Solutions from Behavioral Science to Improve Provider Adherence to Guidelines: Lessons Learned from a Fever Case Management Program in Nigeria

Session Date: April 21, 2021

Session Description: Adherence to clinical guidelines is a persistent challenge, even among well-trained and well-intentioned health care providers. Hectic clinic environments, the type of feedback received (or not received), cues about disease prevalence and risks, and other features of the context surrounding providers all contribute. The USAID-funded Breakthrough ACTION project worked to redesign the client and provider experience to improve adherence to fever case management guidelines in Nigeria. There, malaria is likely to be over-diagnosed and over-treated despite national guidelines stipulating that malaria parasite tests be conducted for every client with a fever and that malaria treatment be provided only to clients who test positive. The solutions aim to make following guidelines easier—psychologically and practically. In this session, we will present the case management solutions implemented in Nigeria and considerations for whether and how similar solutions might apply across other settings, guidelines, and health areas.