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    PublicationOpen Access
    Respondent-driven sampling on the Thailand-Cambodia border. I. Can malaria cases be contained in mobile migrant workers?
    (2011-05-10) Amnat Khamsiriwatchara; Piyaporn Wangroongsarb; Thwing, Julie; Eliades, James; Wichai Satimai; Delacollette, Charles; Jaranit Kaewkungwal; จรณิต แก้วกังวาล; Delacollette, Charles; Mahidol University. Faculty of Tropical Medicine.
    frequency of greater than once per month. Of migrants from Cambodia, 32% of M1 and 68% of M2 were planning to return, and named provinces across Cambodia as their likely next destinations. Most workers from Myanmar came from Mon state (86%), had never
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    PublicationOpen Access
    Application of smart phone in "Better Border Healthcare Program": a module for mother and child care
    (2010-11) Jaranit Kaewkungwal; จรณิต แก้วกังวาล; Pratap Singhasivanon; ประตาป สิงหศิวานนท์; Amnat Khamsiriwatchara; อำนาจ คำศิริวัชรา; Surasak Sawang; Pongthep Meankaew; พงษ์เทพ เมียนแก้ว; Apisit Wechsart; Jaranit Kaewkungwal; Mahidol University. Faculty of Tropical Mediicine. Department of Tropical Hygiene
    BACKGROUND: To assess the application of cell phone integrating into the healthcare system to improve antenatal care (ANC) and expanded programme on immunization (EPI) services for the under-served population in border area. METHODS: A module combining web-based and mobile technology was developed to generate ANC/EPI visit schedule dates in which the healthcare personnel can cross-check, identify and update the mother's ANC and child's EPI status at the healthcare facility or at the household location when performing home visit; with additional feature of sending appointment reminder directly to the scheduled mother in the community. RESULTS: The module improved ANC/EPI coverage in the study area along the country border including for both Thai and non-Thai mothers and children who were either permanent resident or migrants; numbers of ANC and EPI visit on-time as per schedule significantly increased; there was less delay of antenatal visits and immunizations. CONCLUSIONS: The module integrated and functioned successfully as part of the healthcare system; it is proved for its feasibility and the extent to which community healthcare personnel in the low resource setting could efficiently utilize it to perform their duties.
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    PublicationOpen Access
    Ethical issues in research involving minority populations: the process and outcomes of protocol review by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Thailand.
    (2013-09-11) Pornpimon Adams; พรพิมล อดัมส์; Waranya Wongwit; วรัญญา ว่องวิทย์; Krisana Pengsaa; กฤษณา เพ็งสา; Srisin Khusmith; ศรีสิน คูสมิทธิ์; Wijitr Fungladda; วิจิตร ฟุ้งลัดดา; Warissara Chaiyaphan; วริสรา ไชยพันธุ์; Chanthima Limphattharacharoen; จันทิมา ลิ่มภัทรเจริญ; Sukanya Prakobtham; สุกัญญา ประกอบธรรม; Jaranit Kaewkungwal; จรณิต แก้วกังวาน; Jaranit Kaewkungwal; Mahidol University. Faculty of Tropical Medicine. Office of Research Services.; Mahidol University. Faculty of Tropical Medicine. Department of Social and Environmental Medicine.; Mahidol University. Faculty of Tropical Medicine. Department of Tropical Pediatrics.; Mahidol University. Faculty of Tropical Medicine. Department of Microbiology and Immunology.; Mahidol University. Faculty of Tropical Medicine. Department of Tropical Hygiene.
    BACKGROUND: Recruiting minorities into research studies requires special attention, particularly when studies involve "extra-vulnerable" participants with multiple vulnerabilities, e.g., pregnant women, the fetuses/neonates of ethnic minorities, children in refugee camps, or cross-border migrants. This study retrospectively analyzed submissions to the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Tropical Medicine (FTM-EC) in Thailand. Issues related to the process and outcomes of proposal review, and the main issues for which clarification/revision were requested on studies, are discussed extensively. METHODS: The study data were extracted from proposals and amendments submitted to the FTM-EC during the period October 2009 - September 2012, and then analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The main issues for clarification/revision were analyzed by thematic content analysis. RESULTS: 373 proposals were submitted; 44 studies involved minority groups with 21 extra-vulnerable minorities. All clinical and 2/3 of non-clinical studies submitted for initial review underwent full-board review. For combined clinical and non-clinical study submissions, 92.1% were referred back to the investigators and approved after clarification/revision, while 2.7% were deferred due to major/critical changes, and 2.1% not approved due to substantial violations of ethical principles. The main issues needing clarification/revision differed between all studies and those involving minorities: participant information sheet (62.2% vs. 86.4%), informed consent/assent form (51.2% vs. 86.4%), and research methodology (80.7% vs. 84.1%), respectively. The main ethical issues arising during the meetings, regarding studies involving minorities, included ensuring no exploitation, coercion, or pressure on the minority to participate; methodology not affecting their legal status; considering ethnicity and cultural structure; and providing appropriate compensation. CONCLUSION: Delays in the approval or non-approval of studies involving minorities were mainly due to major or minor deviations from acceptable ethical standards and/or unclear research methodology. The FTM-EC has employed several mechanisms in its operations, including transparency in the review process, building good relationships via open communication with investigators, requesting investigators to consider closely the necessity to enroll minority groups and the risk-benefits for individuals and their communities, and the inclusion of minority-community engagement when developing the proposal. Other effective activities include annual study-site inspections, and offering refresher courses to raise awareness of minority and vulnerability issues among researchers.
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    PublicationOpen Access
    Directly-observed therapy (DOT) for the radical 14-day primaquine treatment of Plasmodium vivax malaria on the Thai-Myanmar border
    (2010-11-01) Takeuchi, Rie; Saranath Lawpoolsri; สารนาถ ล้อพูลศรี; Mallika Imwong; มัลลิกา อิ่มวงศ์; Kobayashi, Jun; Jaranit Kaewkungwal; จรณิต แก้วกังวาล; Sasithon Pukrittayakamee; ศศิธร ผู้กฤตยาคามี; Supalap Puangsa-art; ศุภลาภ พวงสอาด; Nipon Thanyavanich; นิพนธ์ ธัญญวานิช; Wanchai Maneeboonyang; วรรณไชย มณีบุญยัง; Day, Nicholas P.J.; Pratap Singhasivanon; ประตาป สิงหศิวานนท์; Pratap Singhasivanon; Mahidol University. Faculty of Tropical Medicine. Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine; Mahidol University. Faculty of Tropical Medicine. Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU); Mahidol University. Faculty of Tropical Medicine. Department of Tropical Hygiene.
    BACKGROUND: Plasmodium vivax has a dormant hepatic stage, called the hypnozoite, which can cause relapse months after the initial attack. For 50 years, primaquine has been used as a hypnozoitocide to radically cure P. vivax infection, but major concerns remain regarding the side-effects of the drug and adherence to the 14-day regimen. This study examined the effectiveness of using the directly-observed therapy (DOT) method for the radical treatment of P. vivax malaria infection, to prevent reappearance of the parasite within the 90-day follow-up period. Other potential risk factors for the reappearance of P. vivax were also explored. METHODS: A randomized trial was conducted from May 2007 to January 2009 in a low malaria transmission area along the Thai-Myanmar border. Patients aged ≥ 3 years diagnosed with P. vivax by microscopy, were recruited. All patients were treated with the national standard regimen of chloroquine for three days followed by primaquine for 14 days. Patients were randomized to receive DOT or self-administered therapy (SAT). All patients were followed for three months to check for any reappearance of P. vivax. RESULTS: Of the 216 patients enrolled, 109 were randomized to DOT and 107 to SAT. All patients recovered without serious adverse effects. The vivax reappearance rate was significantly lower in the DOT group than the SAT group (3.4/10,000 person-days vs. 13.5/10,000 person-days, p = 0.021). Factors related to the reappearance of vivax malaria included inadequate total primaquine dosage received (< 2.75 mg/kg), duration of fever ≤ 2 days before initiation of treatment, parasite count on admission ≥ 10,000/µl, multiple P. vivax-genotype infection, and presence of P. falciparum infection during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to the 14-day primaquine regimen is important for the radical cure of P. vivax malaria infection. Implementation of DOT reduces the reappearance rate of the parasite, and may subsequently decrease P. vivax transmission in the area.