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Hemming K, Copas A, Forbes A, Kasza J. What type of cluster randomized trial for which setting? JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND POPULATION HEALTH 2024; 72:202195. [PMID: 38477476 DOI: 10.1016/j.jeph.2024.202195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The cluster randomized trial allows a randomized evaluation when it is either not possible to randomize the individual or randomizing individuals would put the trial at high risk of contamination across treatment arms. There are many variations of the cluster randomized design, including the parallel design with or without baseline measures, the cluster randomized cross-over design, the stepped-wedge cluster randomized design, and more recently-developed variants such as the batched stepped-wedge design and the staircase design. Once it has been clearly established that there is a need for cluster randomization, one ever important question is which form the cluster design should take. If a design in which time is split into multiple trial periods is to be adopted (e.g. as in a stepped-wedge), researchers must decide whether the same participants should be measured in multiple trial periods (cohort sampling); or if different participants should be measured in each period (continual recruitment or cross-sectional sampling). Here we outline the different possible options and weigh up the pros and cons of the different design choices, which revolve around statistical efficiency, study logistics and the assumptions required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla Hemming
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
| | - Andrew Copas
- MRC Clinical Trials Unit at University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Forbes
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jessica Kasza
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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Moore L, Bérubé M, Belcaid A, Turgeon AF, Taljaard M, Fowler R, Yanchar N, Mercier É, Paquet J, Stelfox HT, Archambault P, Berthelot S, Guertin JR, Haas B, Ivers N, Grimshaw J, Lapierre A, Ouyang Y, Sykes M, Witteman H, Lessard-Bonaventure P, Gabbe B, Lauzier F. Evaluating the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention to reduce low-value care in adults hospitalized following trauma: a protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial. Implement Sci 2023; 18:27. [PMID: 37420284 DOI: 10.1186/s13012-023-01279-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While simple Audit & Feedback (A&F) has shown modest effectiveness in reducing low-value care, there is a knowledge gap on the effectiveness of multifaceted interventions to support de-implementation efforts. Given the need to make rapid decisions in a context of multiple diagnostic and therapeutic options, trauma is a high-risk setting for low-value care. Furthermore, trauma systems are a favorable setting for de-implementation interventions as they have quality improvement teams with medical leadership, routinely collected clinical data, and performance-linked to accreditation. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention for reducing low-value clinical practices in acute adult trauma care. METHODS We will conduct a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) embedded in a Canadian provincial quality assurance program. Level I-III trauma centers (n = 30) will be randomized (1:1) to receive simple A&F (control) or a multifaceted intervention (intervention). The intervention, developed using extensive background work and UK Medical Research Council guidelines, includes an A&F report, educational meetings, and facilitation visits. The primary outcome will be the use of low-value initial diagnostic imaging, assessed at the patient level using routinely collected trauma registry data. Secondary outcomes will be low-value specialist consultation, low-value repeat imaging after a patient transfer, unintended consequences, determinants for successful implementation, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. DISCUSSION On completion of the cRCT, if the intervention is effective and cost-effective, the multifaceted intervention will be integrated into trauma systems across Canada. Medium and long-term benefits may include a reduction in adverse events for patients and an increase in resource availability. The proposed intervention targets a problem identified by stakeholders, is based on extensive background work, was developed using a partnership approach, is low-cost, and is linked to accreditation. There will be no attrition, identification, or recruitment bias as the intervention is mandatory in line with trauma center designation requirements, and all outcomes will be assessed with routinely collected data. However, investigators cannot be blinded to group allocation and there is a possibility of contamination bias that will be minimized by conducting intervention refinement only with participants in the intervention arm. TRIAL REGISTRATION This protocol has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (February 24, 2023, # NCT05744154 ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne Moore
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
- Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus), Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
| | - Mélanie Bérubé
- Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus), Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
- Faculty of Nursing, Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
| | - Amina Belcaid
- Institut national d'excellence en santé et services sociaux, Bd Laurier, Québec, Qc, 2535, Canada
| | - Alexis F Turgeon
- Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus), Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Division of Critical Care Medicine, Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
| | - Monica Taljaard
