TACT Training Manuals for Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs)

The TACT training manuals and patient leaflet were designed to support the use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). These manuals were used during the TACT trial of the ACT Consortium.

TACT stands for 'Targeting ACTs (artemisinin-based combination therapy)' and aims to find the best ways to use rapid diagnostic tests, so that:

• patients with malaria do get treated
• patients without malaria do not receive an ACT but get treated for their likely illness.

This is a resource for trainers to assist health workers to implement the WHO policy for management of febrile illness. The training recognises the challenges that health workers must overcome when incorporating malaria rapid diagnostic tests into their long established practices. Previously presumptive treatment - based on symptoms and not a formal diagnosis - was the norm, but the new guidelines challenge this common practice.

This training uses small group interactive training within the workplace. It enables change by developing the capacity of health workers to find feasible ways to adhere to malaria rapid diagnostic tests, in order to change their practice for the long term.

Summary of Patient Leaflet

The TACT Patient Leaflet explains to patients the purpose of malaria RDTs and models for health workers how and when the tests should be used. The format is an A4 page folded leaflet in black-and-white with drawings and text in English and KiSwahili. It can also be printed on larger sheets as a poster.

The leaflet follows a story which was constructed to illustrate five key points found to be important in formative research and participatory workshops:

• fevers encompass more than malaria;
• RDTs are available;
• why tests are trustworthy;
• experiment in not taking antimalarials after negative test results;
• health workers should give information to patients.

The leaflet was carefully pretested in five rounds with pairs of community members in the study area. The final round of testing of the leaflet found that respondents could interpret the overall messages of the leaflet, and an average of 97.3% of the 120 pictorial and text items of the leaflet were understood (n = 15 pairs).

Information about the development of the TACT intervention and materials

The TACT intervention to support the introduction of malaria RDTs in northeastern Tanzanian dispensaries was developed carefully and systematically, based on formative research, other empirical evidence and behaviour change theory. See a full description of how the intervention was developed and the materials pretested: http://www.implementationscience.com/content/9/1/83 

You can download the TACT training manual and patient information sheets, as well as the copyright and usage policy, on the right hand side of this screen. Please download the copyright and usage policy documents before using this guidance.

This material has been developed by the ACT Consortium, a global research partnership of eminent public health and academic institutions.