Assessing the implementation fidelity of HPV self-collection offered by community health workers during home visits (the EMA strategy): a case study in a low-middle-resource setting in Argentina.

BACKGROUND: In Argentina, HPV self-collection offered by community health workers was demonstrated to be effective to improve cervical cancer screening uptake. Based on these findings, the EMA strategy was scaled up in nine Argentinian provinces. However, there is no evidence about the degree of fidelity-in relation to the core components proposed by the National Program on Cervical Cancer Prevention-with which this strategy was implemented in the new jurisdictions. We carried out a fidelity evaluation of the EMA strategy scaling-up aimed at evaluating the level of adherence to the core components of the EMA strategy, and how different moderating factors affected the implementation fidelity. METHODS: This descriptive study used a multi-method approach involving quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the implementation fidelity using the Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity. Evaluation of the degree of adherence to the core components of the EMA strategy was carried out through the analysis of a self-administered survey of health promoters, observations, and secondary data from the National Screening Information System. The analysis of moderating factors was carried out through analysis of field notes, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. RESULTS: Our results showed that the core components with highest fidelity were training, sample handling, and transportation. Regarding the offer of HPV self-collection, we found some adaptations such as locations in which health promoters offered HPV self-collection, and fewer pieces of information provided to women during the offer. In the follow-up and treatment core component, we found a reduced adherence to triage and colposcopy. Some contextual factors had a negative impact on implementation fidelity, such as urban insecurity and the reduction in the number of health promoters that offered HPV self-collection. Moderating factors that contributed to achieve high level of fidelity included a well-defined strategy with clear steps to follow, permanent feedback and high level of engagement among implementers. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows how the analysis of fidelity and adaptations of HPV self-collection in real-world contexts are key to measure and maximize its effectiveness in low-middle-income settings.

Effectiveness of an mHealth intervention to increase adherence to triage of HPV DNA positive women who have performed self-collection (the ATICA study): A hybrid type I cluster randomised effectiveness-implementation trial.

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) self-collection offered by community health workers (CHWs) during home visits has been hampered by low levels of triage Pap among HPV-positive women. We investigated effectiveness of a mHealth intervention to increase adherence to triage Pap. Methods: We conducted a hybrid type I cluster randomised effectiveness-implementation trial in Jujuy, Argentina. CHWs (clusters) were eligible if actively offering HPV self-collection and served at least 26 women aged 30 years and over. Women were eligible if they conducted self-collection and provided a mobile phone number. 260 CHWs were randomly allocated (3:2 ratio) to a multi-component intervention (Up to four SMS messages sent to HPV-positive women, and one SMS message to CHWs to prompt a visit of women with no triage Pap 60 days after a positive-test), or control group (Usual care: Women instructed to attend their health centre 30 days after HPV self-collection to pick-up results). The primary effectiveness outcome was percentage of HPV-positive women with triage 120 days after the HPV-test result. We evaluated implementation of the intervention using the RE-AIM framework. Findings: 221 CHWs (132 intervention, 89 control group) contacted 5389 women; and 5351 agreed to participate (3241 intervention, 2110 control group). In total 314/445 (70·5%) HPV-positive women of the intervention group had triage at 120 days after the HPV result, compared to 163/292 (55·1%) in the control group: 15·5% point improvement; 95%CI: 6·8-24·1; relative risk: 1·28; 95%CI: 1·11-1·48. 97·2% of women accepted the intervention and 86·9% of CHWs agreed to its adoption. Interpretation: The multicomponent mHealth intervention was effective in increasing the percentage of HPV-positive women who had triage Pap, allowing for many more women at risk of cervical cancer to receive timely follow-up. Funding: National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health (USA) under Award Number R01CA218306.

