Diarrhea. Clinical Trial
Official title:
Measuring the Effectiveness of Co-packaging to Improve Provider and Caregiver Behavior in the Treatment of Diarrhea With Zinc & ORS and Pneumonia With Zinc & Antibiotics for Children Under 5 Yrs From San Marcos, Guatemala
This project applies a randomized community design to test the effectiveness of health
center level co-packaging and counseling messages to improve provider and caregiver behavior
in the treatment of diarrhea with zinc & oral rehydration salts (ORS) and treatment of
pneumonia with zinc & antibiotics in children aged 2-59 mo old. We will evaluate the
adherence of caregivers in 10 health posts in 5 municipalities randomly assigned to receive
the health center level co-packaging and counseling messages in addition to current standard
care, by comparing them with the caregivers in 10 health posts in 5 municipalities randomly
assigned to the receive only the current standard of care. Cost-effectiveness of
co-packaging at the health-center level, as a means of improving provider treatment and
counseling practices and caregiver adherence, will be evaluated.
The main objective is to establish the effectiveness of a facility level co-packaging and
counseling messages for increasing the adherence by caregivers of children aged 2-59 mo old
to the prescribed 10 day treatment with zinc to complement ORS for the treatment of diarrhea
and zinc to complement the antibiotics for the treatment of pneumonia diagnosed and treated
in public health posts.
Specific Quantitative Objectives:
• To determine if visible co-packaging with pre-tested counseling messages:
- Improves adherence of caregivers of children towards the prescribed zinc treatment.
- Improves knowledge, awareness or attitudes of caregivers of children and health
providers at public health care centers towards the prescribed zinc treatment.
- Results in overall increase in health care-seeking for the treatment of diarrhea and
pneumonia at public health care centers.
Specific Qualitative Objectives:
- To establish the perception, attitudes and experiences of caregivers towards the
visible co-packaging with pre-tested counseling messages to promote the prescribed zinc
treatment.
- To establish the perception, attitudes and experiences of health providers at public
health care centers towards the visible co-packaging with pre-tested counseling
messages to promote the prescribed zinc treatment.
- To establish the perception, attitudes and experiences of children aged 4 to 5 years
old towards the visible co-packaging with pre-tested counseling messages to promote the
prescribed zinc treatment.
Please note that the study protocol is also available in Spanish. ;
Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Subject), Primary Purpose: Treatment