Volunteer community health workers (CHWs) are one approach to addressing the health workforce shortage in developing countries. BRAC, a large NGO in Bangladesh, is a pioneer in using female volunteer CHWs as core workers in its successful health programmes. After 25 years of implementing the CHW model in rural areas, BRAC is now using CHWs in urban slums of Dhaka through … [Read more...] about Retention of female volunteer community health workers in Dhaka urban slums: a case-control study
Journal articles
Can Volunteer Community Health Workers Decrease Child Morbidity and Mortality in Southwestern Uganda? An Impact Evaluation
The potential for community health workers to improve child health in sub-Saharan Africa is not well understood. Healthy Child Uganda implemented a volunteer community health worker child health promotion model in rural Uganda. An impact evaluation was conducted to assess volunteer community health workers' effect on child morbidity, mortality and to calculate volunteer … [Read more...] about Can Volunteer Community Health Workers Decrease Child Morbidity and Mortality in Southwestern Uganda? An Impact Evaluation
Quality of care for severe acute malnutrition delivered by community health workers in southern Bangladesh
This study assessed the quality of care provided by community health workers (CHWs) in managing cases of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) according to a treatment algorithm. CHWs screened children at community level using a mid-upper arm circumference measurement, and treated cases without medical complications. Caretakers perceived CHWs' services as acceptable and valuable, … [Read more...] about Quality of care for severe acute malnutrition delivered by community health workers in southern Bangladesh
Peer Health Workers and AIDS Care in Rakai, Uganda: A Mixed Methods Operations Research Evaluation of a Cluster-Randomized Trial
Settings with limited health care workers are challenging environments for delivery of antiretroviral therapy. One strategy to address this human resource crisis is to task shift through training selected patients as peer health workers (PHWs) to provide care to other individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy. The results of the study showed that task shifting to PHWs … [Read more...] about Peer Health Workers and AIDS Care in Rakai, Uganda: A Mixed Methods Operations Research Evaluation of a Cluster-Randomized Trial
Lay health workers in primary and community health care for maternal and child health and the management of infectious diseases
Lay health workers (LHWs) are widely used to provide care for a broad range of health issues. Little is known, however, about the effectiveness of LHW interventions.The paper assesses the effectiveness of LHW interventions in primary and community health care on maternal and child health and the management of infectious diseases. The results showed that LHWs provide … [Read more...] about Lay health workers in primary and community health care for maternal and child health and the management of infectious diseases