African Survey on Sepsis Knowledge (ASK)
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Recruiting
- Sponsor
- Claudia Spies
- Enrollment
- 300
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Sepsis - Knowledge - Score
Study Overview
Brief Summary
This study is an anonymous online survey on clinical knowledge of sepsis among healthcare professionals in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The survey is to be repeated every 12-24 months.
Detailed Description
The survey is being conducted in the partner countries of the research network "sub-Saharan Africa consorTium for the Advancement of Innovative Research and Care in Sepsis (STAIRS)," which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). As part of clinical capacity building in partner institutions in Uganda, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, the project will establish a series of webinars and a learning platform, among other things. The survey will be conducted in two separate cross-sectional waves. The baseline survey serves to identify relevant knowledge gaps and determine the needs of various groups of healthcare professionals. The second wave will compare sepsis knowledge scores between waves.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Observational
- Observational Model
- Cohort
- Time Perspective
- Prospective
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Occupation: adult members of a healthcare profession (e.g., doctors, nurses, midwifes) or their trainees
- •Place of work: employment in a healthcare facility in one of the seven partner countries (Uganda, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria).
- •Consent: Willingness to participate voluntarily in the anonymous online survey.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Not employed in a healthcare profession (e.g., administrative staff, non-medical professionals)
- •Not employed in one of the participating countries. Incomplete questionnaires (< 50% of questions answered)
- •No internet access or technical limitations that make participation impossible. To complete the survey online.
- •Language skills: Sufficient language skills in the survey language (English or French)
Arms & Interventions
Participants from the first wave
150 adult participants from healthcare professions from partner institutions in Uganda, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria are surveyed.
Participants from the second wave
150 adult participants from healthcare professions from partner institutions in Uganda, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria are surveyed.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Sepsis - Knowledge - Score
Time Frame: Baseline survey period (January 19, 2026 - April 30, 2026) and follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027)
* Measured as the sum of correctly answered questions in the questionnaire. This results in a sepsis knowledge score of 0-47 points, with higher scores indicating better knowledge. * Assessed in two independent cross-sectional survey waves. * Calculated for all participants. * Serves as the main measure of clinical sepsis knowledge in partner countries across survey waves conducted before and after the implementation period of capacity-building activities
Secondary Outcomes
- Domain-specific knowledge of sepsis(Baseline survey period (January 19, 2026 - April 30, 2026), and follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027))
- Analysis of sepsis knowledge scores and domain-specific scores by professional role(Baseline survey period (January 19, 2026 - April 30, 2026), and follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027))
- Country comparison(Baseline survey period (January 19, 2026 - April 30, 2026), and follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027))
- Second survey wave only: Change in sepsis knowledge scores between survey waves(Follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027))
- Comparison of sepsis knowledge scores by self-reported participation in capacity-building measures(Follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027))
- Baseline survey only: Self-assessment of perceived training needs(Baseline survey period (January 19, 2026 - April 30, 2026))
- Vignette-based sepsis knowledge score (sum of correct responses to predefined vignette items)(Baseline survey period (January 19, 2026 - April 30, 2026), and follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027))
Investigators
Claudia Spies
Head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (CCM/CVK), Charité - University Medicine Berlin
Charite University, Berlin, Germany