Dataset Information

Lessons Learned in Conducting Mass Drug Administration for Schistosomiasis Control and Measuring Coverage in an Operational Research Setting.

ABSTRACT: The Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (SCORE) was created to conduct research that could inform programmatic decision-making related to schistosomiasis. SCORE included several large cluster randomized field studies involving mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel. The largest of these were studies of gaining or sustaining control of schistosomiasis, which were conducted in five African countries. To enhance relevance for routine practice, the MDA in these studies was coordinated by or closely aligned with national neglected tropical disease (NTD) control programs. The study protocol set minimum targets of at least 90% for coverage among children enrolled in schools and 75% for all school-age children. Over the 4 years of intervention, an estimated 3.5 million treatments were administered to study communities. By year 4, the median village coverage was at or above targets in all studies except that in Mozambique. However, there was often a wide variation behind these summary statistics, and all studies had several villages with very low or high coverage. In studies where coverage was estimated by comparing the number of people treated with the number eligible for treatment, denominator estimation was often problematic. The SCORE experiences in conducting these studies provide lessons for future efforts that attempt to implement strong research designs in real-world contexts. They also have potential applicability to country MDA campaigns against schistosomiasis and other NTDs, most of which are conducted with less logistical and financial support than was available for the SCORE study efforts.

SUBMITTER: Binder S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7351302 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Lessons Learned in Conducting Mass Drug Administration for Schistosomiasis Control and Measuring Coverage in an Operational Research Setting.

Binder Sue S Campbell Carl H CH Castleman Jennifer D JD Kittur Nupur N Kinung'hi Safari M SM Olsen Annette A Magnussen Pascal P Karanja Diana M S DMS Mwinzi Pauline N M PNM Montgomery Susan P SP Secor William Evan WE Phillips Anna E AE Dhanani Neerav N Gazzinelli-Guimaraes Pedro H PH Clements Michelle N MN N'Goran Eliézer K EK Meite Aboulaye A Utzinger Jürg J Hamidou Amina A AA Garba Amadou A Fleming Fiona M FM Whalen Christopher C CC King Charles H CH Colley Daniel G DG

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 20200701 1_Suppl

The Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (SCORE) was created to conduct research that could inform programmatic decision-making related to schistosomiasis. SCORE included several large cluster randomized field studies involving mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel. The largest of these were studies of gaining or sustaining control of schistosomiasis, which were conducted in five African countries. To enhance relevance for routine practice, the MDA in the ...[more]

PMID: 32400352

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Project description:Simulation-based research has grown substantially over the past two decades; however, relatively few published simulation studies are multicenter in nature. Multicenter research confers many distinct advantages over single-center studies, including larger sample sizes for more generalizable findings, sharing resources amongst collaborative sites, and promoting networking. Well-executed multicenter studies are more likely to improve provider performance and/or have a positive impact on patient outcomes. In this manuscript, we offer a step-by-step guide to conducting multicenter, simulation-based research based upon our collective experience with the International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education (INSPIRE). Like multicenter clinical research, simulation-based multicenter research can be divided into four distinct phases. Each phase has specific differences when applied to simulation research: (1) Planning phase, to define the research question, systematically review the literature, identify outcome measures, and conduct pilot studies to ensure feasibility and estimate power; (2) Project Development phase, when the primary investigator identifies collaborators, develops the protocol and research operations manual, prepares grant applications, obtains ethical approval and executes subsite contracts, registers the study in a clinical trial registry, forms a manuscript oversight committee, and conducts feasibility testing and data validation at each site; (3) Study Execution phase, involving recruitment and enrollment of subjects, clear communication and decision-making, quality assurance measures and data abstraction, validation, and analysis; and (4) Dissemination phase, where the research team shares results via conference presentations, publications, traditional media, social media, and implements strategies for translating results to practice. With this manuscript, we provide a guide to conducting quantitative multicenter research with a focus on simulation-specific issues.

Project description:ObjectiveDigital health interventions (DHI) involve multiple interactions between the user, technology platform, and study team, posing challenges for implementation. This paper describes the lessons learned while implementing an internet-based randomized controlled trial (RCT) for reducing depression symptom burden in older acutely-bereaved adults.MethodsThe RCT was entitled "Widowed Elders' Lifestyle after Loss" (or WELL), which compared the efficacy of a DHI to an enhanced usual care (EUC) for reducing depression symptoms in adults 60+ years who lost their spouse/life partner within the previous 12 months. Participants randomized to the DHI used their own tablet, smartphone, or pc to record the timing and regularity of sleep, meals, and physical activity twice daily, for 12 weeks. The also received weekly health coaching sessions from a clinician certified in motivational interviewing. Participants randomized to the EUC arm received weekly calls from research staff and were assessed on the same schedule as intervention participants. All study procedures were conducted virtually. Methodological and procedural challenges were discussed weekly with study staff and the primary investigator.ResultsMany challenges can be categorized as follows recruiting virtually, obtaining informed consent, training older adults to use technology, and establishing rapport with older adults. Solutions required researcher and interventionist flexibility in adapting to new strategies. For instance, we redesigned the informed consent process to include a user-friendly brochure that enhanced participants' understanding of the RCT and improved our enrollment rate. We also utilized user-engagement in refining an intervention protocol.ConclusionWe resolved implementation challenges without compromising internal validity via interdisciplinary collaborations with mobile programmers to ensure our technology met the unique and varied needs of aging users. The solutions from this study may promote the recruitment and retainment of older adults in research studies that use technology-based interventions.

Dataset Information

Lessons Learned in Conducting Mass Drug Administration for Schistosomiasis Control and Measuring Coverage in an Operational Research Setting.

Publications

Lessons Learned in Conducting Mass Drug Administration for Schistosomiasis Control and Measuring Coverage in an Operational Research Setting.

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