Approaches to quantifying acceptability of pharmaceutical interventions for neglected tropical diseases: A scoping review

Measuring acceptability is important in the context of pharmaceutical and public health interventions, since it can have an impact on uptake - a factor that extends beyond the safety and efficacy of the intervention. This scoping review aimed to explore how the acceptability of pharmaceutical interventions for neglected tropical diseases has been quantitatively measured in the literature to inform advancement towards a standardized methodology. A systematic search across five databases identified 1340 articles, of which 40 met the inclusion criteria. Twenty articles (50%) were published in the last five years, between 2020 and 2025. Fourteen articles measured acceptability using multiple questions, with nine establishing a threshold for acceptability. Twenty-two articles assessed acceptability using a single question, while four articles reported measuring acceptability but did not provide details about their methodology. Notably, mass drug administration programs targeting preventive chemotherapy for neglected tropical diseases comprised most studies (18/40), yet these studies utilized 9 distinct approaches to measure acceptability, despite their similar implementation strategies. Nearly a third of the articles (13/40) stated that they measured acceptability, however their methodology revealed that they were measuring coverage (received treatment) and compliance (swallowed treatment). Given that acceptability is one of the seven considerations informing World Health Organization guideline recommendations, a standardized method to quantify this multifaceted attribute is essential. As more studies on acceptability are being published in recent years, the lack of standardization becomes increasingly concerning. This review underscores the urgent need for such methodologies to generate reliable, comparable data for research and policymaking.