Bulletin of the World Health Organization

Trachoma survey methods: a literature review

Jeremiah Ngondi, Mark Reacher, Fiona Matthews, Carol Brayne & Paul Emerson

Volume 87, Number 2, February 2009, 143-151

Table 2. Characteristics of studies included in the literature review

Author, year and reference no.a Country Survey type Population/participants Sampling plan Trachoma signs reportedb Problems with methodsc
West et al., 199113 United Republic of Tanzania PBPS Community: children 1–7 years and mothers/caregivers Two stage CRS Active trachoma, TI, TS, TT, CO 1 and 2
Sukwa et al., 199214 Zambia PBPS Community: all ages Stratified random sampling TF, TS, TC, TT, CO 1, 2 and 3
Medina et al., 199215 Brazil PBPS School: children age 4–11 years Two stage CRS Active trachoma 1, 2 and 3
Luna et al., 199216 Brazil PBPS Community: children 1–10 years and people ≥ 10 years Random sample of HHs TF, TI, active trachoma, TS, TT 3
Négrel et al., 199217 Morocco PBPS Community: children < 10 years and women ≥ 15 years Two stage CRS Active trachoma, TI, TT
Katz et al., 199618 Nepal PBPS Community: children 2–6 years Systematic sampling TF, TI, active trachoma
Zerihun N, 199719 Ethiopia PBPS Community: all ages Two stage CRS Active trachoma, TS, TT, CO 1 and 3
Dolin et al., 199820 Gambia PBPS Community: all ages Two stage CRS Active trachoma, TS, TT, CO 1 and 3
Schémann et al., 199821 Mali PBPS Community: children 0–10 years and women > 14 years Two stage CRS Active trachoma, TI, TT
Schémann et al., 200022 Mali TRA Community: children < 10 years Villages, then children in HHs Active trachoma
Alene et al., 200023 Ethiopia PBPS Community: all ages Full community census Active trachoma 1 and 3
Limburg et al., 200110 Gambia TRA Community: children 1–10 years Villages, then children in HHs Active trachoma
Ezz al Arab et al., 200124 Egypt PBPS Community: children 2–6 years and adults > 50 years Two stage CRS TF, TI, active trachoma, TT
Assefa et al., 200125 Ethiopia TRA Community: all ages Villages, then people in HHs Active trachoma, TT 2
Bejiga et al., 200126 Ethiopia PBPS Community: all ages Two stage CRS TF, TI, TT 4
Rabiu et al., 200127 Nigeria PBPS Community: children 1–9 years Two stage CRS Active trachoma 1
TRA Community: children 1–9 years Villages, then children within HHs Active trachoma
Lansingh et al., 200128 Australia PBPS Community: all ages Full community census Active trachoma 2
Paxton et al., 200129 United Republic of Tanzania PBPS Community: children 1–10 years and women > 15 years Two stage CRS Active trachoma, TI, TT 1
TRA Community: children 1–10 years and women > 15 years Villages then children within HHs Active trachoma, TT
Alves et al., 200130 Brazil PBPS Community: all ages Sampling method not described Active trachoma, TS, TT 1, 2 and 3
Liu et al., 200231 China PBPS Community: children aged 1–10 years Two stage CRS Active trachoma, TT 1 and 3
TRA Community: children 1–10 years Villages then children within HHs Active trachoma
Medina et al., 200232 Brazil PBPS School: children aged 4–11 years Stratified systematic sampling TF, TI
Schémann et al., 200333 Burkina Faso PBPS Community: children < 10 years Two stage CRS Active trachoma 2 and 4
Saal et al., 200334 Senegal PBPS Community: children < 10 years and women age > 14 years Two stage CRS Active trachoma, TI, TT
Wondimu et al., 200335 Ethiopia PBPS Community: all ages Two stage CRS TT 4
Madani et al., 200336 Chad PBPS Community: children < 10 years and women > 14 years Two stage CRS TF, TI, TT
Myatt et al., 200312 Malawi ASTRA Community: children 2–5 years Selection of HHs by compact segment method Active trachoma 2
Regassa et al., 200437 Ethiopia PBPS Community: adults > 15 years Three stage CRS TF, TI, active trachoma, TS, TT, CO 2 and 4
Cumberland et al., 200538 Ethiopia PBPS Community: children 3–9 years Two stage CRS TF, TI, active trachoma 1 and 3
Myatt et al., 200539 Viet Nam ASTRA School: children 6–11 years Systematic sampling Active trachoma 2
Ngondi et al., 200540 Sudan PBPS Community: children 1–9 years and adults ≥ 15 years Two stage CRS TF, TI, active trachoma, TS, TT, CO
Faye et al., 200541 Senegal ASTRA Community: children 2–5 years and adults > 40 years Two stage CRS TF only, TF+TI, TI only 2
Khandekar et al., 200642 Viet Nam PBPS Community: adults ≥ 35 years Two stage CRS TS, TT, TCO 4
Al-Khatib et al., 200643 Yemen TRA Community: children 1–9 years Villages, then people within HHs Active trachoma, TT cases 2
Karimurio et al., 200644 Kenya PBPS Community: children 1–9 years and adults ≥15 years Two stage CRS TF, TT 4
Ngondi et al., 200645 Sudan PBPS Community: children 1–9 years and adults ≥ 15 years Two stage CRS TF, TI, active trachoma, TS, TT, CO

ASTRA, acceptance sampling trachoma rapid assessment; CRS, cluster random survey; CO, corneal opacity; LQAS, lot quality-assurance sampling; HHs, households; PBPS, population-based prevalence survey; TF, trachomatous inflammation-follicular; TI, trachomatous inflammation-intense; TRA, trachoma rapid assessment; TS, trachomatous scarring; TT, trachomatous trichiasis.
a Detailed summary of studies reviewed available from: http://www.cartercenter.org/news/publications/health/trachoma_experts.html
b Active trachoma defined as TF and/or TI.
c Problems with methods: (1) sample size calculation parameters not given, (2) examiner reliability not reported, (3) confidence intervals of prevalence estimates not reported and (4) adjustment for clustering of trachoma not reported.