Search

BACKGROUND Worldwide, people with hypertensive urgency experience high rates of hospitalization and death due to medication non-adherence. Interventions to improve medication adherence and health outcomes after hypertensive urgency are urgently needed. METHODS This prospective cohort assessed the effect of a peer counselor intervention—named Rafiki mwenye msaada—on the 1-year incidence of hospitalization and/or death among adults with hypertensive urgency in Mwanza, Tanzania. We enrolled 50 patients who presented with hypertensive urgency to 2 hospitals in Mwanza, Tanzania. All 50 patients received a Rafiki mwenye msaada an individual-level, time-limited case management intervention. Rafiki mwenye msaada aims to empower adult patients with hypertensive urgency to manage their high blood pressure. It consists of 5 sessions delivered over 3 months by a peer counselor. Outcomes were compared to historical controls. RESULTS Of the 50 patients (median age, 61 years), 34 (68%) were female, and 19 (38%) were overweight. In comparison to the historical controls, the intervention cohort had a significantly lower proportion of patients with a secondary level of education (22% vs. 35%) and health insurance (40% vs. 87%). Nonetheless, the 1-year cumulative incidence of hospitalization and/or death was 18% in the intervention cohort vs. 35% in the control cohort (adjusted Hazard Ratio, 0.48, 95% CI 0.24–0.97; P = 0.041). Compared to historical controls, intervention participants maintained higher rates of medication use and clinic attendance at both 3- and 6-months but not at 12 months. Of intervention participants who survived and remained in follow-up, >90% reported good medication adherence at all follow-up time points. CONCLUSION Our findings support the hypothesis that a peer counselor intervention may improve health outcomes among adults living with hypertensive urgency. A randomized clinical trial is needed to evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness.

Background Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are highly prevalent in resource-limited countries. We assessed the effect of a combination intervention aiming to enhance handwashing with soap on STH reinfection following mass drug administration among primary school children in Kagera region, Northwestern Tanzania. Methods We conducted a cluster randomised trial in sixteen primary schools with known high STH prevalence. Schools were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either receive the intervention or continue with routine health education. The intervention included teacher-led classroom teaching, parental engagement sessions, environmental modifications and improved handwashing stations. The evaluation involved two cross-sectional surveys in a representative sample of students, with the end-line survey conducted 12 months after the baseline survey. The primary outcome was the combined prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections at the end-line survey. Secondary outcomes included reported handwashing behaviour, the prevalence and intensity of individual STHs, and hand contamination with STH ova and coliform bacteria. End-line STH prevalence and intensity were adjusted for baseline differences of potential confounders. Results At the end-line survey, 3081 school children (1566 from intervention schools and 1515 from control schools) provided interview data and stool specimens. More school children in the intervention group reported the use of water and soap during handwashing compared to school children in the control group (58% vs. 35%; aOR=1.76, 95%CI 1.28–2.43, p=0.001). The combined prevalence of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura infections was 39% in both trial arms (aOR = 1.19; 95%CI 0.74–1.91). The prevalence of A. lumbricoides was 15% in the intervention and 17% in the control arm (aOR =1.24, 95%CI 0.59–2.59) and that of T. trichiura was 31% in both arms (aOR=1.17, 95%CI 0.73–1.88). No significant differences were found for STH infection intensity in both the main study and the hand contamination sub-study. Conclusions The intervention was effective in increasing reported handwashing behaviour at school, but failed to show a similar effect in the home. The intervention had no effect on STH infection, possibly due to infection in the home environment, other transmission routes such as contaminated water or food or limited changes in school children’s handwashing behaviour. Trial registration The trial was registered on June 21, 2017, by the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN45013173).

