At a glance
ClinicalIndex Comparison Record- ✓Fever, history of fever in last 48 hours, or suspected malaria
- ✓Malaria-like illness must be present at time of recruitment
- ✓Age older than one year
- ✕Signs of severe illness requiring immediate referral
- ✕Antimalarial use in the last 7 days
- ✕Participants <18 years without parent or legal guardian present
Standardized by ClinicalIndex from the ClinicalTrials.gov record · verify against the source.
Malaria Diagnostic Testing and Conditional Subsidies to Target ACTs in the Retail Sector: the TESTsmART Trial Aim 2
In Brief
A clinical study evaluating Testing incentive and Conditional artemisinin combination therapy subsidy for Malaria and Febrile Illness. Completed, enrolled 2,205 participants across 1 site.
Detailed Summary
Highly subsidized first-line antimalarials (artemisinin combination therapy or ACT) are available over the counter in the private retail sector in most malaria-endemic countries. Overconsumption of ACTs purchased over the counter is rampant due to their low price, high perceived efficacy, and absence of diagnostic tools to guide drug use. The ultimate goal of the proposed work is to improve antimalarial stewardship in the retail sector, which is responsible for distributing the majority of antimalarials in sub-Saharan Africa. Through a combination of diagnosis and treatment subsidies and provider-directed incentives, this approach will align provider and customer incentives with appropriate case management and thereby improve health outcomes. The main objective of this study (Aim 2) is to test two key interventions in a random sample of private medicine retail outlets in Nigeria. This will be a cluster-randomized controlled trial where the cluster is a private retail outlet that stocks and sells WHO quality-assured ACTs. This two-arm study will test 1) a provider-directed incentive for testing and reporting in combination with a consumer-directed intervention in the form of a diagnosis-dependent ACT subsidy against 2) a comparison arm. Outlets in both arms will offer malaria diagnostic testing to customers who wish to purchase one. Information for the primary and secondary outcomes will be collected during exit interviews with eligible customers. The primary outcome will be the proportion of ACTs sold to customers with a positive diagnostic test. The main secondary outcome will be the proportion of suspected malaria cases presenting to the retail outlet that are tested. Other secondary outcomes include adherence to the RDT result amongst those tested (defined as taking a quality-assured ACT following a positive test and refraining from taking an ACT following a negative test) and appropriate case management for all suspected malaria cases (proportion tested and adhered among all suspected cases).
Study Details
Timeline
Interventions
A small incentive will be paid to the provider each time they perform a malaria rapid diagnostic test.
An additional discount on WHO-approved quality assured ACTs will be offered to individuals with a positive RDT.