None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Our central thesis is that a video-based health educational package, developed by our group, targeting schoolchildren, can influence their behaviour in a way conducive to the prevention of parasitic worm infections, thereby playing a pivotal role in the sustainable control and prevention of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) globally. An extensive school-based field trial targeting Han Chinese schoolchildren undertaken by our multidisciplinary team in Hunan province, China established proof of principle that our video-based health educational package widens student knowledge and changes behaviour, resulting in fewer STH infections. To evaluate the potential for up-scaling of our video-based health educational package as a universal school-focused educational tool forming part of multi-component sustainable integrated NTD control programs, we wish to assess the generalisability of our findings in different geographical areas with a high force of infection (high prevalence) and different ethnic groups. This will provide an evidence base for translation of the package into public health policy and practice in the Asian region and beyond. We will test the hypothesis that: A video-based health educational package (for use in schools) targeting STH increases student knowledge of the worms, their transmission, symptoms, treatment and prevention, and changes hygiene behaviour, thus preventing infections in children in diverse ethnic and endemic settings. We will test this hypothesis with the following specific aim: To determine if the video-based health educational package (for use in schools) is effective in preventing STH infection in schoolchildren in Yunnan (a province with a high force of infection and diverse ethnicities)
Interventions
The intervention will be a video-based health education package comprised of: 1) health education cartoon: narrative 12min cartoon video; content: story about a boy who gets infected with Soil-transmitted Helminths (STH) because of unhygienic behaviour. Key messages: a) symptoms of the disease. b) where and how can children get infected. c) how can disease be prevented. 2) A take-home pamphlet with key messages; 3) Classroom discussions; and 4) Drawing and essay competitions for key message rein
The intervention will be a video-based health education package comprised of: 1) health education cartoon: narrative 12min cartoon video; content: story about a boy who gets infected with Soil-transmitted Helminths (STH) because of unhygienic behaviour. Key messages: a) symptoms of the disease. b) where and how can children get infected. c) how can disease be prevented. 2) A take-home pamphlet with key messages; 3) Classroom discussions; and 4) Drawing and essay competitions for key message reinforcement. The cartoon will be shown twice in October 2013 followed by distribution of the pamphlet and classroom discussions; and then shown twice in February/March 2014 followed by classroom discussions and the drawing and essay competitions. This will take place in the intervention schools. Two rounds of Albendazole chemotherapy will be administered following the baseline survey in October 2013 in all study schools. Albendazole will also be administered to those found positive at the two follow-up surveys in June 2014 and June 2015 respectively. The Albendazole regimen will follow standard World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (a single oral dose of 400mg).
Sponsors
Darren Gray
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
9 Years to 11 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Grade 4 pupil of study school Pupil at school for duration of study Informed consent obtained Age 9-11 years
Exclusion criteria
No informed consent Outside of specified age range Pupil will not be present for duration of study
Outcome results
None listed