Enhancing Non Communicable disease screening in central India-A cluster field trial analyzing the quality and coverage of population based screening by frontline health workers.

Summary:

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in India, especially among adults aged 30 and above. Despite the rollout of the National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs (NP-NCD) and tools like the Community-Based Assessment Checklist (CBAC), challenges persist in the quality and coverage of NCD screening by frontline health workers (FLHWs), including ASHAs, ANMs, and CHOs.

This cluster field trial aims to evaluate whether structured experiential skills-based training of FLHWs improves the quality and coverage of NCD screening in rural Central India compared to routine practice. The study involves 60 clusters from two separate administrative blocks (30 intervention and 30 control clusters) and includes both quantitative and qualitative assessments.

The primary objective is to assess improvements in screening quality (accuracy, completeness, and data reliability). The secondary objective is to measure increased coverage among adults over 30 years of age.

Methodology includes baseline and end-line surveys, pre- and post-training assessments, IDIs with health workers, and FGDs with community members. Quantitative data will be analyzed using statistical tests, and qualitative data will undergo thematic content analysis.

The expected outcome is a measurable improvement in both data quality (validated CBAC, vitals, anthropometric records) and screening coverage in the intervention group. Ethical clearance will be obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee, and individuals identified with NCDs during the study will be referred for appropriate care.