Social and Behaviour Change Communication Intervention Improves Coverage and Acceptance of Ivermectin Mass Drug Administration in Onchocerciasis Endemic Communities in Ghana: A Quasi Experimental Design
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Research Square
Abstract
Background
Poor community awareness and social mobilization serve as a major barrier by increasing absenteeism and
downplaying the relevance of the ivermectin mass distribution by community members. Inadequate awareness also
creates confusion among community members especially when one intervention is mistaken for the other.
Methods
We designed a targeted Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) intervention with clearly defined and
tailored messages of ivermectin MDA program targeting onchocerciasis in endemic communities in Ghana. Quasi
experiment was conducted with a total sample size of 2008 at baseline and 2113 at endline.
Results
At baseline, 63.9% respondents did not receive Ivermectin during the previous year (2019) MDA programme and more
than half of them (53.3%) were not aware of the drug distribution. The communities that received the intervention at
endline revealed a significantly higher increase in coverage (SATT=0.123, 95% CI=0. 0.073, 0.173, p<0.001). At baseline,
uptake rate of 91.0% was recorded. Post the intervention, there was an increase in the proportion of respondents who
ingested the MDA drugs (ivermectin) from 91.0% to 95.45%. Previous uptake of MDA drugs (AOR=10.67; 95%CI: 5.59-
20.38, p<0.001), Perceived benefit of MDA drug (AOR=4.13; 95%CI: 1.69-10.15, p<0.001) and being aware of the MDA
programme (AOR=2.28; 95%CI: 1.00-5.02, p=0.049) was associated with improved receipt of Ivermectin.
Conclusion
The findings of this study reveal that SBCC intervention improves ivermectin coverage and uptake rate in mass drug
administration. Further research with technological innovations which can enhance SBCC is recommended taking hind
sight of the limitations of the study due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Description
This article is published by Research Square and is also available at https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-986375/v1
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Citation
Osei, F., Newton, S., Nyanor, I., Yeboah, E. O., Amuzu, E. X., Mensah, N. K., … & Owusu‐Dabo, E. (2021). Social and behaviour change communication intervention improves coverage and acceptance of ivermectin mass drug administration in onchocerciasis endemic communities in ghana: a quasi experimental design.. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-986375/v1