Impact of Life-size Growth Charts on Understanding of Stunting

Stunting Clinical Trial

Official title:

Budikadidi: Making Stunting Visible Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Active, not recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04579328
• Other study ID #: STUDY00000386
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 15, 2020
• Est. completion date: July 2021

Study information

• Verified date: May 2021
• Source: Tufts University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Randomized control trial testing whether exposure to a wall hanging (growth mat) enabling parents to physically compare their children's height against the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for height-for-age in combination with normal messaging on stunting increases parents' understanding and retention of those messages. Both intervention and control groups will receive messages about stunting over a 3-month period, but the intervention group will also be exposed to the growth mats during the 3-month intervention period. Parents in both groups will be tested post intervention on the messages about stunting and scores will be compared.

Description:

This study is embedded within a development program implemented by a consortium led by Catholic Relief Services. The program aims to improve child nutrition, in part, through behavior change messaging. Parents have difficulty understanding that stunting is a problem because the high prevalence (57%) means the entire population curve has shifted to the left - a stunted child appears normal when compared to others in the community.

Through previous work, we have designed a wall-hanging like a life-size, color coded growth chart. Using 2 stage sampling, with parents clustered in neighbor groups, neighbor groups have been randomly assigned to intervention or control. Both groups will receive standard lessons on stunting while only the intervention group will have the growth mats incorporated into the lessons. After 3 months of exposure to the lessons, parents will be tested on their understanding of the key lesson points. Scores between groups will be tested for statistical differences. Qualitative focus groups throughout the intervention period will collect information on perception of the message delivery and the utility of the growth mats.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Enrollment: 1019
• Est. completion date: July 2021
• Est. primary completion date: March 10, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• membership and regular participation in the selected neighbor groups

Exclusion Criteria:

• extended absence from the village during the intervention period

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Growth Disorders
• Stunting

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Exposure to Growth Mats
see arm/group descriptions for description of intervention

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Tufts University	Boston	Massachusetts

Sponsors (3)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Tufts University	Catholic Relief Services, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Understanding of key messages on stunting	there are multiple key points in the lessons on stunting accompanying the mats. Interviews will test the level of understanding for each key message, combining them into a composite score. Both individual and composite scores will be compared.	after 3 months of exposure to the lessons
Secondary	Willingness to change behavior	Interviews will measure self-reported willingness to practice the recommended behaviors to reduce stunting	after 3 months of exposure to the lessons