Bandebereho Father Groups Randomized Control Trial in Rwanda

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study seeks to assess the impact of the MenCare+/Bandebereho fathers'/couples' group education intervention on men's attitudes towards, and participation in, sexual and reproductive health, maternal, newborn and child health, and equitable and non-violent relationships with their children and partners.

Detailed Description
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This study seeks to assess the impact of the MenCare+/Bandebereho fathers'/couples' group education intervention on men's attitudes towards, and participation in, sexual and reproductive health, maternal, newborn and child health, and equitable and non-violent relationships with their children and partners. The MenCare+/ Bandebereho program is a multi-component comprehensive intervention being 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. The proposed study will evaluate one component of the program, a 15-session group education intervention targeting young fathers and mothers. The impact of the fathers' group education will be assessed through a randomized control trial design with an intervention arm of men and women participating in the father groups and a control arm of men and women who do not participate in the intervention. The study will collect quantitative and qualitative data over a period of approximately three years.

Official Title
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Bandebereho Father Groups: a Randomized Control Trial to Assess the Impact of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Group Education for New and Expecting Fathers

Conditions
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Gender Relations, Prenatal Care, Partner Communication, Contraception, Violence

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: MenCare+/Bandebereho fathers'/couples' group education


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Men aged 21-35 years Living with a partner Expectant (or soon to be) father or father of young children under-5 Living in an area with a group facilitator Exclusion Criteria: - Participated in previous cycles of the same intervention

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 21 Years
Maximum Age: 35 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

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: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention<br>See intervention description | Behavioral: MenCare+/Bandebereho fathers'/couples' group education<br>* 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 are 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.<br>* Other names: Program P;|
| No Intervention: Control<br>Participants randomized into the control arm are surveyed at the same time points as intervention participants, but do not receive any intervention. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gender division of caregiving/domestic tasks (from questionnaire: a) composite capturing frequency of the respondent doing household or caregiving tasks; b) composite capturing how tasks are shared between partners). |  | 4 months post intervention | 
| Men's participation in family planning and maternal, newborn and child health (from questionnaire: a) men's presence at antenatal care visits; b) women's reports of receiving partner support during pregnancy; c) use of family planning). |  | 4 months post intervention | 
| Gender-related attitudes (from questionnaire: a continuous scale variable, adapted from the validated Gender Equitable Men (GEM) scale). |  | 4 months post intervention | 
| Women's experiences of intimate partner violence (from: questionnaire: a composite capturing exposure to a standard set of violent acts by a partner). |  | 4 months post intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Use of violence/harsh punishment against children (from questionnaire: a composite capturing respondents' use of various harsh discipline acts in the past month, adapted from the UNICEF MICS study). |  | 4 months post intervention | 
| Relationship quality measured (from questionnaire: a) frequency of quarreling and b) quality scale adapted from the Decision Making in Low-Income Couples). |  | 4 months post intervention | 
| Couple communication (from questionnaire: a composite capturing frequency of communication across multiple topics). |  | 4 months post intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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gender, caregiving, MNCH, violence, sexual and reproductive health, parenting