Team-Based Goals and Incentives for Community-Based Health Workers to Promote Maternal and Child Health in Bihar, India

The intervention included 3 main components. 1) The intervention fostered a sense of team collective responsibility and solidarity (TEAM) by emphasizing the value of teamwork and front-line community health workers (FLWs) reciting a pledge at meetings to serve beneficiaries. 2) To establish goals and coverage targets related to maternal and child health outcomes (GOALs), 7 targets were identified related to delivery preparations, newborn care, exclusive breastfeeding, and family planning. 3) Small non-cash incentives were awarded to FLWs each quarter if their team met greater than 70% of the collective subcenter goals; incentives were most common cookware products (e.g., dish, cooking vessel, steamer). Non-cash incentives also included a certificate of recognition for teams that met their targets in all quarters (INCENTIVES). In the areas of the intervention and control arms, the Ananya program was also underway (see Brief Summary of the project).

Standard of care