DOI: 10.7910/dvn/yaqj87
title: Maternal and child nutrition services through public primary health care facilities in urban Bangladesh

description: Alive & Thrive (A&T) is an initiative that supports the scaling up of nutrition interventions to save lives, prevent illnesses, and contribute to healthy growth and development through improved maternal nutrition, breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. In Bangladesh, A&T developed a package of interventions for strengthening maternal, infant and young child nutrition counseling in urban areas delivered through nongovernmental organization (NGO) platforms in Dhaka. This dataset is part of formative research that was conducted to gain a better understanding of the urban context, both at facility-level and community-level, to inform the design of an urban MIYCN model to improve the delivery of MIYCN services in MNCH facilities in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. // 
The specific objectives of the formative research were to: (1) Gain a better understanding of the health system’s capacity for delivering MIYCN services and the approach to attracting clients through existing health facilities in public, private, and non-governmental organization (NGO) sectors; (2) identify practices, perceptions, barriers, and facilitators that influence maternal nutrition practices during pregnancy, and infant and young child nutrition practices among children 0 – 24 months of age; (3) gain a better understanding of the existing communication channels available for MIYCN information delivery for the mothers in slum and non-slum areas, and community preferences regarding these communication channels; and (4) identify opportunities for partnering with community health and nutrition groups to strengthen the continuum of care for MIYCN services. // 
The study outcome measures that addressed the objectives were operationalized through mixed methods and included: 
Quantitative • Readiness of health facilities to deliver MIYCN services, including availability of equipment, supplements, guidelines and record keeping registers; • Availability and quality of nutrition services provided to pregnant and lactating women and children 0 – 24 months of age in the health facilities; • Characteristics of healthcare providers delivering antenatal care (ANC), postnatal care (PNC), and care of well and sick children 0 – 24 months of age at different types of health facilities; • Pregnant women’s level of satisfaction with the nutrition service received; and • Mothers'/caregivers' level of satisfaction with the nutrition service received for their well and sick child visit. // 
Qualitative • Practices, perceptions, barriers, and facilitators that influence maternal nutrition practices during pregnancy, and infant and young child nutrition practices among children 0 – 24 months of age; • Existing communication channels available for MIYCN information delivery for the mothers in slum and non-slum areas, and community preferences regarding these communication channels; and • Opportunities for partnering with community health and nutrition groups to strengthen the continuum of care for MIYCN services. // Data are only provided for the quantitative elements of the study
description: The formative research was a cross-sectional, mixed methods study. Data collection took place at two levels: facility-level assessment and community-level assessment. // 
Facility-level assessment // 
Three types of facilities were assessed in the study: 1) health centers providing primary health care services that are managed by public, private and NGO authorities; 2) secondary level maternity facilities provided delivery services that are managed by public, private and NGO authorities; and 3) secondary level health facilities providing pediatric services that are managed by public, private and NGO authorities. The sampling procedure was based on the World Health Organization NetCode methodology for health facility assessments. Three master lists of health facilities were prepared from the existing data source the Urban Health Atlas which has mapped all health facilities in urban Dhaka: one list for primary health centers; one list for secondary level maternity facilities providing delivery services; and one list for secondary level health facilities providing pediatric services. Facilities were randomly selected until the desired sample size from each sub-group was reached. If one facility was selected more than once, it was randomly substituted. XX There were four data collection activities: 1) observations of provider and client interactions; 2) record reviews and observations of equipment and job aids; 3) exit interviews with service recipients; and 4) interviews with facility managers and other health care personnel.
description: Health facility managers
description: Health facility staff
description: Service observations (ANC, EPI, Caregiver)
description: ANC exit
description: Caregiver exit
description: Record review