The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Effect of behaviour change communication on qualified medical care-seeking for sick neonates among urban poor in Lucknow, northern India: A before and after intervention study

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Awasthi, S., N. M. Srivastava, et al. (2009). "Effect of behaviour change communication on qualified medical care-seeking for sick neonates among urban poor in Lucknow, northern India: A before and after intervention study." Tropical Medicine and International Health 14(10): 1199-1209.

Objective: To assess the impact of a behaviour change communication (BCC) intervention on qualified medical care-seeking for sick newborns in urban Lucknow, northern India.

Methods: Before and after intervention study conducted at two urban public hospitals at Lucknow. Neonates who did not have any morbidity or congenital malformation and were residents of Lucknow were enrolled within 48 h of birth and followed once between 6 and 8 weeks at the outpatients' clinic or home to assess the primary outcome measure which was qualified medical care-seeking for any neonatal illness. Mothers in the after-intervention phase received BCC intervention at enrolment, targeted at identification of danger signs of neonatal illnesses and promotion of qualified medical care-seeking. Analysis was by intention to treat.

Results: In the before-intervention phase, 510 neonates were enrolled (from March 2007 to August 2007) and 481 (94.3%) were followed up. In the after-intervention phase, 510 neonates were enrolled (September 2007-April 2008) and 490 (96.1%) were followed up. Neonatal morbidity was 50.3% (242\481) and 44.3% (217\490) in before and after intervention phases, respectively. Qualified medical care-seeking for neonatal illnesses was significantly higher among mothers after-intervention (OR = 2.12; 95% CI = 1.42-3.16; P = 0.0001).

Conclusion: Since the behaviour change intervention package led to significant improvement in qualified medical care-seeking for sick newborns, this may be tested for effectiveness in other settings and considered for scaling up here, with rising proportion of institutional deliveries.