Evolution of a programme to engage school students with health research and science in Kenya [version 1; referees: 2 approved]

Facilitating mutually-beneficial educational activities between researchers and school students is an increasingly popular way for research institutes to engage with communities who host health research, but these activities have rarely been formally examined as a community or public engagement approach in health research. The KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) in Kilifi, Kenya, through a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach involving students, teachers, researchers and education stakeholders, has incorporated ‘school engagement’ as a key component into their community engagement (CE) strategy. School engagement activities at KWTRP aim at strengthening the ethical practice of the institution in two ways: through promoting an interest in science and research among school students as a form of benefit-sharing; and through creating forums for dialogue aimed at promoting mutual understanding between researchers and school students. In this article, we provide a background of CE in Kilifi and describe the diverse ways in which health researchers have engaged with communities and schools in different parts of the world. We then describe the way in which the KWTRP school engagement programme (SEP) was developed and scaled-up. We conclude with a discussion about the challenges, benefits and lessons learnt from the SEP implementation and scale-up in Kilifi, which can inform the establishment of SEPs in other settings

A global core outcome measurement set for snakebite clinical trials.

Snakebite clinical trials have often used heterogeneous outcome measures and there is an urgent need for standardisation. A globally representative group of key stakeholders came together to reach consensus on a globally relevant set of core outcome measurements. Outcome domains and outcome measurement instruments were identified through searching the literature and a systematic review of snakebite clinical trials. Outcome domains were shortlisted by use of a questionnaire and consensus was reached among stakeholders and the patient group through facilitated discussions and voting. Five universal core outcome measures should be included in all future snakebite clinical trials-mortality, WHO disability assessment scale, patient-specific functional scale, acute allergic reaction by Brown criteria, and serum sickness by formal criteria. Additional syndrome-specific core outcome measures should be used depending on the biting species. This core outcome measurement set provides global standardisation, supports the priorities of patients and clinicians, enables meta-analysis, and is appropriate for use in low-income and middle-income settings

Définition d’un jeu universel de critères de décision de base pour les essais cliniques sur les morsures de serpent: traduction par Jean-Philippe Chippaux de l’article de Abouyannis M, et al. A global core outcome measurement set for snakebite clinical trials

A global core outcome measurement set for snakebite clinical trials Background. Snakebite clinical trials have often used heterogeneous outcome measures and there is an urgent need for standardisation. Method. A globally representative group of key stakeholders came together to reach consensus on a globally relevant set of core outcome measurements. Outcome domains and outcome measurement instruments were identified through searching the literature and a systematic review of snakebite clinical trials. Outcome domains were shortlisted by use of a questionnaire and consensus was reached among stakeholders and the patient group through facilitated discussions and voting. Results. Five universal core outcome measures should be included in all future snakebite clinical trials: mortality, WHO disability assessment scale, patient-specific functional scale, acute allergic reaction by Brown criteria, and serum sickness by formal criteria. Additional syndrome-specific core outcome measures should be used depending on the biting species. Conclusion. This core outcome measurement set provides global standardisation, supports the priorities of patients and clinicians, enables meta-analysis, and is appropriate for use in low-income and middle-income settings. Définition d’un jeu universel de critères de décision de base pour les essais cliniques sur les morsures de serpent Contexte. Les essais cliniques sur les morsures de serpent ont souvent utilisé des critères de décision hétérogènes qui demandent à être standardisés. Méthode. Un groupe d’acteurs clés mondialement représentatifs s’est réuni pour parvenir à un consensus sur un jeu universel de critères de décision de base. Les domaines d’intérêt et les instruments d’évaluation des critères de décision ont été identifiés à partir d’une recherche documentaire et d’un examen systématique des essais cliniques concernant les envenimations par morsure de serpent. Les domaines d’intérêt ont été présélectionnés à l’aide d’un questionnaire et un consensus a été obtenu entre le groupe d’acteurs et un groupe représentatif de patients à la suite de discussions orientées et d’un vote. Résultats. Cinq critères de décision de base universels devraient être inclus dans tous les futurs essais cliniques sur les morsures de serpent : la mortalité, l’échelle d’évaluation du handicap de l’OMS, l’échelle fonctionnelle propre à chaque patient, la réaction allergique immédiate selon les critères de Brown et la maladie sérique en fonction de critères formels. D’autres critères de décision spécifiques aux différents syndromes observés lors des envenimations par morsure de serpent doivent être utilisés en fonction de l’espèce responsable de la morsure. Conclusion. Ce jeu universel de critères de décision de base permet une standardisation mondiale, répond aux priorités des patients et des cliniciens, favorise des méta-analyses et est compatible avec une utilisation dans les pays à revenu faible ou intermédiaire

A global core outcome measurement set for snakebite clinical trials

Snakebite clinical trials have often used heterogeneous outcome measures and there is an urgent need for standardisation. A globally representative group of key stakeholders came together to reach consensus on a globally relevant set of core outcome measurements. Outcome domains and outcome measurement instruments were identified through searching the literature and a systematic review of snakebite clinical trials. Outcome domains were shortlisted by use of a questionnaire and consensus was reached among stakeholders and the patient group through facilitated discussions and voting. Five universal core outcome measures should be included in all future snakebite clinical trials—mortality, WHO disability assessment scale, patient-specific functional scale, acute allergic reaction by Brown criteria, and serum sickness by formal criteria. Additional syndrome-specific core outcome measures should be used depending on the biting species. This core outcome measurement set provides global standardisation, supports the priorities of patients and clinicians, enables meta-analysis, and is appropriate for use in low-income and middle-income settings