Effectiveness of Implementing the Adapted Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen in Zambia: An Effectiveness-Implementation Hybrid Type 2 Study Design

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how adapting and implementing practice guidelines for acute abdomen at the primary care level in Zambia can affect patient care. The study uses a mixed method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data from healthcare workers to modify guidelines originally developed for high-income countries to fit a low- and middle-income context. The main goal is to see if these adapted guidelines can reduce hospital stay length and improve outcomes for patients with acute abdomen. The study compares two sites: an intervention site where the adapted acute abdomen guidelines will be put into practice, and a control site where no new guidelines will be introduced. This allows researchers to evaluate the effect of guideline implementation on patient management. The intervention site will follow specific adjusted guidelines tailored for acute abdomen care at the primary level. Participants in the study include all patients aged 18 and older presenting with acute abdomen, except those with trauma-related cases or immediate postoperative patients from other facilities. Data collection will focus on length of hospital stay as the primary outcome measured over 7 days. The study is designed to improve management capacity at primary care and may help reduce morbidity and mortality associated with acute abdomen in this setting. The study is sponsored by the University of Bergen and runs from September 2025 through December 2028.

Effectiveness of Implementing the Adapted Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen in Zambia: An Effectiveness-Implementation Hybrid Type 2 Study Design.