Optimization and Testing of ALRITE, a Clinical Decision Support Tool for Management of Respiratory Illnesses in Young Children in Primary Care Health Facilities in Uganda

Optimization and Testing of ALRITE, a Clinical Decision Support Tool for Management of Respiratory Illnesses in Young Children in Primary Care Health Facilities in Uganda

The goal of this study is to pilot test the feasibility of a mobile health clinical decision support tool called ALRITE for the diagnosis and management of acute lower respiratory illnesses in young children in Uganda. Asthma/wheezing illness, in particular, is underdiagnosed in this setting. The main questions the study aims to answer are:

• Are the intervention structure, processes, outcomes, and implementations strategies feasible to conduct in the desired settings?
• Does ALRITE increase the diagnosis of wheezing illness among children seen at Ugandan health centers?

Researchers will compare outcomes before and after ALRITE deployment to healthcare workers at 4 Ugandan healthcare centers using an interrupted time series design. Study participants are healthcare workers.

There will be12 months of baseline data collection ("baseline period"), at the beginning of which healthcare workers will be enrolled at each site. Following the baseline period, health workers will receive ALRITE training and will be encouraged but not required to use ALRITE in clinical care for a 6-month intervention period. Health worker participants will fill out surveys and participate in focus group discussions to provide feedback.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthcare workers employed at each study site with a minimum of 6 months' experience of caring for children with respiratory symptoms in general outpatient care
• Completed one of the following training programs: medical officer, clinical officer, nurse, midwife
• proficient in reading and speaking English, one of the official languages of Uganda
• at least 18 years of age

Exclusion Criteria:

• inability to read/write English