Table 2 Primary and secondary outcomes

Objective 1: Cross-sectional community surveys

Prevalence of anaemia

Proportion of Hb measurements <11.0 g/dL. Anaemia will be classified according to severity: mild (Hb 8.0 – 10.9), moderate (Hb 5.0 – 7.9), severe (Hb <5.0).

Prevalence of parasitaemia

Proportion of thick blood smears that are positive for asexual parasites

Prevalence of gametocytaemia

Proportion of thick blood smears that are positive for gametocytes

All-cause mortality

Probability of dying between birth and five years of age, expressed per 1,000 live births

Objective 2: Cohort study

Antimalarial treatment incidence density

Number of antimalarial treatments given for fever/malaria over the period of follow-up

Incidence of illness episodes

Episode of illness as reported by primary caregiver

Incidence of febrile episodes

Episode of illness associated with fever as reported by primary caregiver

Prompt effective treatment of fever

Proportion of children with fever treated within 24 hours of onset of symptoms with an ACT

Prompt effective treatment of malaria

Proportion of children with malaria (confirmed by a parasitological test) treated within 24 hours of onset of symptoms with an ACT

Incidence of serious adverse events

Any experience that results in death, life-threatening experience, hospitalisation, persistent or significant disability or incapacity, or specific medical or surgical intervention to prevent one of the other serious outcomes

Antibiotic treatment incidence density

Number of antibiotic treatments given for fever/bacterial illnesses over the period of follow-up

Objective 3: Health facilities

Patient exit interviews

Inappropriate treatment of malaria

Proportion of children under five with suspected malaria and a negative RDT result who are inappropriately given an ACT + Proportion of children under five with suspected malaria and a positive RDT result who are not prescribed an ACT

Appropriate treatment of malaria

Proportion of children under five with suspected malaria and a positive RDT result who are appropriately given an ACT + Proportion of children under five with suspected malaria and a negative RDT result who are not prescribed an ACT

Inappropriate treatment of malaria

Proportion of children under five with suspected malaria and a positive RDT result who are inappropriately given a non-ACT regimen

Patient satisfaction with healthcare

Proportion of patients indicating they were satisfied with care provided at the health centre in exit interviews

Health facility surveillance

Patient attendance

Total number of patients attending health facilities and their characteristics, including age, gender, village of residence, and diagnosis

Gaps in staffing requirements

Required positions, as indicated by the MoH staffing norms policy, which are unfilled for greater than one month

Stock-outs of ACTs

Days per month that AL supplied by NMS via the district is not available

Health worker knowledge questionnaire

Knowledge questionnaire scores

Proportion of questions answered correctly following training in fever case management