Peer-led training improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters: Evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial on Lake Albert, Uganda.

<h4>Background</h4>The burden of drowning among occupational boaters in low and middle-income countries is highest globally. In Uganda, over 95% of people who drowned from boating-related activities were not wearing lifejackets at the time of the incident. We implemented and evaluated a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Frederick Oporia, Simon P S Kibira, Jagnoor Jagnoor, Olive Kobusingye, Fredrick Edward Makumbi, John Bosco Isunju, Fred Nuwaha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292754
_version_ 1797315855984361472
author Frederick Oporia
Simon P S Kibira
Jagnoor Jagnoor
Olive Kobusingye
Fredrick Edward Makumbi
John Bosco Isunju
Fred Nuwaha
author_facet Frederick Oporia
Simon P S Kibira
Jagnoor Jagnoor
Olive Kobusingye
Fredrick Edward Makumbi
John Bosco Isunju
Fred Nuwaha
author_sort Frederick Oporia
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>The burden of drowning among occupational boaters in low and middle-income countries is highest globally. In Uganda, over 95% of people who drowned from boating-related activities were not wearing lifejackets at the time of the incident. We implemented and evaluated a peer-led training program to improve lifejacket wear among occupational boaters on Lake Albert, Uganda.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial in which fourteen landing sites were randomized to the intervention and non-intervention arm with a 1:1 allocation ratio. In the intervention arm, a six-month peer-to-peer training program on lifejacket wear was implemented while the non-intervention arm continued to receive the routine Marine Police sensitizations on drowning prevention through its community policing program. The effect of the intervention was assessed on self-reported and observed lifejacket wear using a test of differences in proportions of wear following the intention to treat principle. The effect of contamination was assessed using mixed effect modified Poisson regression following the As Treated analysis principle at 95% CI. Results are reported according to the CONSORT statement-extension for cluster randomized trials.<h4>Results</h4>Self-reported lifejacket wear increased markedly from 30.8% to 65.1% in the intervention arm compared to the non-intervention arm which rose from 29.9% to 43.2%. Observed wear increased from 1.0% to 26.8% in the intervention arm and from 0.6% to 8.8% in the non-intervention arm. The test of differences in proportions of self-reported lifejacket wear (65.1%- 43.2% = 21.9%, p-value <0.001) and observed wear (26.8%- 8.8% = 18%, p-value <0.001) showed statistically significant differences between the intervention and non-intervention arm. Self-reported lifejacket wear was higher among boaters who received peer training than those who did not (Adj. PR 1.78, 95% CI 1.38-2.30).<h4>Conclusion</h4>This study demonstrated that peer-led training significantly improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters. The government of Uganda through the relevant ministries, and the Landing Site Management Committees should embrace and scale up peer-led training programs on lifejacket wear to reduce drowning deaths.
first_indexed 2024-03-08T03:09:53Z
format Article
id doaj.art-8220e499de204af9b1b95b9e057087e7
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-08T03:09:53Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-8220e499de204af9b1b95b9e057087e72024-02-13T05:34:29ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-011810e029275410.1371/journal.pone.0292754Peer-led training improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters: Evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial on Lake Albert, Uganda.Frederick OporiaSimon P S KibiraJagnoor JagnoorOlive KobusingyeFredrick Edward MakumbiJohn Bosco IsunjuFred Nuwaha<h4>Background</h4>The burden of drowning among occupational boaters in low and middle-income countries is highest globally. In Uganda, over 95% of people who drowned from boating-related activities were not wearing lifejackets at the time of the incident. We implemented and evaluated a peer-led training program to improve lifejacket wear among occupational boaters on Lake Albert, Uganda.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial in which fourteen landing sites were randomized to the intervention and non-intervention arm with a 1:1 allocation ratio. In the intervention arm, a six-month peer-to-peer training program on lifejacket wear was implemented while the non-intervention arm continued to receive the routine Marine Police sensitizations on drowning prevention through its community policing program. The effect of the intervention was assessed on self-reported and observed lifejacket wear using a test of differences in proportions of wear following the intention to treat principle. The effect of contamination was assessed using mixed effect modified Poisson regression following the As Treated analysis principle at 95% CI. Results are reported according to the CONSORT statement-extension for cluster randomized trials.<h4>Results</h4>Self-reported lifejacket wear increased markedly from 30.8% to 65.1% in the intervention arm compared to the non-intervention arm which rose from 29.9% to 43.2%. Observed wear increased from 1.0% to 26.8% in the intervention arm and from 0.6% to 8.8% in the non-intervention arm. The test of differences in proportions of self-reported lifejacket wear (65.1%- 43.2% = 21.9%, p-value <0.001) and observed wear (26.8%- 8.8% = 18%, p-value <0.001) showed statistically significant differences between the intervention and non-intervention arm. Self-reported lifejacket wear was higher among boaters who received peer training than those who did not (Adj. PR 1.78, 95% CI 1.38-2.30).<h4>Conclusion</h4>This study demonstrated that peer-led training significantly improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters. The government of Uganda through the relevant ministries, and the Landing Site Management Committees should embrace and scale up peer-led training programs on lifejacket wear to reduce drowning deaths.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292754
spellingShingle Frederick Oporia
Simon P S Kibira
Jagnoor Jagnoor
Olive Kobusingye
Fredrick Edward Makumbi
John Bosco Isunju
Fred Nuwaha
Peer-led training improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters: Evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial on Lake Albert, Uganda.
PLoS ONE
title Peer-led training improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters: Evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial on Lake Albert, Uganda.
title_full Peer-led training improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters: Evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial on Lake Albert, Uganda.
title_fullStr Peer-led training improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters: Evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial on Lake Albert, Uganda.
title_full_unstemmed Peer-led training improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters: Evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial on Lake Albert, Uganda.
title_short Peer-led training improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters: Evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial on Lake Albert, Uganda.
title_sort peer led training improves lifejacket wear among occupational boaters evidence from a cluster randomized controlled trial on lake albert uganda
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292754
work_keys_str_mv AT frederickoporia peerledtrainingimproveslifejacketwearamongoccupationalboatersevidencefromaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrialonlakealbertuganda
AT simonpskibira peerledtrainingimproveslifejacketwearamongoccupationalboatersevidencefromaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrialonlakealbertuganda
AT jagnoorjagnoor peerledtrainingimproveslifejacketwearamongoccupationalboatersevidencefromaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrialonlakealbertuganda
AT olivekobusingye peerledtrainingimproveslifejacketwearamongoccupationalboatersevidencefromaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrialonlakealbertuganda
AT fredrickedwardmakumbi peerledtrainingimproveslifejacketwearamongoccupationalboatersevidencefromaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrialonlakealbertuganda
AT johnboscoisunju peerledtrainingimproveslifejacketwearamongoccupationalboatersevidencefromaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrialonlakealbertuganda
AT frednuwaha peerledtrainingimproveslifejacketwearamongoccupationalboatersevidencefromaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrialonlakealbertuganda