Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31483784›Full record

ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2019

The division of labour between community medicine distributors influences the reach of mass drug administration: A cross-sectional study in rural Uganda.

Goylette F Chami, Narcis B Kabatereine, Edridah M Tukahebwa

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Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

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4citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Goylette F ChamiDepartment of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-4653-0846
Narcis B KabatereineVector Control Division, Bilharzia and Worm Control Programme, Uganda Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Edridah M TukahebwaVector Control Division, Bilharzia and Worm Control Programme, Uganda Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.

Funding

Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust 083931/Z/07/ZWellcome Trust 100891/Z/13/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite decades of community-based mass drug administration (MDA) for neglected tropical diseases, it remains an open question as to what constitutes the best combination of community medicine distributors (CMDs) for achieving high (>65%/75%) treatment rates within a village.

methodsRoutine community-based MDA was evaluated in Mayuge District, Uganda. For one month, we tracked 6,148 individuals aged 1+ years in 1,118 households from 28 villages. Praziquantel, albendazole, and ivermectin were distributed to treat Schistosoma mansoni, lymphatic filariasis, and soil-transmitted helminths. The similarity/diversity between CMDs was observed and used to predict the division of labour and overall village treatment rates. The division of labour was calculated by dividing the lowest treatment rate by the highest treatment rate achieved by two CMDs within a village. CMD similarity was measured for 16 characteristics including friendship network overlap, demographic and socioeconomic factors, methods of CMD selection, and years as CMD. Relevant variables for MDA outcomes were selected through least absolute shrinkage and selection operators with leave-one-out cross validation. Final models were run with ordinary least squares regression and robust standard errors.

resultsThe percentage of individuals treated with at least one drug varied across villages from 2.79-89.74%. The only significant predictor (p-value<0.05) of village treatment rates was the division of labour. The estimated difference between a perfectly equal (a 50-50 split of individuals treated) and unequal (one CMD treating no one) division of labour was 39.69%. A direct tie (close friendship) between CMDs was associated with a nearly twofold more equitable distribution of labour when compared to CMDs without a direct tie.

conclusionsAn equitable distribution of labour between CMDs may be essential for achieving treatment targets of 65%/75% within community-based MDA. To improve the effectiveness of CMDs, national programmes should explore interventions that seek to facilitate communication, friendship, and equal partnership between CMDs.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultAgedAlbendazoleAnimalsAnthelminticsChildChild, PreschoolCommunity Health WorkersCommunity MedicineCross-Sectional StudiesElephantiasis, FilarialFemaleHumansInfantIvermectinAlbendazoleAnthelminticsIvermectinPraziquantel

Identifiers

PMID31483784
PMCPMC6726135

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.