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Interactive Peer Groups and Motivational SMS - Incorrect Malaria Treatment down 4%
Strategy researched Training in small interactive peer-group sessions with motivational SMS at later stages Impact achieved Country of study Tanzania Research methodology 3-arm stratified cluster-randomized trial with 44,121 participants Journal Journal paper title and link Excerpt from Abstract "Standard RDT [rapid diagnostic test] training reduced pre-trial levels of antimalarial prescribing, which was sustained throughout the trial. Both interventions significantly lowered incorrect prescribing of recommended antimalarials from 8% (749/8,942) in the standard training arm to 2% (250/10,118) in the HW [health worker] arm (adjusted RD (aRD) 4%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1% to 6%; P = 0.008) and 2% (184/10,163) in the HWP arm (aRD 4%; 95% CI 1% to 6%; P = 0.005). Small group training and SMS were incrementally effective. There was also a significant reduction in the prescribing of antimalarials to RDT-negatives but no effect on RDT-positives receiving an ACT [artemisinin-based combination therapy]. Antibiotic prescribing was significantly lower in the HWP [HW-patient] arm but had increased in all arms compared with pre-trial levels." |