title: Acceptability by community health workers in Senegal of combining community case management of malaria and seasonal malaria chemoprevention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Community case management of malaria (CCMm) and seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) are anti-malarial interventions that can lead to substantial reduction in malaria burden acting in synergy. However, little is known about the social acceptability of these interventions. A study was undertaken to assess whether combining the interventions would be an acceptable approach to malaria control for community health workers (CHWs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one interviews and six focus group discussions were conducted nested in a cluster-randomized trial assessing the impact of combining CCMm and SMC in a rural area of Senegal. Participants consisted of: (i) members of village associations, (ii) members of families who had access to the interventions as well as members of families who did not access the interventions, (iii) CHWs, and (iv) community leaders, e g, religious guides and village chiefs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The interventions were acceptable to the local population and perceived as good strategy to make health care services available to community members and thus, to reduce the delays in access to anti-malarial treatment as well as expenses related to patients' transfer to the health post. The use of malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) contributed to improving CHWs diagnostic capacity as well as malaria treatment practices. Study participants notified RDT and drugs stock-out as the major risk for sustainability of the intervention at community level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combining CCMm and SMC is a well accepted, community-based approach that can contribute to control malaria in areas where malaria transmission is seasonal.
authors.affiliation: Service de Parasitologie, Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie, Dakar, Sénégal. roger.tine@ucad.edu.sn.
authors.forename: Roger C K
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Tine
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ndiaye
authors.forename: Cheikh T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Ndour
authors.forename: Babacar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Faye
authors.forename: Jean L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ndiaye
authors.forename: Khadime
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sylla
authors.forename: Magatte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ndiaye
authors.forename: Badara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cisse
authors.forename: Doudou
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sow
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magnussen
authors.forename: Ib C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Bygbjerg
authors.forename: Oumar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gaye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019090:Case Management; D018890:Chemoprevention / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003150:Community Health Workers; D005260:Female; D006298:Health Services Administration; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012424:Rural Population; D012675:Senegal; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials