The Ibhayi Lengane pilot study
Abstract
The primary aim of the pilot study is to test the acceptability and feasibility of the Ibhayi Lengane program as an add-on to existing DOH services. This includes:
i. The acceptability of the program to the current health system, the community caregivers, and to the mothers;
ii. The feasibility of delivering the home visiting program within health systems, amongst community caregivers and within family routines.
Secondary aims include exploring whether the Ibhayi Lengane program leads to:
i. Improvements in the relationship between community caregivers and mothers;
ii. Increased referrals by community caregivers and increased uptake of support service by mothers
iii. Improvements in maternal mental health and family relationships
iv. Increased maternal skills and knowledge about stimulation and responsive care in the first 1000 days
v. Reductions in parenting stress and improvements in the quality of mother-infant relationship
