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Abstract

Background
Training health workers might facilitate respectful maternity care (RMC); however, the content and design of RMC training remain unclear.

Objective
To explore the content and design of RMC training packages for health workers in sub‐Saharan Africa.

Search Strategy
MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Complete, Web of Science Core Collections, SCOPUS, and grey literature sources (including websites of RMC‐focused key organizations and Ministries of Health) were searched for journal papers, reports, and training guides from January 2006 up to August 2022.

Selection Criteria
There were no restrictions on study designs, language, or health‐worker cadre. Two reviewers independently screened results.

Data Collection and Analysis
Key data, including training content and methods used, were extracted and summarized.

Main Results
Thirty‐two citations from 26 studies/programs were identified (24 journal papers, 5 manuals/guides, 2 reports and 1 PhD thesis), with 27 citations from 22 studies informing the review findings. About half of all conducted studies were from East Africa. The most common topics in RMC trainings were communication, privacy and confidentiality, and human resources. Most trainings were multicomponent and appear to be largely in‐service training. Health workers providing direct care to women, compared with non‐clinical staff such as receptionists and cleaners, were the only recipients of training in most studies (81.8%). Two broad categories of training methods/tools were identified: workshop‐based and action‐based. Over 90% of the studies assessed impact of the training, with a majority focused on impacts on maternal health and care; however, half of the latter studies did not appear to have feedback mechanisms in place for implementing change.

Conclusions
The content and design of RMC training in sub‐Saharan Africa are multifaceted, suggesting the complexity of implementing/promoting RMC. Some progress has been made; however, missed opportunities in training remain with respect to study populations, training topics, cadres, and feedback mechanisms.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2024 The Author(s). International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Publisher Keywords:	disrespect and abuse, health workers, respectful maternity care, sub-Saharan Africa, training
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RG Gynecology and obstetrics
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Midwifery & Radiography
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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