Evaluating Digital Data Linkage and Community Use to Improve Antenatal Clinic Visits in Western Kenya

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how linking digital health data systems and involving community teams can improve the number of antenatal clinic ANC visits for pregnant women. This trial, called C-it DU-it, aims to evaluate whether combining data linkage between community and facility health records with active community involvement can increase ANC contacts compared to enhanced standard care. The study is a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in Western Kenya to strengthen health systems and support Kenyas goal of achieving eight ANC visits per pregnancy. The trial compares two groups one using digital data linkage between community health information systems and facility electronic medical records C-it, and the other combining this data linkage with trained community Work Improvement Teams WITs that use the data to identify and solve local problems C-it DU-it. The intervention includes building a digital linkage app, training integrated community teams, and implementing community antenatal contacts. The study is open-label and community-based, with ongoing national efforts to scale up digital health systems. Participants are pregnant women living in the study area, including those up to six weeks postpartum. The study lasts 14 months, during which researchers will measure ANC uptake, socioeconomic impacts, costs to women and households, quality of care, birth attendance, and pregnancy outcomes. They will also assess cost-effectiveness and equity of access. Data collection includes facility and community ANC visits, early attendance, and health economic evaluations to inform potential wider scale-up across counties.

Digital Data Linkage and Scheduling to Track Pregnancy With or Without Community Data Use to Increase Antenatal Clinic Uptake in Western Kenya.