Table 1.
Characteristics of studies used, prevalence, and rates, for key perinatal indicators from 5 community-based cluster RCTs
| Project Country |
Perinatal Care Project Rural Bangladesh |
Ekjut Rural India |
City Initiative for Newborn Health Urban India |
MaiMwana Malawi |
MaiKhanda* Malawi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study location | Three districts: Bogra, Maulvibazaar and Faridpur | Three districts of Jharkhand and Orissa: Keonjhar, West Singhbhum and Saraikela | Mumbai municipality | Mchinji district | Three districts: Lilongwe, Salima and Kasungu |
| Period for which data are included | 1st Feb 2005 - 31st Dec 2007 | 1st July 2005 - 30th June 2008 | 1st October 2005 - 30th September 2008 | 1st January 2005 - 31st January 2009 (study is ongoing) | 1st July 2008 - 31st July 2010 (study is ongoing) |
| Estimated population | 478 000 | 228 000 | 280 000 | 180 000 | 312 000 |
| Design | Two-by-two factorial cluster RCT | Cluster RCT | Cluster RCT | Two-by-two factorial cluster RCT | Two-by-two factorial cluster RCT |
| Stratification | By district (3 strata) | By district (3 strata) | By municipal ward (6 strata) | None | None |
| Cluster characteristics | Villages making up a union | 8-10 village with residents classified as tribal or OBC | 1000-1500 households in slum areas | Aggregated villages and group village headman areas | Aggregated villages and group village headman areas in the catchment area of one Health Centre/Dispensary |
| Total number of clusters (Number included in this study)** | 18 (5) | 36 (18) | 48 (24) | 48 (12) | 76 (30) |
| Annual births per cluster: Mean (SD) | 587 (123) | 171 (38) | 131 (61) | 139 (25) | 143 (61) |
| Mean cluster population (SD, min, max) | 27953 (5953, 15441-35110) | 6338 (2101, 3605-7467) | 5865 (1077, 4310-7750) | 3958 (404, 3068-4645) | 3934 (1332, 2121-8558) |
| Crude birth rate*** | 20.8 | 28.1 | 22.3 | 35.1 | 35.0 |
* MaiKhanda data are provisional as verification of deaths and follow-up of missing women are still ongoing.
**These are 'pure' control clusters. In the case of factorial designs, none of the interventions tested was being implemented in these clusters.
*** Number of live births per 1000 population during study period. We chose to use population estimates at the mid-point of trials as the denominator.