03582nas a2200445   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653002500054653001200079653001600091653001500107653002800122653001300150653001300163100001100176700001500187700001900202700001400221700001400235700001600249700001300265700001100278700001400289700001300303700001200316700001100328700001300339700001400352700001200366700001300378700001600391700001300407700001300420245012900433856007500562300000900637490000700646520246900653022001403122       2024                            d  c07/202410acase detection delay10aleprosy10areliability10aMozambique10ameasurement consistency10aTanzania10aEthiopia1 aMamo E1 avan Wijk R1 aSchoenmakers A1 aBobosha K1 aLegesse M1 aHambridge T1 aDebelo K1 aDaba F1 aMwageni N1 aMarega A1 aLetta T1 aEman A1 aFumane B1 aRassolo H1 aNjako B1 aMshana S1 aRichardus J1 aKasang C1 aMieras L00aCase detection delay in leprosy: Testing tool reliability and measurement consistency in Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Tanzania.  uhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11253922/pdf/pntd.0012314.pdf  a1-130 v183 a<p><strong>Background: </strong>Case detection delay (CDD) in leprosy is defined as the period between the onset of the first signs and symptoms and the time of diagnosis. A tool, consisting of a questionnaire and a detailed guide for researchers, which includes photos of typical skin signs and notes on establishing the timing of events, was developed to determine this period of delay in months in recently diagnosed leprosy patients. The aims of the study were to determine the reliability and consistency of this CDD assessment tool.</p>

<p><strong>Methods&nbsp;</strong>This study was conducted in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Tanzania. Two types of consistency were considered: over time (test-retest reliability) and across different researchers (interrater reliability). A CDD questionnaire was administered to 167 leprosy patients who were diagnosed within 6 months prior to their inclusion. One month later, the same or another researcher re-administered the CDD questionnaire to the same patients. Both test-retest and interrater reliability were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), where a value greater than or equal to 0.7 is considered acceptable.</p>

<p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, 10 participants (6.0%) were under 15 years of age, and 56 (33.5%) were women. In the test-retest assessment, the mean CDD from the first and second interviews was 23.7 months (95% CI 14.4-34.8) and 24.0 months (95% CI 14.8-33.2), respectively. The ICC for test-retest reliability was 0.99 (95% CI 0.994-0.997). For the interrater reliability assessment, the first and second interviews revealed a mean CDD of 24.7 months (95% CI 18.2-31.1) and 24.6 months (95% CI 18.7-30.5), respectively, with an ICC of 0.90 (95% CI 0.85-0.94). A standard error of measurement of 0.46 months was found in the test-retest and 1.03 months in the interrater measurement. Most answers given by participants during the first and second interviews were matching (≥86%). Most non-matching answers were in the 0-2 month delay category (≥46%).</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion&nbsp;</strong>The tool, including a questionnaire to determine the CDD of newly diagnosed leprosy patients, was validated in three African countries. The test-retest and interrater measurements demonstrated that the instrument is reliable and measures consistently. The tool can be used in routine leprosy programmes as well as in research settings.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
  a1935-2735