The Effects of Hand and Face Washing With Soap on Active Trachoma Among Children 1-9 Years Old.
The Effects of Hand and Face Washing With Soap on Active Trachoma Among Children 1-9 Years Old in Central Ethiopia Region: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Studieöversikt
Status
Betingelser
Detaljerad beskrivning
Trachoma remains a leading cause of preventable blindness and continues to be a significant public health problem in Ethiopia, particularly among children living in endemic rural communities. Repeated infection with Chlamydia trachomatis leads to chronic conjunctival inflammation, which can ultimately result in blindness if left untreated. Children aged 1-9 years constitute the primary reservoir for infection, and poor facial hygiene, inadequate hand hygiene, and limited access to water and sanitation contribute substantially to disease transmission.
This clinical trial is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of regular hand and face washing with soap in reducing the prevalence of active trachoma among children aged 1-9 years in the Central Ethiopia Region. Participants will be assigned to an intervention group receiving structured promotion and provision of soap for routine hand and face washing, or to a control group receiving the standard community practices or existing health education, according to the study protocol. The intervention will emphasize consistent face washing to remove ocular and nasal discharge and hand washing with soap to reduce the transmission of C. trachomatis.
The primary outcome will be the prevalence of active trachoma, assessed using the World Health Organization (WHO) simplified trachoma-grading system by trained and certified graders at baseline and at the end of the follow-up period. Secondary outcomes may include facial cleanliness, adherence to hand- and face-washing practices, ocular and nasal discharge, and other hygiene-related behavioral indicators.
The study will also assess the feasibility and acceptability of implementing regular soap-based hygiene interventions in endemic communities. Findings from this trial are expected to strengthen the evidence base for the facial cleanliness component of the WHO SAFE strategy (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvement) and inform policies and programs aimed at accelerating trachoma elimination in Ethiopia and other endemic settings. Ethical approval is obtained from Bahir Dar University and the College of Medicine and Health Sciences Institutional Review Board, and informed consent will be obtained from parents or legal guardians before participant enrollment.
Studietyp
Inskrivning (Beräknad)
Fas
- Inte tillämpbar
Kontakter och platser
Studiekontakt
- Namn: Wubante Yalew, Master Degree
- Telefonnummer: +251 948843175
- E-post: wubanteya@yahoo.com
Studera Kontakt Backup
- Namn: Amha Admassie, Ph.D.
- Telefonnummer: +251 911364739
- E-post: yetsionamha@gmail.com
Deltagandekriterier
Urvalskriterier
Åldrar som är berättigade till studier
- Barn
- Vuxen
- Äldre vuxen
Tar emot friska volontärer
Beskrivning
Inclusion Criteria:
- All selected households in the South Sodo, Sodo, Silti, and East Silti districts with children 1-9 years of age.
- Participants who have lived in the area for at least six months before the study.
- Mothers or caregivers who give informed consent to participate in the study.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Mothers or caregivers who are critically ill at the time of data collection,
- Children with severe ocular disease that prevents accurate assessment of active trachoma,
- Households planning permanent relocation
Studieplan
Hur är studien utformad?
Designdetaljer
- Primärt syfte: Förebyggande
- Tilldelning: Randomiserad
- Interventionsmodell: Parallellt uppdrag
- Maskning: Enda
Vapen och interventioner
Deltagargrupp / Arm |
Intervention / Behandling |
|---|---|
|
Experimentell: Intervention Group: Participants receive routine health care services in addition to a structured hy
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This intervention is distinguished from other trachoma prevention interventions by its comprehensive, theory driven, and behavior focused approach. Unlike routine hygiene promotion, which typically provides general health education, this study combines structured behavior change communication with the regular provision of soap and practical hand and face washing demonstrations over a six month period. The Health Belief Model (HBM), addressing key behavioral constructs including perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy, guides the intervention. Educational sessions are tailored to these constructs to promote sustained behavior change among mothers or primary caregivers of children aged 1 to 9 years. |
|
Aktiv komparator: Control group receive routine health care services
Participants receive routine health care services without additional behavioral intervention
|
This intervention is distinguished from other trachoma prevention interventions by its comprehensive, theory driven, and behavior focused approach. Unlike routine hygiene promotion, which typically provides general health education, this study combines structured behavior change communication with the regular provision of soap and practical hand and face washing demonstrations over a six month period. The Health Belief Model (HBM), addressing key behavioral constructs including perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy, guides the intervention. Educational sessions are tailored to these constructs to promote sustained behavior change among mothers or primary caregivers of children aged 1 to 9 years. |
Vad mäter studien?
Primära resultatmått
Resultatmått |
Åtgärdsbeskrivning |
Tidsram |
|---|---|---|
|
The effect of hand and face washing with soap on active trachoma
Tidsram: Outcome will be assessed at baseline and 6 months after initiation of the intervention. Thus, each participant will be followed and assessed over a 6-month period, with the final outcome assessment conducted at approximately 6 months after baseline.
|
Active trachoma will be assessed among children aged 1 to 9 years through clinical examination of both eyes using the WHO simplified trachoma grading system.
Each eye will be examined separately for the presence or absence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) and trachomatous inflammation-intense (TI).
TF will be defined as the presence of five or more follicles, each at least 0.5 mm in diameter, in the central upper tarsal conjunctiva.
TI will be defined as pronounced inflammatory thickening of the upper tarsal conjunctiva that obscures more than half of the normal deep tarsal vessels.
For each eye, TF and TI will be recorded as 1 = Yes (present) and 0 = No (absent).
Active trachoma will be considered present if TF and/or TI is present in either eye.
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Outcome will be assessed at baseline and 6 months after initiation of the intervention. Thus, each participant will be followed and assessed over a 6-month period, with the final outcome assessment conducted at approximately 6 months after baseline.
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Sekundära resultatmått
Resultatmått |
Åtgärdsbeskrivning |
Tidsram |
|---|---|---|
|
The effect of hand and face washing with soap on active trachoma
Tidsram: The secondary outcome will be assessed at baseline and again 6 months after initiation of the intervention to determine changes in hand and face-washing practices over the intervention period.
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Change in hand and face-washing practices will be assessed using a 9-item structured questionnaire measuring adherence to recommended hand and face-washing behaviors.
Each item will be scored as 1 (practice performed) or 0 (practice not performed).
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The secondary outcome will be assessed at baseline and again 6 months after initiation of the intervention to determine changes in hand and face-washing practices over the intervention period.
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Samarbetspartners och utredare
Sponsor
Utredare
- Studierektor: Higemengist Astatkie, Ph.D., Bahir Dar University, Collage of Medicine and Health science
Studieavstämningsdatum
Studera stora datum
Studiestart (Beräknad)
Primärt slutförande (Beräknad)
Avslutad studie (Beräknad)
Studieregistreringsdatum
Först inskickad
Först inskickad som uppfyllde QC-kriterierna
Första postat (Faktisk)
Uppdateringar av studier
Senaste uppdatering publicerad (Faktisk)
Senaste inskickade uppdateringen som uppfyllde QC-kriterierna
Senast verifierad
Mer information
Termer relaterade till denna studie
Nyckelord
Andra studie-ID-nummer
- 6060/2026
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