Newborn Twins in Nigerian Hospital

Improving Antenatal Care in Nigeria With Social and Behavioral Change

The Breakthrough RESEARCH project has identified three important factors for improving women’s attendance at four or more antenatal visits during pregnancy (ANC4+) in three states in northwestern Nigeria: 1) knowledge of ANC’s benefits, 2) confidence in the ability to access care, and 3) knowledge of the need to attend four or more visits. If these factors are addressed, they may further improve ANC4+ uptake and the health of women and their children.

These findings are displayed in three infographics, each focusing on data from one of three states—Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara. The infographics are available in English and Hausa.

These infographics draw on data and a Breakthrough RESEARCH programmatic research brief from the first phase of a behavioral sentinel surveillance (BSS) survey completed in northwestern Nigeria. The BSS is rigorously assessing current practices and behavioral determinants of health outcomes over the lifespan of the Breakthrough ACTION integrated social and behavior change (SBC) project in Nigeria. Breakthrough ACTION is a sister project to Breakthrough RESEARCH.

The Breakthrough RESEARCH project BSS in Nigeria is being conducted to inform the delivery of SBC programming among mothers within the first 1,000-day window of opportunity after a child’s birth, including integrated interventions to promote malaria prevention and treatment behaviors, antenatal care attendance, delivery with a skilled attendant, early and exclusive breastfeeding, child immunization, timely care-seeking for common childhood illnesses, and postpartum contraceptive use.

Additional results from the baseline survey in northwestern Nigeria are available through a series of health topic-focused briefs, slide decks, and webinars.

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Social and Behavior Change Research Spotlights

Breakthrough RESEARCH, with input from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and cross-sectoral implementing partners, developed research and learning agendas (RLAs) to strengthen two important areas of social and behavior change (SBC) programming: integrated SBC programming and provider behavior change (PBC).

The RLAs identify and document:

  • Gaps in existing evidence on integrated SBC/PBC programming.
  • Priority research and learning questions and the consensus-driven process used to derive them.
  • Roles of key stakeholders for putting the research and learning agendas into action.

These research spotlights apply the research questions to two current SBC projects: USAID Tulonge Afya’s NAWEZA Platform (an integrated SBC project) and Beyond Bias (a PBC project).

Through the research spotlights, we share key highlights from the projects to:

  • Demonstrate how priority RLA questions are being answered to improve SBC programming.
  • Share tools and resources for other program implementation and research partners.
  • Raise the visibility of current innovative SBC work.

Explore the research spotlights on:

USAID Tulonge Afya’s NAWEZA Platform

Beyond Bias

Surgo Ventures’ CUBES Framework