An interventional study of Microbe-literacy germ-watching workshop in Vaccination, Hygiene and Vaccine Hesitancy, sponsored by Development Synergies International (Private) Limited. Completed at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to female participants aged 14 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-18.
Sponsored by Development Synergies International (Private) Limited · Not applicable, Interventional, and Health services research
This cluster randomized controlled trial evaluated whether a single microscope-based "germ-watching" workshop, delivered by Lady Health Workers (LHWs) to mothers and female caregivers of children under three years, improves hygiene practices, vaccination attitudes and intentions, routine immunization, and trust in LHWs. Twelve Union Councils in Sargodha District, Pakistan, were allocated 1:1 to the intervention or routine services, with outcomes measured by structured baseline and endline surveys and facility immunization records.
In intervention clusters, LHWs used portable microscopes (>=400x) to show caregivers the microorganisms present in their own household water and food samples during a single 120-minute workshop for 25-30 participants, linking observed microbes to hygiene and vaccine-preventable disease. Control clusters received routine LHW services and standard national health messaging. Allocation used restricted, covariate-constrained randomization at the Union Council level; outcome data entry and analysis were blinded to allocation. Analyses accounted for clustering.
121 studies on the registry are indexed under Vaccination Hesitancy; 14 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 1,200 is above the median of 516 across 98 interventional studies indexed under Vaccination Hesitancy.
Browse Vaccination Hesitancy studies →This is the only study on the registry with Development Synergies International (Private) Limited as lead sponsor.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Routine LHW services PLUS a single 120-minute microscope-based germ-watching workshop.
Behavioral: Microbe-literacy germ-watching workshop
Routine LHW services and standard national health messaging; no workshop
Group demonstration (25-30 participants) using portable microscopes to visualize microorganisms in participants' own environmental samples, linked to hygiene and immunization messages
Proportion of caregivers/children reporting always washing hands (self-reported)
Percentage of caregivers (and their children) reporting they "always" wash hands with soap / before eating, from a structured interviewer-administered survey item, compared between arms.
Time frame: Baseline and 4 months (endline, immediately after the intervention period)
Third-dose oral polio vaccine (OPV3) coverage (facility records)
Percentage of index children with a documented third dose of oral polio vaccine, ascertained from facility immunization records, compared between arms.
Time frame: 4 months (endline)
Proportion with self-reported completion of the age-appropriate immunization schedule
Percentage of caregivers reporting the index child had received all age-appropriate vaccinations (structured survey item), compared between arms.
Time frame: Baseline and 4 months (endline)
Proportion reporting high trust in Lady Health Workers
Percentage of caregivers responding "yes, a lot" to a single-item survey question on trust in Lady Health Workers for vaccine information, compared between arms.
Time frame: Baseline and 4 months (endline)
Proportion aware that germs cause infectious disease
Percentage of caregivers identifying germs (rather than, e.g., "bad weather") as the cause of infectious disease on a survey item, compared between arms.
Time frame: Baseline and 4 months (endline)
Proportion perceiving vaccines as safe
Percentage of caregivers responding "yes, safe" to a survey item on perceived vaccine safety, compared between arms.
Time frame: Baseline and 4 months (endline)
Proportion intending to vaccinate ("very likely")
Percentage of caregivers responding "very likely" to a survey item on intention to vaccinate the child in future, compared between arms.
Time frame: Baseline and 4 months (endline)
Proportion willing to recommend vaccination to others
Percentage of caregivers responding "yes" to a survey item on willingness to recommend vaccination to other mothers, compared between arms.
Time frame: Baseline and 4 months (endline)
Plan to share: Undecided — De-identified participant data available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Ran from May 2024 to primary completion in Aug 2024, 3 months.
Of 82 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Vaccination Hesitancy, half reached primary completion within 6 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 14. This study's 3 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 83 studies reached it within 5 months; a quarter within 2 and three quarters within 14.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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