The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
Time to read
less than
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 3 years ago
Last updated 3 years ago
Read so far

Interactive Peer Groups and Motivational SMS - Incorrect Malaria Treatment down 4%

0 comments
Strategy researched
 
Training in small interactive peer-group sessions with motivational SMS at later stages
 
Impact achieved
 
 
Country of study
 
Tanzania
 
Research methodology
 
3-arm stratified cluster-randomized trial with 44,121 participants
 
Journal
 
BMC Medicine; 2015
 
Journal paper title and link
 
Prescriber and patient-oriented behavioural interventions to improve use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests in Tanzania: facility-based cluster randomised trial
 
Excerpt from Abstract
 
"Standard RDT [rapid diagnostic test] training reduced pre-trial levels of antimalarial prescribing, which was sustained throughout the trial. Both interventions significantly lowered incorrect prescribing of recommended antimalarials from 8% (749/8,942) in the standard training arm to 2% (250/10,118) in the HW [health worker] arm (adjusted RD (aRD) 4%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1% to 6%; P = 0.008) and 2% (184/10,163) in the HWP arm (aRD 4%; 95% CI 1% to 6%; P = 0.005). Small group training and SMS were incrementally effective. There was also a significant reduction in the prescribing of antimalarials to RDT-negatives but no effect on RDT-positives receiving an ACT [artemisinin-based combination therapy]. Antibiotic prescribing was significantly lower in the HWP [HW-patient] arm but had increased in all arms compared with pre-trial levels."
 
Translation - see line 8
 
Summary at this link