TY - JOUR
T1 - EnDPoINT: protocol for an implementation research study to integrate a holistic package of physical health, mental health and psychosocial care for podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy into routine health services in Ethiopia
AU - Semrau, Maya
AU - Ali, Oumer
AU - Deribe, Kebede
AU - Mengiste, Asrat
AU - Tesfaye, Abraham
AU - Kinfe, Mersha
AU - Bremner, Stephen A.
AU - Hounsome, Natalia
AU - Kelly-Hope, Louise
AU - Macgregor, Hayley
AU - Taddese, Henock B.
AU - Banteyerga, Hailom
AU - Hailemariam, Damen
AU - Negussu, Nebiyu
AU - Fekadu, Abebaw
AU - Davey, Gail
PY - 2020/10/15
Y1 - 2020/10/15
N2 - Introduction Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) causing lower limb lymphoedema such as podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis (LF) and leprosy are common in Ethiopia. Routine health services for morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) of lymphoedema caused by these conditions are still lacking, even though it imposes a huge burden on affected individuals and their communities in terms of physical and mental health, and psychosocial and economic outcomes. This calls for an integrated, holistic approach to MMDP across these three diseases.Methods and analysis The ‘Excellence in Disability Prevention Integrated across NTDs’ (EnDPoINT) implementation research study aims to assess theintegration and scale-up of a holistic package of care—including physical health, mental health and psychosocial care—into routine health services for people with lymphoedema caused by podoconiosis, LF and leprosy in selected districts in Awi zone in the North–West of Ethiopia. The study is being carried out over three phases using a wide range of mixed methodologies. Phase 1 involves the development of a comprehensive holistic care package and strategies for its integration into the routine health services across the three diseases, and to examine the factors that influence integration and the roles of key health system actors. Phase 2 involves a pilot study conducted in one subdistrict in Awi zone, to establish the care package’s adoption, feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, potential effectiveness, its readiness for scale-up, costs of the interventions and the suitability of the training andtraining materials. Phase 3 involves scale-up of the carepackage in three whole districts, as well as its evaluation in regard to coverage, implementation, clinical (physical health, mental health and psychosocial) and economic outcomes.
AB - Introduction Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) causing lower limb lymphoedema such as podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis (LF) and leprosy are common in Ethiopia. Routine health services for morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) of lymphoedema caused by these conditions are still lacking, even though it imposes a huge burden on affected individuals and their communities in terms of physical and mental health, and psychosocial and economic outcomes. This calls for an integrated, holistic approach to MMDP across these three diseases.Methods and analysis The ‘Excellence in Disability Prevention Integrated across NTDs’ (EnDPoINT) implementation research study aims to assess theintegration and scale-up of a holistic package of care—including physical health, mental health and psychosocial care—into routine health services for people with lymphoedema caused by podoconiosis, LF and leprosy in selected districts in Awi zone in the North–West of Ethiopia. The study is being carried out over three phases using a wide range of mixed methodologies. Phase 1 involves the development of a comprehensive holistic care package and strategies for its integration into the routine health services across the three diseases, and to examine the factors that influence integration and the roles of key health system actors. Phase 2 involves a pilot study conducted in one subdistrict in Awi zone, to establish the care package’s adoption, feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, potential effectiveness, its readiness for scale-up, costs of the interventions and the suitability of the training andtraining materials. Phase 3 involves scale-up of the carepackage in three whole districts, as well as its evaluation in regard to coverage, implementation, clinical (physical health, mental health and psychosocial) and economic outcomes.
KW - implementation research
KW - leprosy
KW - lymphatic filariasis
KW - lymphoedema
KW - mental health
KW - podoconiosis
U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037675
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037675
M3 - Article
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 10
SP - e037675
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
IS - 10
M1 - 037675
ER -
