African Survey on Sepsis Knowledge (ASK)
ConditionSepsis
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorClaudia Spies
About this trial
This study is an anonymous online survey on clinical knowledge of sepsis among healthcare professionals in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The survey is to be repeated every 12-24 months.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Occupation: adult members of a healthcare profession (e.g., doctors, nurses, midwifes) or their trainees
Place of work: employment in a healthcare facility in one of the seven partner countries (Uganda, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria).
Consent: Willingness to participate voluntarily in the anonymous online survey.
Disqualifiers
Not employed in a healthcare profession (e.g., administrative staff, non-medical professionals)
Not employed in one of the participating countries. Incomplete questionnaires (< 50% of questions answered)
No internet access or technical limitations that make participation impossible. To complete the survey online.
Language skills: Sufficient language skills in the survey language (English or French)
Trial population
Adult members of a healthcare profession (e.g., doctors, nurses, clinical officers) or their trainees from healthcare facility in one of the seven partner countries (Uganda, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria).
Trial design
Design model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Treatments tested in this trial
Not listed
Trial groups
300 Participants
are grouped into 2 trial groupsGroup A: Participants from the first wave
Group B: Participants from the second wave
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Sepsis - Knowledge - Score
* Measured as the sum of correctly answered questions in the questionnaire. This results in a sepsis knowledge score of 0-47 points, with higher scores indicating better knowledge. * Assessed in two independent cross-sectional survey waves. * Calculated for all participants. * Serves as the main measure of clinical sepsis knowledge in partner countries across survey waves conducted before and after the implementation period of capacity-building activities
Time frame
Baseline survey period (January 19, 2026 - April 30, 2026) and follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027)Secondary outcomes
1
Domain-specific knowledge of sepsis
Domain-specific knowledge of sepsis is measured in five domains, to identify specific knowledge gaps. Domain-specific scores will be measured as the sum of correctly answered questions in the questionnaire in respective domain. Domains are: 1. definitions of sepsis and septic shock (0-8 points, with higher points indicating higher knowledge) 2. sepsis risk groups (0-6 points, with higher points indicating higher knowledge), 3. causes of sepsis (0-6 points, with higher points indicating higher knowledge), 4. sepsis symptoms (0-6 points, with higher points indicating higher knowledge), 5. management of sepsis (0-21 points, with higher points indicating higher knowledge). All domains together sum up to the overall sepsis knowledge score (primary outcome).
Time frame
Baseline survey period (January 19, 2026 - April 30, 2026), and follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027)2
Analysis of sepsis knowledge scores and domain-specific scores by professional role
* Correlations between sepsis knowledge scores and professional roles and different levels of education within professional groups (nurses, doctors, and midwifes). * Regression-based predictors of overall sepsis knowledge scores and domain-specific scores by professional roles and different levels of education within the professional groups of nurses, doctors, and midwifes
Time frame
Baseline survey period (January 19, 2026 - April 30, 2026), and follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027)3
Country comparison
• Between group comparison in sepsis knowledge scores and domain-specific sepsis knowledge between different countries (Uganda, Ethiopia, the Demoratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, (potentially other countries in case of spill-over).
Time frame
Baseline survey period (January 19, 2026 - April 30, 2026), and follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027)4
Second survey wave only: Change in sepsis knowledge scores between survey waves
\- Difference in average knowledge score in repeated survey. * Between-wave comparison of sepsis knowledge scores and domain specific sepsis knowledge scores in a comparison between baseline assessment and after implementation of STAIRS capacity building measures * Comparisons between survey waves will be conducted using appropriate parametric or non-parametric tests
Time frame
Follow-up survey period (April 1, 2027 - July 31, 2027)Sponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
Claudia Spies
Lead sponsor
Charite University, Berlin, Germany
Sponsor institution
Source ClinicalTrials.gov