Alive & Thrive Evaluation in Burkina Faso

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The time between birth and age 24 months provides a unique opportunity to impact the long-term health and development of children through improved infant and young child feeding practices. In Burkina Faso, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding is currently around 25% in infants younger than six months. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the Alive & Thrive intervention package, consisting of interpersonal counselling and community mobilisation activities, can increase the exclusive breastfeeding rate among infants younger than six months to at least 50% using a cluster randomised design.

Official Title
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Alive & Thrive Evaluation in Burkina Faso

Conditions
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Breast Feeding, Breast Feeding, Exclusive

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: A&T infant and young child feeding intervention


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Gives informed consent Being aged from 15 to 49 years old (women of reproductive age) Has at least one infant less than 12 months old who is currently alive and lives with her.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 15 Years
Maximum Age: 49 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: A&T Intervention Communes<br> | Behavioral: A&T infant and young child feeding intervention<br>* Interpersonal communication delivered by community workers and volunteers during home visits and at monthly mother's group meetings to: Increase mother's knowledge about optimal breastfeeding and its benefits Increase mother's self-efficacy related to breastfeeding Improve mother's perceptions about social norms relating to breastfeeding Community mobilisation activities to: - Raise awareness of the benefits of optimal breastfeeding among opinion leaders, and family members, and increase the support they provide to breastfeeding mothers Enhanced training of government health workers in infant and young child feeding to: Improve their ability to support mothers and provide timely information about infant feeding<br>|
| No Intervention: Control Communes<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exclusive Breastfeeding on the Day Preceding the Interview as Assessed by Cross Sectional Survey | The percentage of infants aged less than 6 months who were exclusively breastfed on the day preceding the interview. | Infants up to 6 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Breastfeeding Within 1 Hour of Birth as Assessed by Cross Sectional Survey | The proportion of newborns aged less than 6 months who were breastfed within 1 hour of birth. | Infants up to 6 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 
| Colostrum Given as Assessed by Cross Sectional Survey | The proportion of newborns aged less than 6 months who were given colostrum. | Infants up to 6 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 
| Pre-lacteal Feeds as Assessed by Cross Sectional Survey | The proportion of newborns aged less than 6 months who received no pre-lacteal feeds before breastfeeding was established | Infants up to 6 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 
| Semi-solid, Solid or Soft Foods Consumed in the Previous Day as Assessed by Cross Sectional Survey | The proportion of infants age 6 to 8 months who received semi-solid, solid or soft foods in the previous day. | Infants age 6-8 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 
| Minimum Acceptable Diet (Apart From Breast Milk) on the Day Preceding Interview as Assessed by Cross Sectional Survey | The proportion of infants aged 6 to 11.9 months who received a minimum acceptable diet (apart from breast milk) on the day preceding interview. | Infants age 6-11.9 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 
| Dietary Diversity as Assessed by Cross Sectional Survey | Dietary diversity among infants age 6 to 11.9 months. | Infants age 6-11.9 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 
| Breast Milk on the Day Preceding the Interview as Assessed by Cross Sectional Survey | The proportion of children aged 6 to 11.9 months who were fed breast milk on the day preceding the interview. | Infants age 6-11.9 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 
| Mother's Accurate Knowledge of Good Breastfeeding Practice as Assessed by Cross Sectional Survey | Mother's accurate knowledge of: Optimal timing of breastfeeding initiation Optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding Benefits of optimal breastfeeding practices for the infant Solutions to common difficulties, for example engorgement, cracked and sore nipples Optimal timing to introduce complementary feeding Optimal dietary diversity and frequency of complementary feeding up to 12 months | Mothers of infants aged up to 12 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 
| Mother's Self-reported Breastfeeding Practices as Assessed by Cross Sectional Survey | Mother's self-reported breastfeeding practices, including asking her if she experiences any barriers or difficulties with breastfeeding such as engorgement, cracked and sore nipples, or breastfeeding when working outside of the home. | Mothers of infants aged up to 12 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 
| Mother's Perceptions and Beliefs Surrounding Breastfeeding | Mother's perceptions and beliefs about breastfeeding (qualitative component). | Mothers of infants aged up to 12 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 
| Knowledge, Beliefs and Perceptions Surrounding Breastfeeding of Family Members | Knowledge, beliefs and perceptions of family members, such as mothers or mothers in law, community opinion leaders towards optimal infant and child feeding practices (qualitative component). | Family members of infants aged up to 12 months in a cross-sectional endline survey scheduled for April - July 2017 | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Breast Feeding, Exclusive, Infant Nutrition, Burkina Faso