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. 2015 Sep 8;2015(9):CD004265. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004265.pub3

Talaat 2008 EGY.

Methods Cluster‐RCT
Allocation sequence: computer generated random number table
Allocation concealment: not stated
Blinding: open
Inclusion of participants in the analysis: adequate
Length of follow‐up: 12 weeks (February to May 2008)
Cluster‐adjustment method: adjusted
Participants Number: 60 government elementary schools (30 intervention, 30 control), with 44,451 children (20,882 intervention, 23,569 control)
Inclusion criteria: not stated
Exclusion criteria: not stated
Age: children in elementary schools (median age 8 years)
Interventions Intervention (see Table 5 for detailed description):

  1. Larger group meetings (mixed audience nurses and teachers)

  2. Grade specific student booklets

  3. Posters, fliers, games, songs about hand washing

  4. Other fun activities that promoted hand washing


School's contribution:
Selecting a weekly hand hygiene champion, launching of school contest for drawing, songs and dramas that promote hygiene.
Control:

  1. No intervention.
Outcomes

  1. Diarrhoeal rate


Not used in this review:

  • Rates of absenteeism caused by influenza‐like illness (ILI)

  • Rates of absenteeism caused by conjunctivitis

  • Rates of absenteeism caused by laboratory‐ confirmed influenza
Notes Location: Cairo, Eygpt
Duration: February to May 2008 (12 weeks)
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Low risk 60 elementary schools were randomly selected by using a computer‐generated random number table.
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Not described.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk Not described.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk Not described.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 All outcomes Low risk Accounted for number enrolled for the trial in the analysis.
Selective reporting (reporting bias) Low risk Not observed.
Other bias Low risk "No significant differences were found for the 2 groups in median (8years), sex distribution (51% male) or the median number of students per school (635 [interquartile range 394‐978])".