Malaria
Conditions
Keywords
Malaria Diagnosis, Rapid Diagnostic Tests, RDTs, Private Sector, Retail Sector, Drug Shops
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility and impact of introducing subsidized malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) into retail sector drug shops in Uganda. This is a randomized controlled trial at the village level, taking place in 6 districts in Eastern Uganda. Licensed drug shops in selected villages were trained in proper RDT storage, administration, interpretation and disposal and were given access to subsidized RDTs for sale. This study explores whether drug shop owners--when given access to training and subsidized RDTs--will choose to promote and sell RDTs to customers and, if so, at what volume and what price. The investigators also explore whether shops will safely store, administer, interpret and dispose of RDTs and to what extent they will use RDT results to guide treatment recommendations. Finally, the study explores whether making RDTs available for sale in local drug shops has a community level impact on diagnostic testing and appropriate treatment for malaria.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALRDT Training and Subsidy Offered
BEHAVIORALInformation/Education Campaign
Sponsors
Clinton Health Access Initiative, Nigeria
Innovations for Poverty Action-Uganda
Uganda Health Marketing Group
Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
FACTORIAL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Drug Shops: * Licensed and registered as a Drug Shop with the Ugandan National Drug Authority Households: * Live in the village of participating drug shop * Female household head is 18 or over
Exclusion criteria
Drug Shops: * Drug Shop not registered with Ugandan National Drug Authority * Female household head is under 18
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fraction of Illnesses Diagnosed for Malaria | Up To One Year | Comparison of the rate of malaria diagnosis in treatment vs. control. Comparison will be at the village level and at the shop level. Denominator will be: all illnesses, febrile illnesses only or suspected malaria episodes only. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mean RDT Price Charged by Shops | Up to One Year | — |
| Mean RDTs Purchased by Shops from Wholesaler | Up To One Year | — |
| Fraction of Monitoring Checklist Items Performed Correctly by Shops | Up To One Year | — |
| Fraction of Illnesses for which an Antimalarial/ACT/Antibiotic is Taken | Up To One Year | * Comparison of rate of antimalarial taking for illnesses in treatment vs. control * Comparison of rate of ACT taking for illnesses in treatment vs. control * Comparison of rate of antibiotic taking for illnesses in treatment vs. control |
Countries
Uganda
Outcome results
None listed