Evaluating sustainability potential of community based research interventions: A “social justice” perspective

A community based cluster-randomized trial (known as Projahnmo study) was conducted in Sylhet, Bangladesh during 2002 – 2006 to study the impact of an integrated community-based package of interventions on neonatal mortality and maternal health knowledge, behavior and practices.

The study results demonstrated Community Health Workers (CHWs) successes as an effective agent to significantly increase coverage of essential primary health services as well as to improve critical maternal and child health caring behaviors leading to significant reduction in neonatal mortality in areas served by CHWs.

After 3 years of completion of Projahnmo study, a household level survey was employed in 2009 with underlying research questions : “to what extent individuals retain knowledge from community based behavior change interventions and whether individuals continue sustaining improved behaviors and practices as they were found in Projahnmo study results in 2006”.

The household survey was conducted in one Projahnmo study area and one comparison area and employed exactly the same methodology and similar tools as was used for the Projahnmo study's survey in 2006 to ensure comparability of the results.

We believe the results from this sustainability survey (would be available very soon) can help informing policy makers and program managers on sustainability potentials of community interventions. Favoring such sustainability potentials might have huge impact on ensuring “social justice” through translating research results into actions to keep community and individuals healthy and safe, further beyond the premature withdrawn of short-term research projects from the community.