternity and newborn care were recruited from 15 district hospitals in Huaphan and Xiengkuang provinces. During self-managed continuous monitoring activities, health workers in each district hospital conducted periodical peer reviews and feedback sessions. The final evaluation was completed on April 10th, 2019. After the final evaluation, we compare the change in the mean score of the EENC performance before and one year after randomization between the two groups. We will also conduct additional interview to study participants to more deeply understand advantages and disadvantages of supervision and self-monitoring.

Free Research Field

母子保健

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

新生児の健康を改善するためには、医療サービスの提供率を改善するだけでなく、医療サービスの質を改善することが必要であり、近年、資源の限られた国における医療の質の改善に注目が集まっている。特に資源の限られた国においては、持続可能な仕組みづくりが必要である。ラオス国においても、特に下位レベルの病院において継続的に質を改善するための仕組みづくりに苦慮しており、今回初めて、保健省が実施する活動（新たな自律的モニタリング）の評価を行った。今回、新たな取り組みにおける初めてのクラスターランダム化比較試験であり、研究結果は、今後ラオス国内外の低資源国において医療の質改善のための活動に貢献することが期待される。