BACKGROUND: A key question in implementation science is how to balance adaptation and fidelity in translating interventions to new settings. There is growing consensus regarding the importance of planned adaptations to deliver interventions in contextually sensitive ways. However, less research has examined ad-hoc adaptations, or those that occur spontaneously in the course of intervention delivery. A key question is whether ad-hoc adaptations ultimately contribute to or detract from intervention goals. This study aimed to (a) identify ad-hoc adaptations made during delivery of a family therapy intervention and (b) assess whether they promoted or interrupted intervention goals. METHODS: Tuko Pamoja (Swahili: We are Together) is an evidence-informed family therapy intervention aiming to improve family dynamics and mental health in Kenya. Tuko Pamoja employs a task-shifting model, delivered by lay counselors who are afforded a degree of flexibility in presenting content and in practices they use in sessions. We used transcripts of therapy sessions with 14 families to examine ad-hoc adaptations used by counselors. We first identified and characterized ad-hoc adaptations through a team-based code development, coding, and code description process. Then, we evaluated to what extent ad-hoc adaptations promoted the principles and strategies of the intervention (TP-promoting), disrupted them (TP-interrupting), or neither (TP-neutral). To do this, we first established inter-coder agreement on application of these categories with verification by the intervention developer. Then, coders categorized ad-hoc adaptation text segments as TP-promoting, TP-interrupting, or TP-neutral. RESULTS: Ad-hoc adaptations were frequent and included (in decreasing order): incorporation of religious content, exemplars/role models, community dynamics and resources, self-disclosure, and metaphors/proverbs. Ad-hoc adaptations were largely TP-promoting (49%) or neutral (39%), but practices were TP-interrupting 12% of the time. TP-interrupting practices most often occurred within religious content and exemplars/role models, which were also the most common practices overall. CONCLUSION: Extra attention is needed during planned adaptation, training, and supervision to promote intervention-aligned use of common ad-hoc adaptation practices. Discussing them in trainings can provide guidance for lay providers on how best to incorporate ad-hoc adaptations during delivery. Future research should evaluate whether well-aligned ad-hoc adaptations improve therapeutic outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Pilot trial registered at clinicaltrials.gov (C0058).

Background

A key focus of health systems strengthening in low- and middle-income countries is increasing reach and access through task-shifting. As such models become more common, it is critical to understand the experiences of lay providers because they are on the forefront for delivering care services. A greater understanding would improve lay provider support and help them provide high-quality care. This is especially the case for those providing mental health services, as providing psychological care may pose unique stressors. We sought to understand experiences of lay counselors, focusing on identity, motivation, self-efficacy, stress, and burnout. The goal was to understand how taking on a new provider role influences their lives beyond simply assuming a new task, which would in turn help identify actionable steps to improve interventions with task-shifting components.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews (n = 20) and focus group discussions (n = 3) were conducted with three lay counselor groups with varying levels of experience delivering a community-based family therapy intervention in Eldoret, Kenya. Thematic analysis was conducted, including intercoder reliability checks. A Stress Map was created to visualize stress profiles using free-listing and pile-sorting data collected during interviews and focus group discussions.

Results

Counselors described high intrinsic motivation to become counselors and high self-efficacy after training. They reported positive experiences in the counselor role, with new skills improving their counseling and personal lives. As challenges arose, including client engagement difficulties and balancing many responsibilities, stress and burnout increased, dampening motivation and self-efficacy. In response, counselors described coping strategies, including seeking peer and supervisor support, that restored their motivation to persevere. At case completion, they again experienced high self-efficacy and a desire to continue.

Conclusions

Findings informed suggestions for ways to incorporate support for lay providers into task-shifting interventions at initiation, during training, and throughout implementation. These include acknowledging and preparing counselors for challenges during training, increasing explicit attention to counselor stress in supervision, fostering peer support among lay providers, and ensuring a fair balance between workload and compensation. Improving and building an evidence base around practices for supporting lay providers will improve the effectiveness and sustainability of lay provider-delivered interventions.

Mucopolysaccharidosis-I (MPS-I) is an inherited deficiency of α-L-iduronidase (IdU) that causes lysosomal accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in a variety of parenchymal cell types and connective tissues. The fundamental link between genetic mutation and tissue GAG accumulation is clear, but relatively little attention has been given to the morphology or pathogenesis of associated lesions, particularly those affecting the vascular system. The terminal parietal branches of the abdominal aorta were examined from a colony of dogs homozygous (MPS-I affected) or heterozygous (unaffected carrier) for an IdU mutation that eliminated all enzyme activity, and in affected animals treated with human recombinant IdU. High-resolution computed tomography showed that vascular wall thickenings occurred in affected animals near branch points, and associated with low endothelial shear stress. Histologically these asymmetric 'plaques' entailed extensive intimal thickening with disruption of the internal elastic lamina, occluding more than 50% of the vascular lumen in some cases. Immunohistochemistry was used to show that areas of sclerosis contained foamy (GAG laden) macrophages, fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells, with loss of overlying endothelial basement membrane and claudin-5 expression. Lesions contained scattered cells expressing nuclear factor-κβ (p65), increased fibronectin and transforming growth factor β-1 signaling (with nuclear Smad3 accumulation) in comparison to unaffected vessels. Intimal lesion development and morphology was improved by intravenous recombinant enzyme treatment, particularly with immune tolerance to this exogenous protein. The progressive sclerotic vasculopathy of MPS-I shares some morphological and molecular similarities to atherosclerosis, including formation in areas of low shear stress near branch points, and can be reduced or inhibited by intravenous administration of recombinant IdU.