PRESENter
Cristina Fernandez Turienzo
presenter biography
Cristina is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Women and Children’s Health (Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London) with more than 15 years of clinical and research experience in a wide range of international settings. She has experience in clinical research of tropical and infectious diseases, complex interventions in maternal health, clinical trials and mixed methods implementation research.
background
MEthod
As part of the NIHR CRIBS group that started in 2021, we are carrying out a hybrid type 2, pilot cluster RCT in 12 areas (both rural + urban) to assess the feasibility of 2YLs in new communities and inform procedures for a larger scale up programme. A mixed methods process evaluation will explore context, implementation (i.e. acceptability, fidelity, adoption, sustainability), mechanisms, & experiences of care, health & wellbeing.
results
We believe 2YLs directly addresses some key government priorities (e.g., Radical Inclusion policy, National Strategy for the reduction of adolescent pregnancy and child marriage) with a community-run, sustainable intervention which complements statutory services such as free maternity care and free secondary education. Pilot data confirms it has potential to save lives and promote wellbeing of adolescent girls and babies in Sierra Leone.
Conclusion
KCL and the University of Sierra Leone, with support from in country collaborators, have partnered to build maternal health implementation and evaluation research and expertise where it is needed most. We believe close partnership and planning will promote uptake & success, strengthen institutional capacity & create a platform for advancement in health projects and services, across all cadres of maternal health provider.