Clinical Trial: A School-Based Intervention to Reduce Lyme Disease
Study Status: Active, not recruiting
Recruit Status: Active, not recruiting
Study Type: Interventional
Official Title: A School-Based Intervention to Reduce Lyme Disease
Brief Summary:
Our overall goal is to develop, implement, evaluate and disseminate an effective and generalizable program to reduce Lyme disease in endemic areas through introducing a school-based intervention to children and families. We will:
1. Deliver an educational program in schools to promote personal protective practices, encourage early disease detection and modify residential habitats to reduce tick density.
3. Evaluate the program's efficacy by comparing the acceptability and practice of precautionary behavior, tick density in residential areas and rates of Lyme disease between groups using primary and surveillance data sources Evaluate the contribution of knowledge, attitudes, and parental involvement to children's adoption of prevention strategies.
4. Obtain data on the use of single dose tick bite prophylaxis in children and families.
5. Evaluate the cost of the intervention in relation to its impact on incidence of Lyme disease.
Hypothesis
The community intervention will reduce the incidence of Lyme disease among children and families living in endemic areas by increasing the practice of precautionary behavior and reducing tick density in residential areas. Specifically, we hypothesize that:
- The educational intervention will reduce the incidence of Lyme disease among children and families living in an endemic area.
- The educational intervention will improve the childrens' self-confidence (behavioral self-efficacy), intention to perform, and actual practice of Lyme disease prevention behaviors.
Detailed Summary:
The description of Lyme disease in 1976 and subsequent characterization of its mode of transmission, causative organism and treatment is one of the most remarkable advances in medicine in the last 25 years1-3. Nevertheless, Lyme disease continues to grow as a public health problem4. While Lyme disease affects all age groups, children have one of the highest rates4. Prevention remains a challenge in this group. The Lyme vaccine has been withdrawn from the market in February 20025, 6, and educational strategies among at-risk school children have been inadequately evaluated and none have been institutionalized.
We will target school-aged children living in Nantucket, Dukes County and Essex County. We have collaborated with the teachers and administration in many of the schools. We have collaborated with the teachers and administration in many of the schools.
The intervention will be delivered by a member of our staff in conjunction with the teacher as well as a health education entertainer ('Screaming with Pleasure Productions'). Research assistants will distribute the enrollment questionnaires and "goody" bags. The basic content of the educational message has been designed by Drs. Shadick, Liang, DeJong and the late Dr. Daltroy, and has been used extensively on the Nantucket ferry study and in the "Feel Find Free" Program. The timing takes advantage of the classroom audience, is humorous and entertaining and the message is relevant to anticipated outdoor activities.
Primary Outcome: Lyme disease. We will assess disease incidence in children by their answer to question number seventeen on the follow up questionnaire We will confirm our cases with medical record review from individuals reporting a tick-borne illness or symptoms consistent with disease. All n
Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Current Primary Outcome: assess disease incidence in children by their answer to question number seventeen on the follow up questionnaire consistent with disease. [ Time Frame: by end of grant ]
Original Primary Outcome: Same as current
Current Secondary Outcome: study self-efficacy for regular performance of the avoidance behaviors avoiding tick areas, wearing protective clothing, applying tick repellent to themselves and their pets and self-efficacy for regular tick checks. [ Time Frame: at end of grant ]
Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current
Information By: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Dates:
Date Received: January 7, 2008
Date Started: April 2004
Date Completion: December 2015
Last Updated: July 29, 2015
Last Verified: July 2015
