Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110778

Eric Baranick, MPH and James Ricca, MD, MPH. International Services, American Red Cross, 2025 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, 202-303-5045, baranicke@usa.redcross.org

American Red Cross supported the Armenian and Indian Red Cross Societies to implement the C-IMCI strategy in rural areas in 2003-2004. Implementation of the community IMCI strategy lasted approximately 12 months in both project areas. Community mobilization led by Red Cross volunteers (RCV) within the context of the national C-IMCI strategy was used to affect significantly improved caretaker practices. A variety of communication channels were used, including interpersonal (individual and group) with a mass media campaign to reinforce major messages. Even in the relatively short timeframe of these projects, there was substantial and statistically significant improvement in knowledge and practices in several key areas in both settings (at least 9% over baseline values, and in many cases more than 20%). There were improvements in births attended by skilled practitioners, exclusive breastfeeding, immunization, and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention knowledge. Other key practices showed discordance between the two settings. For example, in Armenia hand washing and complementary feeding did not improve, but improved significantly in India. In India knowledge of childhood danger signs did not change (but started from a high baseline) while in Armenia there was a positive change of 30%. This presentation, to be delivered by Eric Baranick and co-authored by James Ricca, will discuss how RCV and staff rapidly changed behaviors and practices in two different social, cultural and economic settings. The presentation will highlight and analyze which areas of knowledge and behavior were most amenable to rapid change and which were not. Participants will also hear lessons learned and recommendations for the future.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to
• • Describe a multi-channel behavior change and community mobilization model for rapid, effective improvement of key C-IMCI practices.
• • Distinguish between key C-IMCI practices that are easily improved in the short term and those that are not.

Keywords: International Health, Community Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.