Clinical trial NCT05997511: Leveraging Community Health Workers to Combat COVID-19 and Mental Health Misinformation in Haiti, Malawi, and Rwanda
Official title: Leveraging Community Health Workers to Combat Health Misinformation in Haiti, Malawi, and Rwanda
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Mental Health
COVID-19
Misinformation
Keywords: COVID-19
Mental Health
Misconception
Community Health Workers (CHWs)
Lead sponsor: Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Partners in Health
First posted: 2023-08-18
Enrollment: 5109
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Our study will use a cluster- randomized design with two active arms - one arm targeting COVID-19-related misinformation and a second arm targeting misinformation related to mental health.
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: Partners In Health (PIH), in collaboration with Harvard Medical School, aims to develop and evaluate an SMS-based intervention for Community Health Workers (CHWs) to combat COVID-19 and mental health-related misinformation in Haiti, Rwanda, and Malawi. The study involves three aims: identifying locally relevant misinformation through a card-sorting exercise with CHWs, developing targeted messages through cognitive interviewing, and evaluating the effectiveness of SMS-based educational message dissemination via a randomized controlled trial. The evaluation will assess the impact on public health practices, knowledge and attitudes among CHWs, and knowledge and attitudes among community members.

Detailed description: The intervention will involve sending SMS messages to randomized CHWs, addressing either COVID-19 or mental health misinformation. CHWs will have access to a helpline for further support and can provide feedback to refine the messaging. The evaluation will use a time series analysis to measure changes in COVID-19 vaccine administration, mental health service utilization, CHWs' knowledge and attitudes, and community members' knowledge and attitudes. The study aims to empower CHWs with accurate information, improve public health practices, and ultimately contribute to better health outcomes in the communities served by PIH. Rwanda and Haiti CHWs will receive the messages for 12 months, but Malawi CHWs will receive the messages for 6 months due to a CHW transition in country.

Eligibility criteria: The intervention will be assigned at the unit of the CHWs. These individuals will also be eligible for the CHW longitudinal cohort.

Inclusion Criteria:

* CHWs affiliated with PIH Rwanda, Malawi, or Haiti
* 18+ years of age.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Less than 18 years old.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Number of Mental Health Visits/ Consultations Completed Monthly at Health Facilities
timeFrame: 24 months
measure: Number of Patients who Sought Care from Mental Health Services Monthly at Health Facilities
timeFrame: 24 months
measure: Number of COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Administered Monthly at Health Facilities (if available)
timeFrame: 24 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Qualitative Interviews
timeFrame: Before, after 6 months of the intervention, and after 12 months of the intervention (only in Rwanda & Haiti)
measure: Longitudinal Cohort Surveys
timeFrame: Before, after 6 months of the intervention, and after 12 months of the intervention (only in Rwanda & Haiti)
measure: Cross-Sectional Survey
timeFrame: Before the intervention and after 12 months of the intervention (only in Rwanda & Haiti)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Cange
country: Haiti
facility: Zanmi Lasante
city: Neno
country: Malawi
facility: Partners in Health- Malawi
city: Kigali
country: Rwanda
facility: Partners in Health- Rwanda
Study officials:
References: