Projects
Improving Mass Drug Administration After Pre-Transmission Assessment Survey (Pre-TAS) Failure: A Mixed Methods Study in Nepal
This study builds on the methods developed for the operational studies ongoing in Ghana and Burkina Faso. The first two research questions are the same as those earlier studies with two new questions added here- question 3 on triple drug therapy (ivermectin, DEC, albendazole – IDA) and 4 on the use of a new rapid ethnography approach.
- What factors are associated with effective (and lower) MDA coverage as defined as availability, accessibility, and acceptability in settings that have repeatedly failed Pre-TAS?
- What is the impact of an adapted and tailored intervention package on achieving effective coverage?
- What messages and community engagement approaches are needed to ensure the acceptability of IDA triple drug therapy in Nepal?
- How does the rapid ethnography approach compare to more traditional qualitative analysis methods in terms of cost, timeliness, and ability to provide required information for programmatic decisions? Can local capacity for use of this approach be built rapidly?
Operational research to develop an M&E study to guide a triple drug stopping decision for lymphatic filariasis in India
What is the indicator(s) and accompanying M&E strategy that enables country programs to determine when the risk of ongoing transmission of LF has been reduced so that IDA can be stopped with little risk of resurgence of transmission?
Ov16 AP ELISA comparison in Cameroon
How does the performance of the AP ELISA compare to the Ov16 SD ELISA, when conducted in a country lab?
Operational research to compare the confirmatory mapping tool and xenomonitoring indicator (infectivity rate of L3 of Wuchereria bancrofti) in Monrovia to assess the necessity to implement MDA
What is the most appropriate method to evaluate the presence of W. bancrofti transmission in urban conurbations to establish if MDA is necessary for LF elimination?
Trachomatous Trichiasis Management in Tanzania: Investigation of the productivity of case finding and referral of patients to trichiasis surgery services
One of important pillar of Trachoma elimination as a public health problem is to manage through epilation and surgery trachomatous trichiasis (TT) to reach in endemic district less than 0.1% of TT prevalence or less than 0.2% prevalence in adults of 15 years and older. However, surveys in 3 districts of Tanzania where numbers of TT surgeries were performed showed an unexpected higher prevalence despite intervention. This mixed methods study will help to address the main question as to why trachoma impact surveys demonstrating unexpectedly high TT prevalence in communities where TT surgical intervention is ongoing and how could this intervention/burden gap be addressed? The aim is to look at the case finding techniques effectiveness in all the communities and factors that affect TT referral and quality surgical services.
Evaluating and Developing MMDP services in Nigeria to be responsive to patient and provider perspectives using community based participatory research approaches in a participatory action research cycle
Primary Objective: To evaluate and develop MMDP services in Nigeria to be responsive to patient and provider perspectives using community based participatory research approaches in a participatory action research cycle
Formative research question: To what extent are the support needs of people affected by NTDs being met?
Intervention research question: How can new programme strategies be adapted to meet outstanding need?
Identifying the optimal delivery model for the identification, confirmation and referral of NTD cases requiring MMDP services within an integrated health systems approach to NTD care in Liberia
This social science study will address the following:
Formative question: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the four models for case identification, confirmation and referral currently being implemented in Liberia for NTDs?
Intervention question: What is the optimal model for implementing case identification, confirmation and referral of NTD cases requiring case management, in terms of equity, effectiveness, economy and efficiency within the health system?"
Improving access to Lymphatic Filariasis MMDP services through an enhanced evidence-based, cascade training model for health worker capacity strengthening in Ghana
This social science study will address the following:
Formative question: What were the successes and challenges of the LF MMDP pilot in the Upper East region for increasing the capacity of health workers of all levels and improving the ability of patients to manage LF morbidity?
Intervention question: Can a modified capacity strengthening package, developed based on the formative research results, be effective at increasing the capacity of health workers of all levels and improving the ability of patients to manage LF morbidity?