Antenatal counseling in maternal and newborn care: use of job aids to improve health worker performance and maternal understanding in Benin

Table 5 Provider perceptions regarding use of counseling job aids (Intervention arm only)

	Advantages to using counseling job aids:		Disadvantages to using counseling job aids:		Suggestions to improve use of counseling job aids:
-	Pregnant women better retain messages*	-	Requires additional time which delays when the women leave the health center	-	Improve durability of the cards
-	Health workers review all communication elements	-	Requires additional time for providers*	-	Extend duration of training in use of the cards
-	Increases speed in which women grasp key messages	-	Too many cards; difficult to organize	-	Decrease number of cards used in each module*
-	Cards function as a reminder ("job aid') for the health worker of key messages*			-	Increase number of messages per card
-	Relieves provider of burden to explain messages without images
-	Less time is needed for explaining because the cards' images assist in comprehension among women (saves time)*
-	Allows provider to master material over time
-	Depicts danger signs and consequences of poor practices that women can visualize
-	Women appreciate the cards

Note: The symbol (*) denotes that providers commonly gave the response. All providers responded "yes" when asked whether they thought the counseling job aids should be introduced at other sites.

ISSN: 1471-2393