VCAPS 4 - A Randomized Control Trial
Study design
VCAPS 4 randomises district facilities to:
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Chronic respiratory disease intervention or control
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Smoking cessation intervention or control
A 2x2 factorial design allows the effect of two different interventions to be evaluated.
Study aims
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Evaluate the effectiveness of a stepped chronic respiratory disease management (CRD) intervention upon the proportion of individuals with one or more exacerbations of respiratory disease within 12 months of enrolment
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Evaluate the effect of a health system smoking cessation (SC) intervention upon the rate of abstinence among smokers for at least the 30 days prior to 12 months after enrolment, verified by salivary or urinary cotinine
VCAPS 4 interventions
Smoking cessation
VCAPS 4 provides voluntary smoking cessation support for participants who are healthcare workers and patients presenting at district hospitals with smoking problems. They will be assisted to quit in the course of 12 months via phone calls and SMS.
COPD/asthma
Patients diagnosed with COPD/ asthma participating in this intervention will be managed in an algorithm treatment procedures using Symbicort. They will be followed up in this study for 12 months.