Primary Health Care

The long-term effects of early life exposure to primary healthcare expansion: Evidence from the Barefoot Doctor Program

This study looked at the long-term impact of China’s Barefoot Doctors Program and found that children who grew up with access to these community health workers had better health and education later in life, especially women. The improvements were linked to better knowledge about nutrition and healthier diets. The findings show that simple, community-based health programs can … [Read more...] about The long-term effects of early life exposure to primary healthcare expansion: Evidence from the Barefoot Doctor Program

This study looked at whether communities in the Philippines are ready to use community health workers together with digital tools to improve health services. It found that people trust community health workers and strongly support this idea, and many are open to using digital tools. However, contact with health workers is still limited, and concerns remain about data privacy … [Read more...] about Integrated Community-Based Primary Healthcare Model to Strengthen Universal Health Coverage: Evidence from CHW Readiness, Service Quality, and Digital Health Acceptability in Selected CALABARZON LGUs

This study examined whether community health workers could help people with type 2 diabetes become more physically active in the Brazilian Amazon. Trained workers visited participants at home six times over six months and encouraged lifestyle changes, including regular physical activity. While overall activity levels did not increase greatly, the program helped many previously … [Read more...] about Effect of a Community Health Worker-Led Intervention on Physical Activity in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Health Care in the Brazilian Amazon

This study describes how a community health worker program called COMPASS was developed to improve access to primary health care in Belgium. The program was inspired by successful community health worker models from Brazil and South Africa and adapted to fit the Belgian health system. Researchers worked with local stakeholders, studied barriers to care, and tested the approach … [Read more...] about Reciprocal innovation to improve access to primary healthcare in Belgium: adaptation and development of a community health worker intervention

Community health workers play a central role in tuberculosis care in communities by screening for symptoms, collecting samples, referring patients for diagnosis, and supporting treatment follow-up. However, their work is often limited by lack of proper pay, training, equipment, and system support, and many still serve as volunteers despite the risks and workload involved. … [Read more...] about Community health workers and tuberculosis services integration within primary health care: from adequate compensation to comprehensive, reliable support