Effect of self-collection of HPV DNA offered by community health workers at home visits on uptake of screening for cervical cancer (the EMA study): a population-based cluster-randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Control of cervical cancer in developing countries has been hampered by a failure to achieve high screening uptake. HPV DNA self-collection could increase screening coverage, but implementation of this technology is difficult in countries of middle and low income. We investigated whether offering HPV DNA self-collection during routine home visits by community health workers could increase cervical screening. METHODS: We did a population-based cluster-randomised trial in the province of Jujuy, Argentina, between July 1, 2012, and Dec 31, 2012. Community health workers were eligible for the study if they scored highly on a performance score, and women aged 30 years or older were eligible for enrolment by the community health worker. 200 community health workers were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group (offered women the chance to self-collect a sample for cervical screening during a home visit) or the control group (advised women to attend a health clinic for cervical screening). The primary outcome was screening uptake, measured as the proportion of women having any HPV screening test within 6 months of the community health worker visit. Analysis was by intention to treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02095561. FINDINGS: 100 community health workers were randomly allocated to the intervention group and 100 were assigned to the control group; nine did not take part. 191 participating community health workers (94 in the intervention group and 97 in the control group) initially contacted 7650 women; of 3632 women contacted by community health workers in the intervention group, 3049 agreed to participate; of 4018 women contacted by community health workers in the control group, 2964 agreed to participate. 2618 (86%) of 3049 women in the intervention group had any HPV test within 6 months of the community health worker visit, compared with 599 (20%) of 2964 in the control group (risk ratio 4·02, 95% CI 3·44-4·71). INTERPRETATION: Offering self-collection of samples for HPV testing by community health workers during home visits resulted in a four-fold increase in screening uptake, showing that this strategy is effective to improve cervical screening coverage. This intervention reduces women's barriers to screening and results in a substantial and rapid increase in coverage. Our findings suggest that HPV testing could be extended throughout Argentina and in other countries to increase cervical screening coverage. FUNDING: Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (Argentina).

Comunicación y Salud: prácticas comunicacionales en las consultorías de VIH/SIDA de la red pública de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires: los centros de prevención, asesoramiento y diagnóstico: CEPAD / Communication and health practices in communications consultancies in HIV/AIDS on the public network from the City of Buenos Aires: prevention centers, counselling and diagnosis: CEPAD

Como requisito para optar al grado de Magíster en Salud Pública de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, se presenta la tesis titulada "Comunicación y salud. Prácticas comunicacionales en las consultorías de VIH/SIDA de la red asistencial pública de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires: los centros de prevención, asesoramiento y diagnóstico -CEPAD- La misma refleja una investigación cuyo objeto de estudio son las prácticas comunicacionales desarrolladas por el equipo de salud que implementa un dispositivo de características preventivas y asistenciales, en el marco del testeo voluntario del VIH en la red de salud pública de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Las consultorías de VIH/SIDA se postulan bajo una nueva lógica de atención que promueve una relación entre equipo de salud y usuarios, basada en principios de autonomía y derechos ciudadanos. Propuesta que surge superadora de un vínculo inmerso en un modelo caracterizado históricamente como hegemónico; que construye en marcos de relaciones autoritarias, usuarios pasivos y consecuencias negativas en los tratamientos y procesos de atención de las personas en el sistema de salud. Se propone un estudio que bajo una perspectiva comunicacional pretende conocer como piensan y desarrollan sus prácticas: asistenciales, preventivas y comunicacionales, los equipos de salud y como construyen la relación con los usuarios. Se desarrolló bajo un abordaje cualitativo, un estudio exploratorio y descriptivo, cuyo objetivo general fue: explorar y describir las prácticas comunicacionales implementadas en los Centros de prevención, asesoramiento y diagnóstico, -CEPAD- de VIH/SIDA de la red asistencial pública de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires desde la perspectiva del equipo de salud. Los objetivos específicos: 1- Indagar las percepciones sobre comunicación de los integrantes del equipo de salud de los CEPAD; 2-caracterizar las acciones comunicacionales, preventivas y asistenciales que los integrantes de los equipos de salud implementan en los...