Reducing mortality from neonatal sepsis: a pilot mixed-methods approach in Zimbabwe (RMNS)

Principal Investigator	Dr Fabiana Lorencatto Dr Felicity Fitzgerald
Co-Investigator	Dr Aleksandra Herbeć Dr Gwendoline Chimhini Dr Simbarashe Chimhuya Professor Nigel Klein Professor Sarah Walker Dr Francesca Rickli Kenny Sithole Salome Manyau
Other UCL team members	Javiera Rosenberg
Project start and end dates	September 2018 – September 2019
Funder	This study is funded by the Healthcare Infection Society (reference SRG 2018 02 004).

Project aims

The aim of this study is to explore barriers and facilitators to IPC practices in a neonatal unit in Harare, Zimbabwe, which could help identify feasible intervention targets for behaviour change.

Project details

Background
Neonatal infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in low income settings. In the context of severely constrained resources, behaviour change interventions among staff may offer long-term, cost-effective methods to improve infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. The aim of this study is to explore barriers and facilitators to IPC practices in a neonatal unit in Harare, Zimbabwe, which could help identify feasible intervention targets for behaviour change.

Methods
The study involved mixed-methods combining interviews with fifteen staff members of the neonatal and maternity units and ethnographic observations in the unit. The interview guide and data analysis were informed by Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), and focused on identifying barriers and facilitators to IPC. Potential intervention components are being identified using the Behaviour Change Wheel methodology.

Next steps

We are in the process of preparing a manuscript to disseminate the findings from the study.