Study of Post-Training Supports for Health Workers in Benin

Sponsor

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. Fed)

Overall Status

Completed

CT.gov ID

NCT00510679

Collaborator

Ministry of Health, Benin (Other)

1,577

Enrollment

Location

Duration (Months)

Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a package of interventions to support health workers in Benin (in West Africa) who had been trained to use Integrated Management of Childhood Illness guidelines (i.e., guidelines intended to improve the treatment of childhood illnesses).

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Malaria Pneumonia Diarrhea Measles Malnutrition	Behavioral: Health worker supports (supervision, job aids, incentives)	N/A

Detailed Description

Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) is a child health strategy in developing countries with a goal of improving the treatment of illnesses at first-level health facilities through the use of clinical practice guidelines. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends implementing the guidelines with an 11-day training course. There is a concern that health workers might not master all aspects of the guidelines and that health worker performance may deteriorate over time. In 1999, Benin (in West Africa) was planning to implement IMCI. In response to concerns about how well health workers would follow IMCI guidelines, interventions were designed to support health workers after IMCI training: 1) regular supervision of health workers; 2) supervision of supervisors; 3) job aids; and 4) non-financial incentives for health workers. These interventions were intended to be used together. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the package of interventions to support IMCI-trained health workers in Benin.

Study Design

Study Type:

Interventional

Actual Enrollment :

1577 participants

Allocation:

Randomized

Intervention Model:

Parallel Assignment

Masking:

None (Open Label)

Primary Purpose:

Health Services Research

Official Title:

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Post-Training Supports for Health Workers Trained in the Use of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness Guidelines in Ouémé Department, Benin

Study Start Date :

Jul 1, 1999

Actual Study Completion Date :

Oct 1, 2004

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

Proportion of children with potentially life-threatening illnesses who received recommended treatment, according to Integrated Management of Childhood Illness guidelines. [3 years]
Proportion of children with potentially life-threatening illnesses who received recommended treatment, according to Integrated Management of Childhood Illness guidelines, or adequate treatment. [3 years]
Mean proportion of needed case management tasks that were performed during consultations. [3 years]

Secondary Outcome Measures

Proportion of children with pneumonia who received recommended treatment, according to Integrated Management of Childhood Illness guidelines. [3 years]
Proportion of children with malaria who received recommended treatment, according to Integrated Management of Childhood Illness guidelines. [3 years]

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:

1 Week to 59 Months

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Inclusion Criteria:

Inclusion criteria for health facilities were: 1) public and licensed private health facilities providing outpatient services, and 2) the level of care was appropriate for use of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines.
Inclusion criteria for consultations were children 1 week - 59 months old seen for any illness during regular working hours (typically 8am-6pm) on weekdays.

Exclusion Criteria:

Health facilities in which the level of care was not appropriate for use of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines(i.e., one referral hospital and one sub-specialty hospital).