Background School-based de-worming is advocated as a strategy for reducing the burden of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections among children. However, re-infection tends to occur rapidly, suggesting that comprehensive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) improvements may be needed to prevent this. We qualitatively assessed the influence of parental engagement activities on parents’ motivation to improve WASH infrastructure and hygiene practices at home in the context of a school-based de-worming programme. Methodology We conducted a longitudinal qualitative study nested within the Mikono Safi trial, designed to assess the effect of a WASH intervention on STH infection prevalence in children. Meetings were organized for parents/guardians at schools where they were given information about STH infection, the role of WASH in STH infection prevention, and actionable steps they could take at home. During the meetings, parents/guardians received information about their own child’s STH infection status. Twenty purposively selected households were visited and interviewed 3 times over a period of about 8-months. We employed thematic analysis; findings are reported following the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation and Behaviour (COM-B) framework. Principal findings The engagement strategy improved parents’/guardians’ knowledge and skills about handwashing with soap and its benefits. Parents/guardians reported that the sessions had motivated them to improve WASH infrastructure at home. Of 20 households included in this study, 17 renovated or built new latrines and 18 installed handwashing facilities. However, only 8 households established and maintained handwashing stations with both soap and water at 8 months. Conclusions The engagement of parents/guardians in a school-based WASH education intervention as part of the Mikono Safi trial resulted in increased knowledge and motivation about handwashing and sanitation. This led to improvements in sanitation facilities and handwashing opportunities at home. However, long-term success in provision of water and soap was limited, indicating that sustained engagement may be required to encourage households to ensure these materials are consistently available at home.

Introduction Soil transmitted helminths (STH) can affect over 50% of children in some parts of Tanzania. Control measures involve annual deworming campaigns in schools, but re-infection is rapid. This paper presents the design and baseline survey results of an ongoing school-based cluster-randomised controlled trial in Kagera region, NW Tanzania. The trial aims to determine whether the effect of routine deworming on the prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections among school aged children can be sustained when combined with a behaviour change intervention promoting handwashing with water and soap. Methods As part of the trial, a total of 16 schools were randomised to receive the intervention (N = 8) or as controls (N = 8). Randomisation was stratified per district and restricted to ensure pre-trial STH prevalence was balanced between study arms. The combination intervention to be tested comprises class-room based teacher-led health education, improvement of handwash stations, coloured nudges to facilitate handwashing and parental engagement sessions. The impact evaluation involves two cross-sectional surveys conducted at baseline and endline. The objectives of the baseline survey were: (i) to confirm whether the deworming campaign was successful, and identify and treat students still infected about 2 weeks after deworming, (ii) to document any baseline differences in STH prevalence between trial arms, and (iii) to assess handwashing behaviours, and access to water and sanitation at school and home. We randomly sampled 35 students per class in Grades 1–6 (an average of 200 children per school), stratified to ensure equal representation between genders. Assenting students were interviewed using a structured questionnaire and asked to provide a stool specimen. Results Results of the baseline survey conducted about 2 weeks after deworming shows balanced demographic and STH prevalence data across trial arms. We observed a low prevalence of ascariasis (< 5%) as expected; however, the prevalence of trichuriasis was still about 35% in both arms. Conclusion The randomisation procedure was successful in achieving a balanced distribution of demographic characteristics and helminth infections between trial arms. The intervention is being rolled out. The current deworming treatment regimen may need to be revised with regards to the treatment of trichuriasis.

ObjectiveTo qualitatively assess the effects of a multi-modal school-based water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) intervention on handwashing behaviour among primary students in North Western (NW) Tanzania.DesignThe study was a qualitative assessment of barriers and facilitators to handwashing among students attending primary schools participating in the Mikono Safi Trial (Kiswahili for ‘Clean Hands), a cluster-randomised trial assessing the impact of a school-based WASH intervention on selected soil transmitted helminth infections. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews with teachers, focus group discussions and friendship pair interviews with students collected between April and October 2018. The Capability-Opportunity-Motivation and Behaviour model was used to inform data collection and analysis.SettingThe study was conducted in four purposively selected intervention schools in three districts of Kagera region, NW Tanzania (Bukoba urban, Bukoba rural and Muleba districts).ParticipantsParticipants comprised 16 purposively selected teachers aged between 23 and 52 years and 100 students aged 7–15 yearsResultsThe Mikono Safi intervention increased students’ reported capability and motivation to wash their hands with soap at key times, particularly after visiting the toilet. Improvements in students’ handwashing knowledge and skills were reported by both teachers and students, and motivation for handwashing was enhanced by emotional drivers such as disgust, fear and nurture. Newly established handwashing stations improved the physical opportunity to wash hands, although the availability of water and the provision of soap was not always consistent (eg, due to internal organisational shortcomings or during the dry season). Students and teachers were actively engaged in intervention implementation which created a school community that valued and supported improved hand hygiene.ConclusionThe intervention was successful in improving capability and motivation for handwashing. Handwashing opportunity was also greatly improved, although the supply with water and soap was sometimes interrupted, calling for much stronger multi-sectoral collaboration to improve access to water at schools.Trial registration numberISRCTN45013173; Pre-results.