Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34930378›Full record

ArticleConflict and health2021

Malaria vector control tools in emergency settings: What do experts think? Results from a DELPHI survey.

Christophe Boëte, Sakib Burza, Estrella Lasry, Silvia Moriana, William Robertson

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Conflict and health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Christophe BoëteISEM, CNRS, IRD, EPHE Place Eugene Bataillon CC65, Univ Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France. christophe.boete@umontpellier.fr.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9043-8652
Sakib BurzaMédecins Sans Frontières, New Delhi, India.
Estrella LasryMédecins Sans Frontières Spain, Carrer de Zamora, 54, 08005, Barcelona, Spain.
Silvia MorianaMédecins Sans Frontières Spain, Carrer de Zamora, 54, 08005, Barcelona, Spain.
William RobertsonMédecins Sans Frontières Spain, Carrer de Zamora, 54, 08005, Barcelona, Spain.
Médecins Sans Frontières · ESCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique · FRUniversity of London · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe use and implementation of novel tools for malaria control such as long lasting impregnated bednets (LLINs) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) over the last decade has contributed to a substantial reduction in malaria burden globally. However numerous challenges exist particularly in relation to vector control in emergency settings. This study seeks to explore expert opinion on the utility of existing tools within the emergency context setting and to better understand the attitude towards emerging and innovative tools (including Genetically Modified Mosquitoes) to augment current approaches.

methods80 experts in the field of malaria and vector control were invited to participate in a two-round Delphi survey. They were selected through a combination of literature (academic and policy publications) review and snowball sampling reflecting a range of relevant backgrounds including vector control experts, malaria programme managers and emergency response specialists. The survey was conducted online through a questionnaire including the possibility for free text entry, and concentrated on the following topics: 1. Utility and sustainability of current vector control tools, both in and outside emergency settings 2. Feasibility, utility and challenges of emerging vector control tools, both in and outside emergency settings 3. Current and unmet research priorities in malaria vector control and in malaria control in general.

results37 experts completed the first round and 31 completed the second round of the survey. There was a stronger consensus about the increased utility of LLIN compared to IRS in all settings, while insecticide-treated covers and blankets ranked very high only in emergency settings. When considering the combination of tools, the ones deemed most interesting always involved LLINs and IRS regardless of the setting, and the acceptability and the efficacy at reducing transmission are essential characteristics. Regarding perceptions of tools currently under development, consensus was towards improvement of existing tools rather than investing in novel approaches and the majority of respondents expressed distrust for genetic approaches.

conclusionMalaria vector control experts expressed more confidence for tools whose efficacy is backed up by epidemiological evidence, hence a preference for the improvement rather than the combination of existing tools. Moreover, while several novel tools are under development, the majority of innovative approaches did not receive support, particularly in emergency settings. Stakeholders involved in the development of novel tools should involve earlier and raise awareness of the potential effectiveness amongst a wider range of experts within the malaria community to increase acceptability and improve early adoption once the evidence base is established.

Indexed as

DELPHI surveyEmergency settingsInnovationMalariaPerceptionPublic healthVector control

Identifiers

PMID34930378
PMCPMC8686338
OpenAlexW4200326421

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.