What We’re Researching
New evidence is needed on the best approaches for ensuring high quality health services are accessible and responsive to the unique challenges of delivering health care in conflict-affected settings. This means identifying strategies to improve the quality of care at health facilities while also supporting methods for delivering care in communities when the formal system may be disrupted or inaccessible. EQUAL’s research focuses on approaches to provide and/or maintain the quality care during the day of birth and the first week of life - a period when the most maternal and newborn deaths occur. Specifically, we are investigating the following research themes and questions.
Political Economy Analysis
Maternal and newborn health (MNH) has been largely neglected in low-income, conflict-affected settings, as demonstrated by limited donor funding and research. Existing studies rarely examine the unique challenges of delivering health care in conflict-affected settings. These challenges are related to insecurity, political will/stability, and severe funding gaps – all of which impact how issues are prioritized and policies are developed and funded. A careful examination of the political and financial factors driving MNH policymaking in each country will shed light on the factors that shape policy design, implementation and funding.
Community-based Maternal & Newborn Health
While medical care provided at a health facility is recommended, it is not always possible in crisis-affected communities where health systems are weak, facilities are damaged or distant, and trained providers are limited. In these cases, community health systems – including the support of community health workers (CHWs) - are often the only option for delivering life-saving services. Despite this, there is limited evidence around how community health programs can be used to ensure women and newborns have continuous access to quality care. EQUAL aims to fill this evidence gap with research on using community health systems for MNH data collection and service delivery.
Facility-based Quality of Care
To end all preventable maternal and neonatal deaths, services such as those included in emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) are critical. Unfortunately, the interventions and delivery mechanisms that would ensure these life-saving services are accessible and high quality in low-income, conflict-affected settings remain unclear. EQUAL partners will conduct an assessment of midwifery education and services and execute an evaluation of the quality of care available in health facilities.