02392nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042100001400054700001400068700001300082700001200095700001100107700001300118700001300131700001200144700001500156245013000171856012500301300000800426520171400434022001402148       2024                            d  c03/20241 aAruldas K1 aJohnson J1 aSaxena M1 aTitus A1 aRoll A1 aRamesh R1 aWalson J1 aMeans A1 aAjjampur S00aAdolescents' Perspective Regarding a Community-Wide Mass Drug Administration Program for Soil-Transmitted Helminths in India.  uhttps://www.ajtmh.org/downloadpdf/view/journals/tpmd/aop/article-10.4269-ajtmh.23-0676/article-10.4269-ajtmh.23-0676.pdf  a1-63 a<p>This study was undertaken to understand the perspective of adolescents in endemic communities of India regarding soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections and community-wide mass drug administration (cMDA). A multicountry community-based cluster-randomized trial, the Deworm3 trial, tested the feasibility of interrupting STH transmission with cMDA, where all individuals aged 1-99 are treated empirically with albendazole. Using a guideline based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, eight focus group discussions were conducted among 57 adolescents from the trial site in India and analyzed on ATLAS.ti 8.0 software using an a priori thematic codebook. Adolescents believed that adults could be a source of STH infection because they were not routinely dewormed like the children through the national deworming program. Perceived benefits of cMDA for all were better health and increased work efficiency. Perceived barriers to adults' participation in cMDA was their mistrust about the program, fear of side effects, perceived low risk of infection, and absence during drug distribution. To encourage adult participation in cMDAs, adolescents suggested community outreach activities, engaging village influencers and health workers, and tailoring drug distribution to when adults would be available. Adolescents were confident in their ability to be change agents within their households for treatment compliance. Adolescents provided insights into potential barriers and solutions to improve adult participation in cMDA, identified best practices of cMDA delivery, and suggested that they have unique roles as change agents to increase their household participation in cMDA.</p>
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