Table 2

Study populations and numbers of interviews and focus groups

Type of respondent

Data collection tool^a

Kenya

Gabon

Tanzania

Ghana

Malawi

Total

Participant mothers

IDI

75

63

47

57

242^b

QNN

122

119

148

159

137

685

Mother drop outs^c

IDI

8

21

22

42

93

Fathers

SSI

15

33

80

40

168

Health workers

IDI

27

47

26

25

125

QNN

12

26

35

44

117

Health worker follow-up

IDI

23

47

15

14

99

Volunteer health worker

IDI

NA

NA

23

15

38

Opinion leaders

IDI

7

26

27

20

80

Traditional healers

IDI

2

23

31

15

71

Non-participant mothers

IDI

NA

38+26^d

NA

NA

NA

64

Informal conversations

76

76

Participant mothers

FGD

0^e

19

27

18

64

Community members

FGD

11

10

10

10

31

Community members (non-participant mothers)

QNN

263+231^f

494

^a IDI: in-depth interview; QNN: questionnaire; FGD: focus group discussion; SSI: semi-structured interview

^b Not all respondents have been included in the data that were analysed quantitatively as data collection tools varied between Gabon and the other sites. Furthermore, some modifications of the data collection tools across the other sites ensured that not all interviews could be entered in the same database. Therefore, for example although 927 participant mothers were interviewed across the five sites, the total of participant mothers referred to in the quantitative data is lower (805). All data were included for qualitative analysis.

^c Although aggregated as "drop outs" across the four sites, the exact definition is different in the implementation studies and the clinical trials.

^d In Gabon, due to the retrospective nature of data collection carried out by a consultant, a sample of mothers from the local area were interviewed during two periods of fieldwork.

^e In Kenya, participant mothers took part in FGDs organized with other non-participant mothers and hence have been classified as community members.

^f Two questionnaire surveys were undertaken in Gabon: with mothers in local schools and mothers at the mother and child clinic.

Gysels et al. Malaria Journal 2009 8:191   doi:10.1186/1475-2875-8-191