{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T22:19:44Z","timestamp":1791238784071,"version":"4.1.0"},"update-to":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014309","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,26]],"date-time":"2026-05-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779753600000}}],"reference-count":15,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,18]],"date-time":"2026-05-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779062400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Skin-related neglected tropical diseases (skin NTDs) remain a major source of morbidity in resource-limited settings. These conditions include Buruli ulcer, chromoblastomycosis and other deep mycoses, cutaneous leishmaniasis, post\u2013kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, mycetoma, noma, onchocerciasis, scabies, tungiasis, and yaws. Recent efforts have focused on developing training materials to help frontline health workers diagnose and treat skin NTDs. However, little is known about how these materials are perceived and utilized in endemic regions. We performed a global online survey to identify gaps and establish priorities for future training resource development.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n We conducted a cross-sectional, anonymous online survey to assess training needs for skin NTDs. The survey was disseminated by the World Health Organization\u2019s Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme via the WHO website, targeted email distribution to NTD professionals, and outreach on LinkedIn. Respondents identified skin NTDs most urgently requiring improved training resources in their settings and reported on priority topics, target audiences, languages, formats, and barriers to access.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n A total of 308 participants from 48 countries completed the survey during the one-month response period. The three most frequently reported skin NTDs in need of additional training resources were leprosy (64.6%), scabies (60.7%), and lymphatic filariasis (55.6%). Early detection and diagnosis were the most prioritized training topics (86.0%). Most respondents preferred English-language resources (62.7%), with printed manuals and guidelines identified as the most useful format (70.1%). The most commonly reported barrier was limited availability of up-to-date materials (75.3%).<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n We highlight persistent gaps in the accessibility of training materials for skin NTDs. While many high-quality resources exist, their dissemination, adaptation, and translation remain limited. Respondent-identified priorities provide a framework to enhance training resources, strengthen the capacity of frontline healthcare workers, and ultimately advance global skin NTD control, elimination, and eradication goals.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014309","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,18]],"date-time":"2026-05-18T17:34:21Z","timestamp":1779125661000},"page":"e0014309","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Strengthening frontline capacity for skin neglected tropical diseases: Findings from a global survey"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Sarah","family":"Anwar","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Esther E.","family":"Freeman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Roos","family":"Geutjes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christine","family":"Fenenga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Priya","family":"Pathak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniel A.","family":"Dagne","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Albis F.","family":"Gabrielli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"L. Claire","family":"Fuller","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7165-8358","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Jos\u00e9 Antonio","family":"Ruiz Postigo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"pntd.0014309.ref001","author":"World Health Organization"},{"key":"pntd.0014309.ref002","author":"World Health Organization"},{"issue":"5","key":"pntd.0014309.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"706","DOI":"10.1093\/ced\/llaf214","article-title":"Training resources for skin neglected tropical diseases: coverage, quality and gaps - A scoping review","volume":"51","author":"S Anwar","year":"2026","journal-title":"Clin Exp Dermatol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0014309.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"66","DOI":"10.1186\/s40249-018-0447-y","article-title":"Capacity gaps in health facilities for case management of intestinal schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Burundi","volume":"7","author":"P Bizimana","year":"2018","journal-title":"Infect Dis Poverty"},{"key":"pntd.0014309.ref005","unstructured":"World Health Organization. Ending the Neglect to Attain the Sustainable Development Goals: A Strategic Framework for Integrated Control and Management of Skin-Related Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2022."},{"issue":"9","key":"pntd.0014309.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1755","DOI":"10.3201\/eid2809.212126","article-title":"Quantifying population burden and effectiveness of decentralized surveillance strategies for skin-presenting neglected tropical diseases, Liberia","volume":"28","author":"JWS Timothy","year":"2022","journal-title":"Emerg Infect Dis"},{"issue":"10","key":"pntd.0014309.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0011790","article-title":"An integrated active case detection and management of skin NTDs in yaws endemic health districts in Cameroon, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire and Ghana","volume":"18","author":"S Tchatchouang","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"9","key":"pntd.0014309.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0010756","article-title":"Delayed detection of leprosy cases: A systematic review of healthcare-related factors","volume":"16","author":"Y Dharmawan","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"11","key":"pntd.0014309.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0011794","article-title":"Challenges experienced and observed during the implementation of leprosy strategies, Sidama region, Southern Ethiopia: An inductive thematic analysis of qualitative study among health professionals who working with leprosy programs","volume":"17","author":"KT Betru","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"7","key":"pntd.0014309.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1542","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268814002143","article-title":"Scabies outbreaks in residential care homes: Factors associated with late recognition, burden and impact. A mixed methods study in England","volume":"143","author":"KA Hewitt","year":"2015","journal-title":"Epidemiol Infect"},{"issue":"5","key":"pntd.0014309.ref011","article-title":"The development, implementation, and evaluation of an optimal model for the case detection, referral, and case management of Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"18","author":"TG Godwin-Akpan","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"10","key":"pntd.0014309.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0012572","article-title":"Community-based mycetoma surveillance in Uganda: Identifying knowledge gaps and training of community health workers to improve case detection","volume":"18","author":"W Kibone","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"pntd.0014309.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.2196\/51628","article-title":"Evaluating the World Health Organization\u2019s SkinNTDs app as a training tool for skin neglected tropical diseases in Ghana and Kenya: Cross-sectional study","volume":"26","author":"M Cano","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"issue":"10","key":"pntd.0014309.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0258624","article-title":"Analysis of maternal and newborn training curricula and approaches to inform future trainings for routine care, basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care in the low- and middle-income countries: Lessons from Ethiopia and Nepal","volume":"16","author":"G Sharma","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"3","key":"pntd.0014309.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0297676","article-title":"Human resources challenges in the management of diabetes and hypertension in Mozambique","volume":"19","author":"T Madede","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS One"}],"updated-by":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014309","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,26]],"date-time":"2026-05-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779753600000}}],"container-title":["PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014309","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,26]],"date-time":"2026-05-26T17:48:35Z","timestamp":1779817715000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014309"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Anil","family":"Fastenau","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,18]]},"references-count":15,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,18]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014309","relation":{},"ISSN":["1935-2735"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1935-2735","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,18]]}}}