TY - JOUR
T1 - The Countdown study protocol for expansion of mass drug administration strategies against schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Ghana
AU - Campbell, Suzy J.
AU - Osei-Atweneboana, Mike Y.
AU - Stothard, Russell
AU - Koukounari, Artemis
AU - Cunningham, Lucas
AU - Armoo, Samuel K.
AU - Biritwum, Nana Kwadwo
AU - Gyapong, Margaret
AU - MacPherson, Eleanor
AU - Theobald, Sally
AU - Woode, Maame Esi
AU - Khan, Jahangir
AU - Niessen, Louis
AU - Adams, Emily R.
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments: All authors participate in the four-country research programme consortium COUNTDOWN. We thanks Professor Duolao Wang for statistical advice. Funding: This study is funded as part of the COUNTDOWN research programme consortium, by the Research and Evidence Division of the Department for International Development. The funders had no role in study design, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Funding Information:
All authors participate in the four-country research programme consortium COUNTDOWN. We thanks Professor Duolao Wang for statistical advice. Funding: This study is funded as part of the COUNTDOWN research programme consortium, by the Research and Evidence Division of the Department for International Development. The funders had no role in study design, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 by the authors.
PY - 2018/1/22
Y1 - 2018/1/22
N2 - (1) Background: Current international policy for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) control emphasises mass administration of deworming drugs in school-based programmes. However, this approach is insufficient to control the transmission of these diseases, and their burden in non-school cohorts is recognised, albeit under-researched. This research will investigate the feasibility and acceptability of expanding access to praziquantel (PZQ) against schistosomiasis, and albendazole (ALB) against STH, to communities in selected transmission settings in Ghana. (2) Methods: A three-site longitudinal study will be implemented to investigate the effectiveness of expanding treatment strategies for PZQ and ALB to community members. In the context of community mass drug administration (to preschool children, school non-attending children, and adults, including pregnant women), the intervention will be assessed in a random sample of community members, at baseline with follow-up at 6, 12, and 18 months. In each community, 658 participants will be enrolled, and 314 followed up at each time point. The primary outcome measure is the prevalence of infection of Schistosoma haematobium and/or S. mansoni at study endpoint, as assessed by longitudinal surveys. Secondary outcomes are to quantify the infection of schistosomiasis and STH infections in non-treated cohorts, reductions in prevalence of STH, and intensity of schistosomiasis and STH, and treatment coverage. Nested within this study will be qualitative, cost-benefit, and cost-effectiveness evaluations that will explore accessibility, feasibility, and economic impact of expanded treatment from different complementary perspectives. (3) Discussion: Using a multidisciplinary approach, this study will generate evidence for improved availability, acceptability, affordability, and accessibility to deworming drugs against schistosomiasis and STH to individuals and communities in Ghana. This is likely to have considerable research, programmatic, and political value to contribute evidence for national programme policy development within Ghana, and, more broadly, World Health Organization policy development.
AB - (1) Background: Current international policy for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) control emphasises mass administration of deworming drugs in school-based programmes. However, this approach is insufficient to control the transmission of these diseases, and their burden in non-school cohorts is recognised, albeit under-researched. This research will investigate the feasibility and acceptability of expanding access to praziquantel (PZQ) against schistosomiasis, and albendazole (ALB) against STH, to communities in selected transmission settings in Ghana. (2) Methods: A three-site longitudinal study will be implemented to investigate the effectiveness of expanding treatment strategies for PZQ and ALB to community members. In the context of community mass drug administration (to preschool children, school non-attending children, and adults, including pregnant women), the intervention will be assessed in a random sample of community members, at baseline with follow-up at 6, 12, and 18 months. In each community, 658 participants will be enrolled, and 314 followed up at each time point. The primary outcome measure is the prevalence of infection of Schistosoma haematobium and/or S. mansoni at study endpoint, as assessed by longitudinal surveys. Secondary outcomes are to quantify the infection of schistosomiasis and STH infections in non-treated cohorts, reductions in prevalence of STH, and intensity of schistosomiasis and STH, and treatment coverage. Nested within this study will be qualitative, cost-benefit, and cost-effectiveness evaluations that will explore accessibility, feasibility, and economic impact of expanded treatment from different complementary perspectives. (3) Discussion: Using a multidisciplinary approach, this study will generate evidence for improved availability, acceptability, affordability, and accessibility to deworming drugs against schistosomiasis and STH to individuals and communities in Ghana. This is likely to have considerable research, programmatic, and political value to contribute evidence for national programme policy development within Ghana, and, more broadly, World Health Organization policy development.
KW - Access
KW - Albendazole
KW - Chemotherapy
KW - Ghana
KW - Haematobium
KW - Mansoni
KW - Praziquantel
KW - Schistosomiasis
KW - Soil-transmitted helminthiasis
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85072080121&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/tropicalmed3010010
DO - 10.3390/tropicalmed3010010
M3 - Article
C2 - 30720777
AN - SCOPUS:85072080121
SN - 2414-6366
VL - 3
JO - Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
JF - Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
IS - 1
M1 - 10
ER -