Can Rapid Diagnostic Testing for Malaria Increase Adherence to Artemether-Lumefantrine?: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Uganda.

ABSTRACT: Most patients with suspected malaria do not receive diagnostic confirmation before beginning antimalarial treatment. We investigated the extent to which uncertainty about malaria diagnosis contributes to patient nonadherence to artemether-lumefantrine (AL) treatment through a randomized controlled trial in central Uganda. Among 1,525 patients purchasing a course of AL at private drug shops, we randomly offered 37.6% a free malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and then assessed adherence through home visits 3 days later. Of these subjects, 68.4% tested positive for malaria and 65.8% adhered overall. Patients who tested positive did not have significantly higher odds of adherence than those who were not offered the test (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.734-1.57

SUBMITTER: Saran I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4824230 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature