Communication Strategies for Behavior-Change and Information, Education, and Communication in Mass Drug Administration for Neglected Tropical Diseases in Africa: A Scoping Review Protocol

Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to map the available data on communication strategies, as well as the barriers and the factors influencing their implementation in mass drug administration campaigns against neglected tropical diseases requiring preventive chemotherapy. Introduction: Five neglected tropical diseases are targeted by mass drug administration, namely lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases and trachoma. Reaching coverage thresholds depends as much on logistics as on communication strategies. Sharing a common distribution platform, these diseases mobilize potentially transferable communication strategies. Mapping these interventions will make it possible to understand their implementation contexts and also to identify the factors influencing their implementation. Inclusion criteria: Published and unpublished documents describing, evaluating or analyzing a communication intervention or component applied to a mass drug administration campaign against at least one of these five diseases in Africa will be included, with no date restriction. Documents without a communication component will be excluded. Methods: The review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and will be reported according to PRISMA-ScR. A search will be conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library, supplemented by grey literature, in French and in English. Screening and extraction will be carried out by two independent reviewers. The results will be presented in the form of tables, figures and a narrative account. Discussion: This exploratory review will provide a better understanding of communication strategies, as well as of the factors influencing their implementation within mass drug administration campaigns. The findings will help to strengthen the appropriate use of these strategies for community involvement, an essential element in the success of mass drug administration.