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- Title
How much is not enough? A community randomized trial of a Water and Health Education programme for Trachoma and Ocular C. trachomatis infection in Niger.
- Authors
Abdou A; Munoz BE; Nassirou B; Kadri B; Moussa F; Baarè I; Riverson J; Opong E; West SK; Abdou, Amza; Munoz, Beatriz E; Nassirou, Baido; Kadri, Boubacar; Moussa, Fati; Baarè, Ibrahim; Riverson, Joseph; Opong, Emmanuel; West, Sheila K
- Abstract
<bold>Summary Objective: </bold>To determine the impact after 2 years of a water and health education (W/HE) programme on ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection and trachoma.<bold>Methods: </bold>We randomized 12 trachoma-endemic communities in Maradi, Niger 1:1 to W/HE intervention and control arms and collected data on 10 of the 12 villages. In the intervention villages, at least one clean water well was constructed, and a 3 month, modest health education programme was provided immediately prior to the 2 year survey. We censused all households, and 557 children ages 1-5 years were randomly selected as sentinel children and examined at baseline and at one and 2 years from baseline. Trachoma was clinically assessed and a swab taken and analyzed for C. trachomatis. Tetracycline eye ointment was provided to all children in either arm during the surveys who had signs of trachoma.<bold>Results: </bold>Infection with C. trachomatis declined slightly, and not significantly, in the children in the control villages over the 2 years, from 15% to 11%. The decline in infection was more pronounced, and significant, in the children in the intervention villages, from 26% to 15%. However, the change in infection rates in the intervention villages was not significantly different from the change in infection rates in the control villages (P = 0.39, and 0.11 for change from baseline to 1 year and 2 year, respectively). There was also no difference in the change in overall trachoma rates between the two arms.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>These data suggest that the provision of water plus a modest health education programme did not result in a significant difference in trachoma or ocular C. trachomatis infection in endemic communities in Niger. A more substantial health education intervention is likely necessary to produce change.
- Publication
Tropical Medicine & International Health, 2010, Vol 15, Issue 1, p98
- ISSN
1360-2276
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1365-3156.2009.02429.x