Impact of COVID-19 on Family Dynamics on Bandebereho Study Participants
Condition: Gender Relations; Partner Communication; Division of Carework; Couple Conflict; Stress
MeSH terms: COVID-19
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This proposed study will assess how COVID-19 and the associated 'stay at home' orders are
      affecting low-income Rwandan couples' relationships and family dynamics. The study builds on
      an existing randomized controlled trial of the Bandebereho fathers/couples intervention
      (NCT02694627), which will allow us to assess not only the current conditions in households,
      but also whether or how the significant impacts of the intervention are sustained under
      extreme stress.
    

Detailed description: 
      This proposed study will assess how COVID-19 and the associated 'stay at home' orders are
      affecting low-income Rwandan couples' relationships and family dynamics. It will contribute
      to documenting whether and how this disruptive moment might be changing or influencing
      relationship dynamics, conflict, and the distribution of care-work. We will build on an
      existing randomized controlled trial of the Bandebereho fathers/couples intervention, which
      will allow us to assess not only the current conditions in households, but also whether or
      how the significant impacts of the intervention are sustained under extreme stress. The
      Bandebereho fathers/couples intervention was implemented by the Rwanda Men's Resource Center
      (RWAMREC) and Promundo-US, in collaboration with the Rwanda Ministry of Health and local
      authorities in Karongi, Musanze, Nyaruguru and Rwamagana districts from 2013-2015. Results
      from a randomized controlled study of Bandebereho, a gender transformative intervention for
      expectant couples originally implemented in 4 districts in 2015, showed positive results
      across multiple outcomes after 21 months.
    

Intervention name(s): MenCare+/Bandebereho fathers'/couples' group education
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): MenCare+/Bandebereho is a 3 year project to engage men in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) and in sexual and reproductive health in Rwanda. A core component of the project is fathers'/couples' group education. The target participants were first-time parents or parents of young children living in 16 rural and semi-urban sectors selected by the implementing partner in collaboration with local authorities. The MenCare+/Bandebereho fathers'/couples' group education engages men in 15 weekly sessions of group discussion, critical reflection and interactive activities led by a trained facilitator using a curriculum developed by RWAMREC and Promundo and approved by the Rwandan Ministry of Health, adapted from the Program P Manual. Men's partners participate in 6-8 sessions. The sessions focus on men's role in MNCH, family planning, sharing household responsibilities, intimate partner violence, conflict resolution, family budgeting, and gender equality.
Other intervention name(s): Program P
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Note that we are collecting new data from participants previously randomly assigned to intervention and control arms.
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: gender, caregiving, Covid-19, couple relations