Introduction:Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease that necessitates regular deworming of canines.The efficacy of the conventional manual deworming(CMD)is impeded by geography,the workforce,and severe weather...Introduction:Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease that necessitates regular deworming of canines.The efficacy of the conventional manual deworming(CMD)is impeded by geography,the workforce,and severe weather conditions.This study evaluated the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the smart health education pillbox(SHEP)compared to CMD in canine echinococcosis control.Methods:A 12-month cluster randomized trial was conducted across nine endemic Chinese counties,where townships were randomly assigned to either the SHEP or CMD group.The primary outcomes included Echinococcus antigen positivity rates in dog feces,deworming frequency,and cost components.Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27.0,employing Generalized Estimating Equations(GEE),odds ratios(OR),relative risk(RR),relative risk reduction(RRR),and protective efficacy(1/RR).Results:SHEP implementation significantly reduced Echinococcus infection risk by 35.45% and demonstrated 1.55-fold higher protective efficacy than CMD.The total deworming costs decreased by 22.62%,with substantial savings in personnel(53.15%),transportation(79.48%),and operational time requirements(30.13%).The proportion of dogs that achieved the target annual deworming frequency(9-12 times)increased from 51.89% to 91.38%,representing a relative improvement of 52.59%.Conclusion:SHEP,which integrates automated reminders of praziquantel(PZQ)tablet delivery,is a promising tool for diminishing resource utilization and mitigating Echinococcus transmission in endemic areas.展开更多
Introduction:Echinococcosis,a neglected zoonotic disease,imposes a substantial global health burden.Enhancing health literacy and facilitating practice changes among pastoral communities through innovative technologic...Introduction:Echinococcosis,a neglected zoonotic disease,imposes a substantial global health burden.Enhancing health literacy and facilitating practice changes among pastoral communities through innovative technological interventions are essential for reducing disease transmission and impact.We evaluated the effectiveness of the Smart Health Education Pillbox(SHEP)on the knowledge,attitudes,and practices(KAP)of dog owners in controlling echinococcosis.Methods:We conducted a cluster-randomized trial among 2,700 dog owners across nine endemic counties in western China,selecting two townships per county.Within each township,150 enrolled dog owners were randomly allocated in equal numbers to either the Smart Health Education Pillbox(SHEP)or routine health education(RHE)group.Data were collected through a validated online questionnaire(Cronbach’sα=0.85)distributed via the Wenjuanxing platform.Primary outcomes included knowledge,attitude,and practice rates,as well as practice conversion efficiency.Statistical analyses were performed to calculate absolute risk reduction(ARR),relative risk(RR),relative risk reduction(RRR),protective efficacy(1/RR),and conversion efficiency index(η).Results:Implementation of the SHEP significantly enhanced dog owners’knowledge,attitudes,and practices by 6.78%,3.30%,and 7.50%,respectively,while reducing misconceptions,negative attitudes,and improper practices by 43.92%,28.60%,and 13.74%compared to RHE(all P<0.001).The intervention demonstrated protective efficacy ratios of 1.82,1.40,and 1.16 across these domains and increased the overall conversion efficiency index by 7.88%(all P<0.001).Conclusion:The SHEP represents a superior intervention for improving echinococcosis-related knowledge,attitudes,and practices(KAP),demonstrating particular strength in enhancing knowledge-to-practice conversion.As an innovative solution addressing health education challenges in plateau pastoral areas,the SHEP is recommended for integration into the national echinococcosis control program.展开更多
基金Supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China[grant numbers 2021YFC2300800 and 2021YFC2300804].
文摘Introduction:Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease that necessitates regular deworming of canines.The efficacy of the conventional manual deworming(CMD)is impeded by geography,the workforce,and severe weather conditions.This study evaluated the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the smart health education pillbox(SHEP)compared to CMD in canine echinococcosis control.Methods:A 12-month cluster randomized trial was conducted across nine endemic Chinese counties,where townships were randomly assigned to either the SHEP or CMD group.The primary outcomes included Echinococcus antigen positivity rates in dog feces,deworming frequency,and cost components.Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27.0,employing Generalized Estimating Equations(GEE),odds ratios(OR),relative risk(RR),relative risk reduction(RRR),and protective efficacy(1/RR).Results:SHEP implementation significantly reduced Echinococcus infection risk by 35.45% and demonstrated 1.55-fold higher protective efficacy than CMD.The total deworming costs decreased by 22.62%,with substantial savings in personnel(53.15%),transportation(79.48%),and operational time requirements(30.13%).The proportion of dogs that achieved the target annual deworming frequency(9-12 times)increased from 51.89% to 91.38%,representing a relative improvement of 52.59%.Conclusion:SHEP,which integrates automated reminders of praziquantel(PZQ)tablet delivery,is a promising tool for diminishing resource utilization and mitigating Echinococcus transmission in endemic areas.
基金Supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2021YFC2300800,2021YFC2300804).
文摘Introduction:Echinococcosis,a neglected zoonotic disease,imposes a substantial global health burden.Enhancing health literacy and facilitating practice changes among pastoral communities through innovative technological interventions are essential for reducing disease transmission and impact.We evaluated the effectiveness of the Smart Health Education Pillbox(SHEP)on the knowledge,attitudes,and practices(KAP)of dog owners in controlling echinococcosis.Methods:We conducted a cluster-randomized trial among 2,700 dog owners across nine endemic counties in western China,selecting two townships per county.Within each township,150 enrolled dog owners were randomly allocated in equal numbers to either the Smart Health Education Pillbox(SHEP)or routine health education(RHE)group.Data were collected through a validated online questionnaire(Cronbach’sα=0.85)distributed via the Wenjuanxing platform.Primary outcomes included knowledge,attitude,and practice rates,as well as practice conversion efficiency.Statistical analyses were performed to calculate absolute risk reduction(ARR),relative risk(RR),relative risk reduction(RRR),protective efficacy(1/RR),and conversion efficiency index(η).Results:Implementation of the SHEP significantly enhanced dog owners’knowledge,attitudes,and practices by 6.78%,3.30%,and 7.50%,respectively,while reducing misconceptions,negative attitudes,and improper practices by 43.92%,28.60%,and 13.74%compared to RHE(all P<0.001).The intervention demonstrated protective efficacy ratios of 1.82,1.40,and 1.16 across these domains and increased the overall conversion efficiency index by 7.88%(all P<0.001).Conclusion:The SHEP represents a superior intervention for improving echinococcosis-related knowledge,attitudes,and practices(KAP),demonstrating particular strength in enhancing knowledge-to-practice conversion.As an innovative solution addressing health education challenges in plateau pastoral areas,the SHEP is recommended for integration into the national echinococcosis control program.
