Adolescent Development, Folic Acid Deficiency Anemia, Dietary, Food Habits, Iron Deficiency Anemia Treatment, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Nutritional Anemia, Nutritional Deficiency
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of weekly iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation and one-time deworming treatment at the community level in improving hemoglobin levels among adolescent girls in Liberia, West Africa, and to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a targeted nutrition education program in improving nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices in the same population.
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTIron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation
Weekly IFA supplementation for duration of the study.
BEHAVIORALTargeted nutrition education
Structured nutrition education package delivered at household level by trained Community Health Assistants (CHAs)
DRUGMebendazole Pill
One-time deworming treatment with mebendazole.
OTHERStandard nutrition services
Basic nutrition services currently provided at the health facility and at community level in Liberia
Sponsors
UNICEF
Ministry of Health, Liberia
Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services
Boston Children's Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
10 Years to 19 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Adolescent girl aged 10 - 19 years at the time of enrollment * Lives within the selected study communities in Montserrado or Margibi counties * Caregiver/adolescent consents to participate in the study
Exclusion criteria
* Currently pregnant * Active malaria infection as defined by positive rapid diagnostic test (RDT) * Severe acute malnutrition at the time of enrollment * Known malignancy * Known sickle cell disease
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in participants' hemoglobin level from enrollment to completion of the study | Baseline and Week 12 | Point of care hemoglobin testing will be conducted at enrollment and at the conclusion of the study. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Changes in responses to questions in the Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice (KAP) survey from baseline to follow up evaluation | Baseline and Week 12 | Increase in nutrition-related knowledge, and improvements in nutrition practices as evidenced by changes in responses to the KAP survey, which is based on validated measures of nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and has been modified for appropriateness to the target population of this study. |
| Feasibility of targeted intervention for scale-up to country-wide enhanced nutrition services | 12 weeks | Successful completion of study visits by Community Health Assistants, specifically ability to conduct every scheduled visit without skipping visits or households, within the timeframe of scheduled work day. |
Outcome results
None listed