Improving early identification of neonatal jaundice using a hand-held “Bili-Ruler” in northern Ghana

Neonatal jaundice, a common condition that is easily treatable with light-based therapy if identified early, poses significant risks in low-resource settings like Ghana. Due to cultural practices that keep newborns mostly indoors, the yellow pigmentation associated with jaundice often goes unnoticed, leading to severe outcomes, including neurological damage or death. The lack of access to transcutaneous bilirubin meters, due to their high cost, prompts reliance on delayed serum bilirubin tests, exacerbating the risks. This project aims to address this challenge through a low-cost Bili-Ruler, a hand-held icterometer developed by Professor Anne CC Lee, validated for its accuracy in assessing bilirubin levels through visual comparison against standardized color gradations.

In addition to verifying the validity of the bili-ruler against standard jaundice screening tools in Techiman, Ghana, this project will explore healthcare providers' and mothers' perceptions of the Bili-Ruler, as well as implementation-based outcomes such as feasibility, acceptability, adoption, and fidelity.

The interdisciplinary team includes experts in nursing, biostatistics, epidemiology, health economics, and demography, ensuring a comprehensive approach. Insights gained will guide future large-scale implementations and policy development, addressing health inequities in neonatal jaundice management in Ghana and similar low-resource settings.