Beneficiaries’ perceptions and reported use of unconditional cash transfers intended to prevent acute malnutrition in children in poor rural communities in Burkina Faso: qualitative results from the MAM’Out randomized controlled trial

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Patrick Kolsteren¹  Wambi Maurice Evariste Yameogo²  Myriam Ait Aissa³  Palamanga Lompo⁴  Freddy Houngbe⁵  Audrey Tonguet-Papucci⁶  Jean-François Huneau⁷ 

[1] Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Ghent University, Campus Coupure, A2.081, Coupure Links 653, B 9000, Ghent, Belgium;Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, 7192, Ouagadougou, BP, Burkina Faso;Research and Analyses Department, Action Contre la Faim, 14/16 Boulevard Douaumont - CS 80060, 75854, Paris CEDEX 17, France;Research and Analyses Department, Action Contre la Faim, 14/16 Boulevard Douaumont - CS 80060, 75854, Paris CEDEX 17, France;Action Contre la Faim

[2]  ACF-Burkina Faso, Rue 13-22, P557 Zogona Zone du bois, 06, 10221, Ouagadougou 06, BP, Burkina Faso;Research and Analyses Department, Action Contre la Faim, 14/16 Boulevard Douaumont - CS 80060, 75854, Paris CEDEX 17, France;Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Ghent University, Campus Coupure, A2.081, Coupure Links 653, B 9000, Ghent, Belgium;Research and Analyses Department, Action Contre la Faim, 14/16 Boulevard Douaumont - CS 80060, 75854, Paris CEDEX 17, France;Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Ghent University, Campus Coupure, A2.081, Coupure Links 653, B 9000, Ghent, Belgium;UMR Physiologie de la Nutrition et du Comportement Alimentaire, AgroParisTech, INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75005, Paris, France;UMR Physiologie de la Nutrition et du Comportement Alimentaire, AgroParisTech, INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, 16 rue Claude Bernard, 75005, Paris, France;

关键词: Unconditional cash transfer;    Acute malnutrition;    Children;    Women;    Burkina Faso;    Perceived changes;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-017-4453-y

 received in 2016-10-03, accepted in 2017-05-18,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAcute malnutrition is a public health issue worldwide, and particularly in the Eastern region of Burkina Faso. Following a needs assessment, unconditional seasonal, multiannual cash transfers were implemented as a safety net to prevent childhood undernutrition. The objectives of this study were to explore the types of purchases made by beneficiaries of this cash transfer program and to understand the perceived effects of and changes induced by regular cash transfers in the daily lives of women, and at the household and community level.MethodsThe design of this study was a two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial. Qualitative data were collected each month during the cash transfer period for two years, leading to a total of more than 300 interviews and focus group discussions with various participants: beneficiary mothers, heads of households, mothers-in-law, co-wives, key members of the community, and participants of the control group.ResultsThe two main types of expenses reported were food and health care for the child and the whole family. The program was also associated with positive perceived changes at the household level, mainly related to gender equality and improvement of women’s status, and has promoted an increase in dignity and social integration of the poorest at the community level through cash sharing. Unexpected effects of this program included some women planning new pregnancies and some individuals not expecting the transfers to end.ConclusionAlthough the transfers were unconditional, the cash was mainly used to improve the children’s and households’ food security and health, which correspond to two main underlying causes of undernutrition. Therefore, spending mainly in these areas can help to prevent undernutrition in children.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT01866124, registered May 7, 2013.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017