| Abstrakt: |
Treatment of HIV in South Africa is informed by national guidelines, which are regularly updated. Ongoing training of healthcare workers is vital for optimal patient care, but is challenging, due to human, financial and infrastructural constraints. There is a need for innovative solutions to meet training and support needs. With 93.2% of South African adults using WhatsApp, it is an ideal platform for training, even in the most remote clinics. The primary aim of the study is to design, test and evaluate the effect of WhatsApp group-based HIV training on nurses' and community health workers' knowledge. The secondary aims are to assess uptake, acceptability, and feasibility of the intervention; and to explore and describe the changes in prescribing, comparing the intervention group to the control group. A pragmatic, mixed-methods, parallel-group cluster-randomised study design will be used. This paper details the design – and rationale behind it – of the study. A critical realist stance was chosen, with outcomes measured using questionnaires, pre- and post-intervention; WhatsApp group interaction; focus groups; and folder reviews. Inferential analysis will be conducted using Stata, descriptive analysis using Excel™ and qualitative data using template analysis with NVivo™. Rigor of the study will be ensured using relevant points from the CASP and COREQ checklists, considering the study's theoretical underpinning, design and aims. Reporting will be guided by the CONSORT and SRQR guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
