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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2006 Jul 15;333(7559):122.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.38877.393530.7C. Epub 2006 Jun 21.

Effect on weight gain of routinely giving albendazole to preschool children during child health days in Uganda: cluster randomised controlled trial

Harold Alderman  1 , Joseph Konde-Lule, Isaac Sebuliba, Donald Bundy, Andrew Hall
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effect on weight gain of routinely giving albendazole to preschool children during child health days in Uganda: cluster randomised controlled trial

Harold Alderman et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the effectiveness of delivering an anthelmintic through a community child health programme on the weight gain of preschool children in Uganda.

Design: Cluster randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Eastern Uganda.

Participants: 48 parishes participating in a new programme for child health: 24 offered children an additional service of anthelmintic treatment. The outcome is based on measurements from 27,995 children.

Intervention: Treatment of children aged between 1 and 7 years with 400 mg albendazole added to standard services offered during child health days over a three year period.

Main outcome measure: Weight gain.

Results: The provision of periodic anthelmintic treatment as a part of child health services in Uganda resulted in an increase in weight gain of about 10% (166 g per child per year, 95% confidence interval 16 to 316) above expected weight gain when treatments were given twice a year, and an increase of 5% when the treatment was given annually.

Conclusion: Deworming of preschool children in Uganda as part of regularly scheduled health services seems practical and associated with increased weight gain.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of study design
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Mass deworming in Ugandan children.
    Chopra M. Chopra M. BMJ. 2006 Jul 15;333(7559):105. doi: 10.1136/bmj.333.7559.105. BMJ. 2006. PMID: 16840443 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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