Andrea K Blanchard, Shahnaz Ansari, Rajni Rajput, Tim Colbourn, Tanja A J Houweling, Shajy Isac, John Anthony, Audrey Prost
BACKGROUND: Despite substantial reductions in perinatal deaths (stillbirths and early neonatal deaths), India's perinatal mortality rates remain high, both nationally and in individual states. Rates are highest among disadvantaged socio-economic groups. To address this, India's National Health Mission has trained community health workers called Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to counsel and support women by visiting them at home before and after childbirth. We conducted a qualitative study to explore the roles of ASHAs' home visits in improving equity in perinatal health between socio-economic position groups in rural Uttar Pradesh (UP), India...
February 23, 2021: International Journal for Equity in Health