Effect of engaging communities in decision-making and action through traditional and religious leaders on vaccination coverage in Cross River State, Nigeria: a cluster randomised-control trial

Background Vaccination coverage levels fall short of the Global Vaccine and Action Plan (GVAP) 90% target in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). Having identified traditional and religious leaders (TRLs) as potential public health change agents, this study aimed at assessing the effect of training them to support routine immunisation for the purpose of improving uptake of childhood vaccines in Cross River State, Nigeria. Methods A cluster-randomised controlled study was conducted between 2016 and 2019. Of the 18 Local Government Areas (LGA) in Cross River State, eight (four urban and four rural LGAs) were randomized into the intervention and control study arms. A multi-component intervention involving the training of traditional and religious leaders was implemented in the four intervention LGAs. Baseline, midline and endline surveys collected information on children aged 0-23 months. The effect of the intervention on outcomes including the proportion fully up-to-date wi...研究背景 低收入和中等收入国家（low- and middle-income countries, LMICs）的疫苗接种覆盖率未达到全球疫苗行动计划（Global Vaccine and Action Plan, GVAP）设定的90%目标。本研究将传统与宗教领袖（traditional and religious leaders, TRLs）认定为潜在的公共卫生变革推动者，旨在评估针对其开展培训以支持常规免疫接种、进而提升尼日利亚克罗斯河州儿童疫苗接种率的效果。 研究方法 本研究于2016至2019年间开展整群随机对照试验。克罗斯河州共有18个地方政府区域（Local Government Areas, LGA），其中8个（4个城区、4个农村LGA）被随机分配至干预组与对照组。干预组的4个LGA实施了包含传统与宗教领袖培训的多组分干预方案。研究通过基线、中期与终末调查收集了0~23月龄儿童的相关信息。干预措施对包括全程按时免疫比例在内的结局指标的影响……