Assessing the Effectiveness of a Multicomponent Intervention on Hand Hygiene and Well-Being in Primary Health Care Centers and Schools Lacking Functional Water Supply in Protracted Conflict Settings: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

• DOI: 10.2196/preprints.52959
• Publication Date: 2023-09-21T05:29:05Z
• Authors: Anaïs Galli; Yaman Ma'ani Abuz...; Carola Bänziger; Aboubacar Ballo; Max N D Friedrich; Karin Gross; Miriam Harter; Jan Hattendorf; Maryna Peter; Andrea Tamas; Branwen N Owen; Mirko S Winkler
• Keywords: Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics; R; R858-859.7; Protocol; Medicine

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Hand hygiene is crucial in health care centers and schools to avoid disease transmission. Currently, little known about hand such facilities protracted conflict settings. </sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> This protocol aims assess the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention on handwashing behavior, underlying behavioral factors, well-being workers students. Moreover, we report our methodology statistical analysis plan transparently. <title>METHODS</title> cluster randomized controlled trial with 2 parallel arms taking place 4 countries for 1 year. In Burkina Faso Mali, worked 24 primary per country, whereas Nigeria Palestine, focused 26 country. Facilities were eligible if they not connected functioning water source but deemed accessible implementation partners. had maternity ward ≥5 employees, ≤7000 students studying grades 5 7. We used covariate-constrained randomization assign that received hardware, management monitoring support, behavior change. Control will receive same or improved after endline data collection. To evaluate intervention, at baseline endline, self-reported survey, structured observations, hand-rinse samples. At follow-up, samples dropped. Starting from implementation, collected longitudinal hygiene-related conditions absenteeism. also qualitative focus group discussions interviews. Data analyzed descriptively random effect regression models level. The outcome rate, defined as number times performed good practice soap alcohol-based handrub one World Health Organization moments hygiene, divided by presented themselves during patient interaction within an hour observation. For schools, who washed their hands before eating. <title>RESULTS</title> collection across all lasted February June 2023. 135 174 respectively. Nigeria, 1300 Palestine 1127 began 2024. <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> first studies investigating With strong study design, expect support local policy makers humanitarian organizations developing sustainable agendas promotion. <title>CLINICALTRIAL</title> ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05946980 (Burkina Mali); https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05946980 NCT05964478 (Nigeria Palestine); https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05964478 <title>INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT</title> DERR1-10.2196/52959