Table 2.
Treatment seeking practices reported by caregivers of infants who were sick during neonatal period in intervention and control communities (pre-specified analysis). Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Treatment seeking practices | Intervention clusters | Control clusters | Risk ratio (95% CI)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborns with danger signs† | (n=1010) | (n=1269) | |
| Sought treatment from any provider | 964 (95.5) | 1158 (91.3) | 1.05 (1.02 to 1.07) |
| Sought treatment within 24 hours of illness recognition | 805 (79.7) | 874 (68.9) | 1.14 (1.10 to 1.18) |
| Sought treatment from appropriate provider‡ | 474 (46.9) | 374 (29.5) | 1.76 (1.38 to 2.24) |
| Newborns with local infection§ | (n=996) | (n=1100) | |
| Sought treatment from any provider | 794 (79.7) | 648 (58.9) | 1.42 (1.33 to 1.52) |
| Sought treatment within 24 hours of illness recognition | 474 (47.6) | 278 (25.3) | 1.97 (1.71 to 2.27) |
| Sought treatment from appropriate provider‡ | 577 (57.9) | 138 (12.5) | 4.86 (3.80 to 6.21) |
*Using adjusted logistic regression models with delta method for non-linear combinations (to obtain risk ratio) adjusted for cluster design and potential confounders (toilet inside house, illiterate mother, schedule caste or tribe, possession of mobile phone, family with below poverty line card, distance from primary health centre to nearest point on highway, percentage of home births in cluster).
†In young infants up to 2 months—caregiver’s report of any of the following: not able to feed, fast or difficult breathing or local term for pneumonia, fever, cold to touch, lethargy, unconsciousness, convulsions, or blood in stools; these reported symptoms are consistent with signs that fall in red zone of colour coded Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness charts and require immediate referral.
‡Physician in government and private facilities or community health worker (auxiliary nurse midwife, Anganwadi worker, or accredited social health activist).
§In neonate—caregiver’s report of any of the following: umbilicus red or draining pus, pustules or big boils, eyes with draining pus, or ear discharge.