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General

Study Overview

Title:

Short-text (SMS) platform ‘Zambia U-Report’ to increase demand for voluntary medicalized male circumcision among adolescents and young adults

Study is 3ie funded:

No

Study ID:

RIDIE-STUDY-ID-5302623e3d9e7

Initial Registration Date:

02/17/2014

Last Update Date:

04/22/2015

Study Status:

Completed

Change History for Status

Changed On	Previous Value
04/22/2015	In Development

Location(s):

Zambia

Abstract:

The study takes advantage of the UNICEF-developed SMS platform, Zambia U-Report, to measure the impact of an SMS campaign (BCC messaging + counselling) promoting voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) uptake. 2,550 existing and newly recruited uncircumcised male participants above the age of 15 will be randomly assigned to three arms: Routine (control), Conventional, and Tailored. An equal number of participants will be assigned to each arm. In the ‘conventional’ SMS intervention, promotional and educational messages will be sent to participants encouraging enrollees (called Ureporters) to undergo VMMC. In the ‘tailored’ SMS intervention, VMMC messages will be tailored to individual participant needs based on information received via SMS polls. All Ureporters will be able to ask questions to trained HIV counsellors over SMS at any time. The study participants will be recruited in Lusaka and Chongwe districts. The primary outcome measured is VMMC uptake (self-reported and verified), with secondary outcomes including self-reported intention to receive VMMC and U-Report platform un-enrollment.

Registration Citation:

Wang, P. and Tsague, L., 2014. Short-text (SMS) platform ‘Zambia U-Report’ to increase demand for voluntary medicalized male circumcision among adolescents and young adults. Registry for International Development for Impact Evaluations (RIDIE). Available at: 10.23846/ridie018

Categories:

Health, Nutrition, and Population

Additional Keywords:

Secondary ID Number(s):

Principal Investigator(s)

Name of First PI:

Paul Wang

Affiliation:

IDinsight

Name of Second PI:

Dr. Landry Tsague

Affiliation:

UNICEF Zambia

Study Sponsor

Name:

International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie)

Study Sponsor Location:

United States

Research Partner

Name of Partner Institution:

Type of Organization:

Location:

Intervention

Intervention Overview

Intervention:

"Conventional" Treatment: Standard package of promotional and informational SMS messages encouraging VMMC uptake. Access to SMS counsellors trained on MC-specific counselling. "Tailored" Treatment: Tailored packages of relevant promotional and informational SMS messages directed to participants depending on their self-reported level of intention to receive VMMC. Access to SMS counsellors trained on MC-specific counselling.

Private Intervention Details:

Theory of Change:

Multiple Treatment Arms Evaluated?

Yes

Implementing Agency

Name of Organization:

CHAMP with support from UNICEF-Zambia

Type of Organization:

NGO (local)/Community Based Organization/Other civil society organization

Program Funder

Name of Organization:

International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie)

Type of Organization:

Other

Intervention Timing

Intervention or Program Started at time of Registration?

No

Start Date:

03/01/2014

End Date:

09/01/2014

Evaluation Method

Evaluation Method Overview

Primary (or First) Evaluation Method:

Randomized control trial

Other (not Listed) Method:

Additional Evaluation Method (If Any):

Other (not Listed) Method:

Method Details

Details of Evaluation Approach:

RCT with three arms (one control and two treatment). Eligible sample frame individuals will be assigned to arms via random assignment, stratified by district, age, and self-reported intention to receive MC. Treatment impact will be measured using multiple logit regression analysis, controlling for select covariates collected at baseline and throughout the evaluation.

Private Details of Evaluation Approach:

Outcomes (Endpoints):

Primary: - VMMC uptake Secondary: - Intention to receive VMMC in the next two months - Intention to receive VMMX at some point - U-Report platform un-subscription

Unit of Analysis:

Individual

Hypotheses:

The following null hypotheses will be tested: 1. The "Conventional" treatment will not increase VMMC uptake versus the control, at the 95% confidence level. 2. The "Tailored" treatment will not increase VMMC uptake versus the control, at the 95% confidence level.

Unit of Intervention or Assignment:

Individual

Number of Clusters in Sample:

Number of Individuals in Sample:

2,550

Size of Treatment, Control, or Comparison Subsamples:

850 observations per arm (x3)

Supplementary Files

Analysis Plan:

Other Documents:

Data

Outcomes Data

Description:

A short SMS survey will be delivered to participants three times (every two months) after a baseline survey and random assignment. The survey re-evaluates participants' self-reported circumcision status as well as intention to receive MC (for uncircumcised individuals). Self-reported VMMC uptake data will be supplemented by data verification at provider partner and clinic sites, via matching of key identifiers including truncated phone numbers, age, and location.

Data Already Collected?

No

Data Previously Used?

Data Access:

Data Obtained by the Study Researchers?

Data Approval Process:

Approval Status:

Treatment Assignment Data

Participation or Assignment Information:

Yes

Description:

Data Obtained by the Study Researchers?

Data Previously Used?

Data Access:

Data Obtained by the Study Researchers?

Data Approval Process:

Approval Status:

Data Analysis

Data Analysis Status:

Study Materials

Upload Study Materials:

Registration Category

Registration Category:

Prospective, Category 1: Data for measuring impacts have not been collected

Completion

Completion Overview

Intervention Completion Date:

10/05/2014

Data Collection Completion Date:

11/06/2014

Unit of Analysis:

Individual

Clusters in Final Sample:

n/a

Total Observations in Final Sample:

1,652

Size of Treatment, Control, or Comparison Subsamples:

Control Arm: N=550; "Conventional" Treatment Arm: N=569; "Tailored" Treatment Arm: N=533

Findings

Preliminary Report:

Yes

Preliminary Report URL:

Forthcoming at 3ieimpact.org, pending on results being published in JAIDS

Summary of Findings:

A three-arm RCT measured the impact of two 5-month short message service campaigns—each consisting of 21 messages—on self-reported and verified VMMC uptake in urban and peri-urban Lusaka Province, Zambia. The interventions and impact evaluation utilized U-Report, a free and confidential SMS platform for subscribers to access information and counseling on sexual health issues. In the “Conventional” campaign, all participants received the same comprehensive package of messages. In the “Tailored” campaign, participants received messages targeted to their level of VMMC intention. This study enrolled 2,312 U-Report subscribers (males, aged 15-30, in study area who reported being uncircumcised). Data were collected using SMS surveys, and verification of outcomes relied on client data from health facilities. The primary analyses of self-reported and verified outcomes failed to detect a statistically significant impact of either the Conventional or the Tailored SMS-based campaign on VMMC uptake. However, the campaigns had large impact on counselor engagement, revealing demand for information and counselor support.

Paper:

No

Paper Summary:

Paper Citation:

Data Availability

Data Availability (Primary Data):

Yes--Available now

Date of Data Availability:

Data URL or Contact:

alison.connor@idinsight.org

Access procedure:

Other Materials

Survey:

Yes

Survey Instrument Links or Contact:

Alison Connor at alison.connor@idinsight.org

Program Files:

Yes

Program Files Links or Contact:

Alison Connor at alison.connor@idinsight.org

External Link:

External Link Description:

Description of Changes:

Study Stopped

Date:

Reason: