Effectiveness of various communication strategies for improving childhood pneumonia case management: a community based behavioral open labeled trial in rural Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

BACKGROUND: Community acquired pneumonia is responsible for 16% of under 5 mortality in India, probably due to delayed recognition and qualified care seeking. Therefore these deaths could possibly be averted by creating community awareness and promoting care seeking from qualified physicians in the government system. The objective of study was to assess the effectiveness of facility-based and village-based behavior change communication interventions delivered to community using validated information, education and communication materials, along with infrastructural strengthening of health facilities, for change in care seeking from government system for community acquired pneumonia in rural Lucknow, India. METHOD: Community based open labeled behavioral trial in 2 by 2 factorial design was conducted in eight rural blocks of Lucknow, northern India. Trained community health workers conducted Pneumonia Awareness Sessions once a month for the care givers of children using validated information, education and communication materials either at the villages or at government health facilities. Prior infrastructural strengthening of public health facilities was done to provide optimal care to cases. Pre packed pneumonia drug kits were provided which had amoxicillin, paracetamol and an instruction card on their use as well as pictorial representation of danger signs of pneumonia. RESULTS: Study lasted from October 2015 to September 2018. Adherence to conduct of facility-based intervention was 93.0% (279/300) and to village-based intervention was 73.4% (7638/10410). In village-based intervention there was 79.3% (p < 0.0001) increase from a baseline of 3.3% (14/420) and facility-based intervention 68.9% (p = 0.02) increase from a baseline of 5.35% (21/392) in cases of possible pneumonia treated at government health facilities. CONCLUSION: Conduct of structured pneumonia awareness session using validated information, education and communication material at village level with infrastructural strengthening resulted in improved qualified care seeking from government facilities for community acquired pneumonia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: AEARCTR-0003137, retrospectively registered on 10/July/2018.