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Transforming Gender Norms, Roles, and Power Dynamics for Improving Maternal Health: A Systematic Review
Methods: The search was based on scientific and grey-literature published between January 2000 and June 2013. Relevant publications were abstracted and rated on level of gender integration and level of effectiveness. A thematic analysis of abstracted data was conducted.
Results: Twenty evaluated gender-integrated interventions were found on safe motherhood. Interventions targeted both pregnant and non-pregnant married women. Some interventions included primary decision-makers such as husbands and mothers-in-law and/or community members and healthcare providers. Among the effective gender strategies included structural interventions promoting women’s empowerment, livelihoods, and education; challenging gender norms and inequalities through social behavioural change communication and promoting individual critical reflection on gender norms; increasing partner support for healthy pregnancy behaviors; strengthening couple communication and negotiation skills; and strengthening linkages to health facilities and improving access to health information and services. These strategies led to increases in: use of skilled pregnancy care, male accompaniment to antenatal care, proper nutrition and rest during pregnancy, and facility delivery.
Conclusion: The review documents the importance of male involvement and community engagement in pregnancy care in South Asia. Community-based interventions and information campaigns are pivotal to equip mothers and other stakeholders with education to improve knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and health outcomes. These findings provide evidence that integrating gender leads to improved maternal outcomes.
Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practiceImplementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
List gender-integrated programs that have improved maternal health in South Asia.
Describe strategies used by these programs to improve health and gender outcomes.
Discuss the mechanisms through which male involvement and community engagement lead to improved maternal health.
Discuss evaluation methods used by these programs.
Keyword(s): Gender, Maternal and Child Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a co-author on the main summary report, which the abstract is based on, and I have had a considerable role in the overall conceptualization and execution of the systematic review. I am a researcher, primarily focused on gender, and have been involved in a number of materials and reports similar to the systematic review findings that will be presented.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.