Developing a scoring tool for assessing adherence to morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) practices in patients with filarial lymphedema: A pilot study
- 1Unit of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, ICMR-National Institute for Vector Control Research (NIVCR), Indira Nagar, Puducherry, India
- 2Model Rural Health Research Unit (MRHRU), Karikalampakkam CHC Campus, Puducherry, India
Abstract
Background: Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention (MMDP) practices are essential in mitigating the progression of lymphedema and in preventing episodes of adenolymphangitis. Despite their importance, patients’ adherence to these prescribed practices has frequently been found to be suboptimal. Currently, there is a lack of a standardized tool for the objective assessment of patients’ adherence to MMDP practices in patients with filarial lymphedema. This study was undertaken to develop a scoring system for assessing patients’ adherence to MMDP and to validate this among patients attending a filariasis management clinic. Methodology: A scoring tool (VCRC MMDP Adherence Assessment Tool and VAAT score) was developed to evaluate adherence to MMDP practices across eight defined domains. The total score ranges from 0 to 40, reflecting the degree of adherence. This tool was validated through a cross-sectional study involving 90 patients diagnosed with varying grades of filarial lymphedema. Results: Based on the VAAT score, patients were categorizable into three different levels of adherence: optimal adherence (≥ 30), medium adherence (20–29) and poor adherence (< 20). Among the 90 patients assessed, 21 (23%) demonstrated optimal adherence, 47 (52%) showed medium adherence and 22 (25%) were categorized as having poor adherence. Conclusion: This study marks the first development and validation of a scoring system to assess adherence to MMDP practices in patients with filarial lymphedema. The tool proved useful in effectively identifying individuals with suboptimal adherence. However, further validation is required in a greater number of patients in a prospective manner and in different geographical and epidemiological settings.
Related
- Association between autoimmune diseases and risk of developing breast cancer-related lymphedema.
- Lymphedema Management in May–Thurner Syndrome: A Case Series of 26 Patients
- Developing and assessing a pharmacy technician educational training program to improve access to over-the-counter hearing aids in rural communities
- Experiences of nutritional management in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema: a qualitative study guided by Fitch's supportive care framework
- Assessing the translational value of animal models in developing pain-targeting therapies for clinical osteoarthritis
BibTeX
@article{ramar2026developing,
title = {{Developing a scoring tool for assessing adherence to morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) practices in patients with filarial lymphedema: A pilot study}},
author = {Ganga Ramar and Anbusivam Sadhasivam and Vijayalakshmi Gnanasekaran and Madhumidha Periyathambi and Vijayakumar Balakrishnan and Vijesh Sreedhar Kuttiatt},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0358191},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358191},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Developing a scoring tool for assessing adherence to morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) practices in patients with filarial lymphedema: A pilot study
AU - Ganga Ramar
AU - Anbusivam Sadhasivam
AU - Vijayalakshmi Gnanasekaran
AU - Madhumidha Periyathambi
AU - Vijayakumar Balakrishnan
AU - Vijesh Sreedhar Kuttiatt
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0358191
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358191
AB - Background: Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention (MMDP) practices are essential in mitigating the progression of lymphedema and in preventing episodes of adenolymphangitis. Despite their importance, patients’ adherence to these prescribed practices has frequently been found to be suboptimal. Currently, there is a lack of a standardized tool for the objective assessment of patients’ adherence to MMDP practices in patients with filarial lymphedema. This study was undertaken to develop a scoring system for assessing patients’ adherence to MMDP and to validate this among patients attending a filariasis management clinic. Methodology: A scoring tool (VCRC MMDP Adherence Assessment Tool and VAAT score) was developed to evaluate adherence to MMDP practices across eight defined domains. The total score ranges from 0 to 40, reflecting the degree of adherence. This tool was validated through a cross-sectional study involving 90 patients diagnosed with varying grades of filarial lymphedema. Results: Based on the VAAT score, patients were categorizable into three different levels of adherence: optimal adherence (≥ 30), medium adherence (20–29) and poor adherence (< 20). Among the 90 patients assessed, 21 (23%) demonstrated optimal adherence, 47 (52%) showed medium adherence and 22 (25%) were categorized as having poor adherence. Conclusion: This study marks the first development and validation of a scoring system to assess adherence to MMDP practices in patients with filarial lymphedema. The tool proved useful in effectively identifying individuals with suboptimal adherence. However, further validation is required in a greater number of patients in a prospective manner and in different geographical and epidemiological settings.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -