Acute Respiratory Infection Diagnostic Aids (ARIDA) for children under five years Acceptability study of ChARM device

Background

UNICEF’s Acute Respiratory Infection Diagnostic Aid (ARIDA) project was initiated as a response to the call for better pneumonia diagnostic aids and aims to identify and introduce automated Respiration rate (RR) counting aids for classifying fast breathing pneumonia, for use by frontline health workers in resource-limited community settings and health facilities.  ChARM device was individually tested in the community to measure the RR in children under 5 years of ages, this decided used accelerometer based system, which automatically classifies breathing rate according to the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines. HERD International was contracted by UNICEF to generate evidence based data regarding acceptability of ARIDA ChARM device and its adherence to IMNCI algorithms, among FCHVs and health workers. 

Objectives

1. To determine if FCHVs using an ARIDA ChARM device adhere to IMNCI algorithms and correctly assess and classify children under-five with cough and/or difficult breathing.
2. To document the user experience of ARIDA ChARM device in a sick child consultation.
3. To explore the acceptability of the ARIDA ChARM device to FCHVs, HWs and caregivers.

Methodology

The study was a prospective, observational study with the use of both quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative approach had structured evaluations which was conducted among 132 trained FCHVs after the training using ChARM device on two phases. First evaluation was conducted on September/October 2018 and second evaluation was conducted after two months of routine use of the device on November/December 2018. For the Qualitative Approach Semi-Structure interviews were conducted with a sample of FCHVs., HWs and caregivers after second phase of quantitative observation. The study was conducted in a community setting in three palikas – Chandanath municipality, Tila rural municipality and Tatopani rural municipality of Jumla district in Karnali province of Nepal.  Jumla district was selected because of the high burden of pneumonia, sufficient number of FCHVs with experience and availability, political stability and availability of oxygen at the district hospital.

Project focal person

This project’s focal person is Ms. Abriti Arjyal