SAIA-TB: Using the Systems Analysis and Improvement Approach (SAIA) to Prevent TB in Rural South Africa

This four-wave stepped wedge crossover cluster randomized trial will assess the effectiveness of the SAIA-TB intervention (Aim 1). A total of 16 clinics in four municipalities within the Sarah Baartman-district, Eastern Cape, South Africa will be included. The SAIA-TB intervention will be implemented at the clinic level. Public sector clinic staff and clinic managers, supported by study personnel, will deliver the intervention over an 18-month implementation phase, followed by a 12-month maintenance phase led by clinic managers without additional study personnel support, to provide evidence on intervention impact under ideal circumstances, as well as sustained effect over time. Aim 2 will consist of interviews and using the organization readiness for implementing change (ORIC) with facilities early in SAIA-TB implementation (within 3 months of initiating the intervention) to identify clinic-level attributes that affect intervention adoption. Additionally, the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) will guide data collection and interpretation related to implementation, assess fidelity to intervention protocol, describe intervention adaptations when integrated into routine management systems, and identify clinic-level determinants of successful SAIA-TB implementation. Recurrent measurement of structural readiness and implementation dose (as a function of quality and quantity) at the clinic level will inform guidance on essential structural needs to implement SAIA-TB. The trial will culminate in a dissemination package, summarizing results and providing implementation guidance to support scale-up.