TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of a clinical decision-making mHealth support system on maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity in Ghana
T2 - Study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial
AU - Amoakoh, Hannah Brown
AU - Klipstein-Grobusch, Kerstin
AU - Amoakoh-Coleman, Mary
AU - Agyepong, Irene Akua
AU - Kayode, Gbenga A.
AU - Sarpong, Charity
AU - Grobbee, Diederick E.
AU - Ansah, Evelyn K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s).
PY - 2017/4/4
Y1 - 2017/4/4
N2 - Background: Mobile health (mHealth) presents one of the potential solutions to maximize health worker impact and efficiency in an effort to reach the Sustainable Development Goals 3.1 and 3.2, particularly in sub-Saharan African countries. Poor-quality clinical decision-making is known to be associated with poor pregnancy and birth outcomes. This study aims to assess the effect of a clinical decision-making support system (CDMSS) directed at frontline health care providers on neonatal and maternal health outcomes. Methods/design: A cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in 16 eligible districts (clusters) in the Eastern Region of Ghana to assess the effect of an mHealth CDMSS for maternal and neonatal health care services on maternal and neonatal outcomes. The CDMSS intervention consists of an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)-based text messaging of standard emergency obstetric and neonatal protocols to providers on their request. The primary outcome of the intervention is the incidence of institutional neonatal mortality. Outcomes will be assessed through an analysis of data on maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality extracted from the District Health Information Management System-2 (DHIMS-2) and health facility-based records. The quality of maternal and neonatal health care will be assessed in two purposively selected clusters from each study arm. Discussion: In this trial the effect of a mobile CDMSS on institutional maternal and neonatal health outcomes will be evaluated to generate evidence-based recommendations for the use of mobile CDMSS in Ghana and other West African countries. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02468310. Registered on 7 September 2015; Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, identifier: PACTR20151200109073. Registered on 9 December 2015 retrospectively from trial start date.
AB - Background: Mobile health (mHealth) presents one of the potential solutions to maximize health worker impact and efficiency in an effort to reach the Sustainable Development Goals 3.1 and 3.2, particularly in sub-Saharan African countries. Poor-quality clinical decision-making is known to be associated with poor pregnancy and birth outcomes. This study aims to assess the effect of a clinical decision-making support system (CDMSS) directed at frontline health care providers on neonatal and maternal health outcomes. Methods/design: A cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in 16 eligible districts (clusters) in the Eastern Region of Ghana to assess the effect of an mHealth CDMSS for maternal and neonatal health care services on maternal and neonatal outcomes. The CDMSS intervention consists of an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)-based text messaging of standard emergency obstetric and neonatal protocols to providers on their request. The primary outcome of the intervention is the incidence of institutional neonatal mortality. Outcomes will be assessed through an analysis of data on maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality extracted from the District Health Information Management System-2 (DHIMS-2) and health facility-based records. The quality of maternal and neonatal health care will be assessed in two purposively selected clusters from each study arm. Discussion: In this trial the effect of a mobile CDMSS on institutional maternal and neonatal health outcomes will be evaluated to generate evidence-based recommendations for the use of mobile CDMSS in Ghana and other West African countries. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02468310. Registered on 7 September 2015; Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, identifier: PACTR20151200109073. Registered on 9 December 2015 retrospectively from trial start date.
KW - Clinical decision-making
KW - Ghana
KW - Maternal
KW - Mobile health (mHealth)
KW - Neonatal
KW - Text messaging
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85016977271&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s13063-017-1897-4
DO - 10.1186/s13063-017-1897-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 28372580
AN - SCOPUS:85016977271
SN - 1745-6215
VL - 18
JO - Trials
JF - Trials
IS - 1
M1 - 157
ER -
