Clinical trials

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a digital health app called DINKNESH is effective for palliative care identification compared to traditional paper-based assessment tools. It will also look at the factors that help or hinder the use of this app in primary care settings. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the DINKNESH app improve palliative care assessments compared to paper forms? What are the main barriers and facilitators for Health Extension Workers when using the app in their daily work? We will compare the DINKNESH app to standard paper-based tools to see if digital tools improve clinical assessment and implementation. Participants will: Be assessed for palliative care needs using either the DINKNESH mobile app or standard paper forms. Receive routine follow-up care as determined by their health provider. (For health workers): Participate in interviews or surveys to discuss their experience using the assigned assessment tool.

Breast cancer patients who receive endocrine therapy particularly aromatase inhibitors often experience aromatase inhibitors associated symptoms (AIMSS) such as joint and muscle pain along with stiffness and fatigue that can disrupt with daily activities and lead some patients to stop treatment early. A structured intervention program named AIMSS-CARE (Aromatase Inhibitor-associated Musculoskeletal Symptoms-Comprehensive Adapted Rehabilitation Evaluation) developed in China that combines exercise, education, symptom monitoring, and follow-up has been shown to reduce these symptoms and improve treatment adherence. This study will adapt this program for use in Ethiopia while testing its effectiveness to enhance pain management, treatment adherence and quality of life among Ethiopian breast cancer patients receiving endocrine therapy. The study will be conducted at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Eighty-eight patients will be randomly assigned to either the adapted intervention program or usual care. The research will also examine the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention to patients and healthcare providers, and what factors influence its successful implementation. Results will help determine whether this program can be used more widely in Ethiopia and other African cancer centers.

The goal of this pragmatic randomized control trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of three interventions in improving follow-up adherence among women treated for suspicious cervical lesions in primary healthcare settings in Ethiopia. The interventions include structured nurse-led telephone call reminders, home-visit reminders led by health extension workers, and application-based automated SMS text reminders. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does structured nurse-led telephone call reminders improve follow-up adherence among women treated for suspicious cervical lesions compared to standard care? * Does home-reminder visits led by a Health Extension Worker (HEW) improve follow-up adherence among women treated for suspicious cervical lesions compared to standard care? * Does app-based automated SMS reminders improve follow-up adherence among women treated for suspicious cervical lesions compared to standard care? Structured Nurse-Led Telephone Call Reminders * Participants will receive proactive phone call reminders for scheduled follow-up visits. * The intervention includes three rounds: initially at 4 months post-recruitment, then every 4 months for HIV-negative women over a year, and every 2 months for 6 months for women living with HIV. Home-Reminder Visits Led by HEW Health Extension Workers (HEWs) will conduct door-to-door visits to remind participants of their scheduled follow-up appointments. • Door-to-door Visits will occur initially at 4 months (for HIV-negative women) and 2 months (for HIV-positive women) post-recruitment, then every 2 months for 6 months for HIV-positive and every 4 months for 12 months for HIV-negative participants. App-Based Automated SMS Reminders * Participants will receive SMS-based reminders for their follow-up visits. * The intervention consists of three rounds: initial texts at 4 months and 2 months post-recruitment for HIV-negative and HIV-positive women, respectively, followed by reminders every 2 months for 6 months for HIV-positive women and every 4 months for 12 months for HIV-negative women.

The goal of this clinical trial is to test curcumin as an adjunct treatment in patients with cervical cancer receiving standard-of-care palliative radiation. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Is adding curcumin to standard-of-care palliative radiotherapy of cervical cancer patients feasible? Is conducting this study feasible? 2. Does adding curcumin to standard-of-care palliative radiotherapy of cervical cancer patients improve therapeutic responses? 3. Is adding curcumin to standard-of-care palliative radiotherapy of cervical cancer patients safe? 4. How much curcumin is absorbed into the body and how long will it stay in the body? Participants will: i. Take 250 mg curcumin capsules four times per day for 4-6 weeks in addition to the prescribed palliative radiotherapy. ii. Provide blood and urine samples for laboratory tests. iii. Provide blood samples to measure curcumin levels in their body. iv. Obtain CT-scan to measure their tumor response. v. Complete questioners to measure improvements to their quality of life, if any.