Centre for Health Agriculture Development Research Consulting (CHAD)
Utility of screening easy to access population sub groups as a surveillance tool in monitoring interruption of LF transmission
The question of how to conduct post-elimination surveillance is a high priority for the NTD community, given that most NTD programs scale back or shut down completely once elimination as a public health problem is achieved. Few solutions exist and this proposal provides an interesting and useful case study for surveillance moving forward. The study team plans to target 1708 pregnant women as a proxy for measuring LF resurgence in a post-elimination context. As a comparison group, they plan to conduct a prevalence survey of 427 households (1708 participants) in the same community to compare LF prevalence found in each methodology. Each participant at the health facility’s residence will be geo-referenced to understand the coverage area. They also plan to conduct interviews with patients and health workers, a time-motion study, and a cost analysis to assess the additional burden on health care workers and the health system. The study will occur in 14 facilities in one district of Malawi where LF was highly endemic prior to the launch of the program.
MORBID: Morbidity Operational Research for Bilharziasis Implementation Decisions (Pilot)
A pilot study to identify meaningful and measurable targets for detecting the control of schistosomiasis-related morbidity in Africa. The overall study is designed to answer the following primary evaluation questions:
- What are the infection levels of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium below which there is little, or no, detectable schistosomiasis-associated morbidity?
- What are the optimal morbidity markers for S. mansoni and S. haematobium?
- What are the optimal species-specific morbidity goals for which schistosomiasis control programs should be aiming?
For Girls and Women Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) Morbid -sub-study
A pilot study on the burden of female genital schistosomiasis nested within the ongoing MORBID study set to identify meaningful and measurable targets for detecting the control of schistosomiasis-related morbidity in Africa.
This pilot sub-study is designed to answer the following questions
I. What is the burden of FGS in a S.haematobium endemic area in Malawi?
II. Are the current diagnostic tools available adequate to assess the true burden of FGS
III. What are some specific morbidity reduction goals for FGS that control programs should be aiming for?"
Utility of screening easy to access population sub groups as a surveillance tool in monitoring interruption of LF transmission
The question of how to conduct post-elimination surveillance is a high priority for the NTD community, given that most NTD programs scale back or shut down completely once elimination as a public health problem is achieved. Few solutions exist and this proposal provides an interesting and useful case study for surveillance moving forward. The study team plans to target 1708 pregnant women as a proxy for measuring LF resurgence in a post-elimination context. As a comparison group, they plan to conduct a prevalence survey of 427 households (1708 participants) in the same community to compare LF prevalence found in each methodology. Each participant at the health facility’s residence will be geo-referenced to understand the coverage area. They also plan to conduct interviews with patients and health workers, a time-motion study, and a cost analysis to assess the additional burden on health care workers and the health system. The study will occur in 14 facilities in one district of Malawi where LF was highly endemic prior to the launch of the program.
MORBID: Morbidity Operational Research for Bilharziasis Implementation Decisions (Pilot)
A pilot study to identify meaningful and measurable targets for detecting the control of schistosomiasis-related morbidity in Africa. The overall study is designed to answer the following primary evaluation questions:
- What are the infection levels of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium below which there is little, or no, detectable schistosomiasis-associated morbidity?
- What are the optimal morbidity markers for S. mansoni and S. haematobium?
- What are the optimal species-specific morbidity goals for which schistosomiasis control programs should be aiming?