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 725 Parkdale Ave, Ottawa, On, Canada
| | - Robert Fowler
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, On, Canada
| | - Natalie Yanchar
- Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, Ab, Canada
| | - Éric Mercier
- Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus), Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
| | - Jérôme Paquet
- Department of Surgery, Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
| | - Henry Thomas Stelfox
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Medicine and Community Health Sciences, O'Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, Al, Canada
| | - Patrick Archambault
- Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus), Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
| | - Simon Berthelot
- Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus), Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
| | - Jason R Guertin
- Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus), Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
| | - Barbara Haas
- Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 149 College St, Toronto, On, Canada
| | - Noah Ivers
- Department of Family and Community Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College St 4Th Floor, Toronto, On, Canada
| | - Jeremy Grimshaw
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 725 Parkdale Ave, Ottawa, On, Canada
| | - Alexandra Lapierre
- Faculty of Nursing, Université de Montréal, Chem. de La Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, Qc, 2375, Canada
| | - Yongdong Ouyang
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 725 Parkdale Ave, Ottawa, On, Canada
| | - Michael Sykes
- Department of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health, Northumbria University, Ellison PI, Newcastle, UK
| | - Holly Witteman
- Department of Family and Emergency Medicine, Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
| | - Paule Lessard-Bonaventure
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Canada
| | - Belinda Gabbe
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St. Kilda Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - François Lauzier
- Population Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec (Hôpital de L'Enfant-Jésus), Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Division of Critical Care Medicine, Université Laval, 1050 Av. de La Médecine, Québec, Qc, Canada
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Bhatia K, Rath S, Pradhan H, Samal S, Copas A, Gagrai S, Rath S, Gope RK, Nair N, Tripathy P, Rose-Clarke K, Prost A. Effects of community youth teams facilitating participatory adolescent groups, youth leadership activities and livelihood promotion to improve school attendance, dietary diversity and mental health among adolescent girls in rural eastern India (JIAH trial): A cluster-randomised controlled trial. SSM Popul Health 2022; 21:101330. [PMID: 36618545 PMCID: PMC9811248 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives To evaluate whether and how community youth teams facilitating participatory adolescent groups, youth leadership and livelihood promotion improved school attendance, dietary diversity, and mental health among adolescent girls in rural India. Design A parallel group, two-arm, superiority, cluster-randomised controlled trial with an embedded process evaluation. Setting intervention and participants 38 clusters (19 intervention, 19 control) in West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand, India. The intervention included participatory adolescent groups and youth leadership for boys and girls aged 10-19 (intervention clusters only), and family-based livelihood promotion (intervention and control clusters) between June 2017 and March 2020. We surveyed 3324 adolescent girls aged 10-19 in 38 clusters at baseline, and 1478 in 29 clusters at endline. Four intervention and five control clusters were lost to follow up when the trial was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Adolescent boys were included in the process evaluation only. Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary: school attendance, dietary diversity, and mental health; 12 secondary outcomes related to education, empowerment, experiences of violence, and sexual and reproductive health. Results In intervention vs control clusters, mean dietary diversity score was 4·0 (SD 1·5) vs 3·6 (SD 1·2) (adjDiff 0·34; 95%CI -0·23, 0·93, p = 0·242); mean Brief Problem Monitor-Youth (mental health) score was 12·5 (SD 6·0) vs 11·9 (SD 5·9) (adjDiff 0·02, 95%CI -0·06, 0·13, p = 0·610); and school enrolment rates were 70% vs 63% (adjOR 1·39, 95%CI 0·89, 2·16, p = 0·142). Uptake of school-based entitlements was higher in intervention clusters (adjOR 2·01; 95%CI 1·11, 3·64, p = 0·020). Qualitative data showed that the community youth team had helped adolescents and their parents navigate school bureaucracy, facilitated re-enrolments, and supported access to entitlements. Overall intervention delivery was feasible, but positive impacts were likely undermined by household poverty. Conclusions Participatory adolescent groups, leadership training and livelihood promotion delivered by a community youth team did not improve adolescent girls' mental health, dietary diversity, or school attendance in rural India, but may have increased uptake of education-related entitlements. Trial registration ISRCTN17206016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Komal Bhatia
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK,Corresponding author. Institute for Global Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
| | | | | | | | - Andrew Copas
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Kelly Rose-Clarke
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Audrey Prost
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
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