It has been suggested that lay community health workers (LHWs) could play a role in primary and secondary prevention of Mental, Neurological and Substance use (MNS) disorders in low resourced settings. The paper conducts a systematic literature review aimed to assess the existing evidence base for the roles and effectiveness of lay community health workers in primary and … [Read more...] about Roles and Effectiveness of Lay Community Health Workers in the Prevention of Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Disorders in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Systematic Review
Task shifting
Community-based participatory development of a community health worker mental health outreach role to extend collaborative care in post-Katrina New Orleans
The REACH NOLA Mental Health Infrastructure and Training Project (MHIT) aimed to reduce disparities in access to and quality of services for depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in post-Katrina New Orleans by developing a mental health outreach role for community health workers (CHWs) and case managers as a complement to the collaborative care model for … [Read more...] about Community-based participatory development of a community health worker mental health outreach role to extend collaborative care in post-Katrina New Orleans
Lay health worker led intervention for depressive and anxiety disorders in India: impact on clinical and disability outcomes over 12 months
Depressive and anxiety disorders (common mental disorders) are the most common psychiatric condition encountered in primary healthcare. This article discusses the effectiveness of an intervention led by lay health counsellors in primary care settings (the MANAS intervention) to improve the outcomes of people with common mental disorders. Results showed that trained lay … [Read more...] about Lay health worker led intervention for depressive and anxiety disorders in India: impact on clinical and disability outcomes over 12 months
Provision of Injectable Contraceptives in Ethiopia through Community-Based Reproductive Health Agents
The objective of this study was to determine if, with appropriate training, volunteers known as community-based reproductive health agents can administer injectable contraceptives to women in a rural region of Ethiopia with the same effectiveness, safety and acceptability as health extension workers. The demand for injectable contraceptives in Ethiopia has been amply documented … [Read more...] about Provision of Injectable Contraceptives in Ethiopia through Community-Based Reproductive Health Agents
Community Health Workers Then and Now: An Overview of National Studies Aimed at Defining the Field
This article compares and contrasts 3 national studies of the US Community Health Worker (CHW) field spanning 15 years. Findings cover 4 areas of overlap among the 3 studies: CHW Demographics, Core Roles and Competencies, Training and Credentialing, and Career Advancement and Workforce Issues. Implications for the future development of research, practice, and policy are … [Read more...] about Community Health Workers Then and Now: An Overview of National Studies Aimed at Defining the Field