Asia

ASHAs as Agents of Change: Tackling the Burden of UTIs and Fostering Antibiotic Stewardship in Underserved Communities of India

This project worked with community health workers to help women in Indian slums get care for urinary tract infections. The workers educated women, identified those with symptoms, and helped them get tested and treated at local clinics. Many women who might not have sought care because of stigma were reached. The study shows that trusted community workers can help women get … [Read more...] about ASHAs as Agents of Change: Tackling the Burden of UTIs and Fostering Antibiotic Stewardship in Underserved Communities of India

A study followed the use of UpToDate, a clinical decision tool, by community health workers (CHWs) in rural and remote areas over three years. While CHWs liked the tool, actual use was low and declined over time, affected by power outages, heavy workloads, and limited device access. CHWs mainly used it for learning and building professional credibility rather than at the point … [Read more...] about Adoption of an Electronic Decision Support Tool for Capacity Building of Community Health Workers: Mixed Methods Study

This study in rural Thailand assessed health literacy (HL) among 840 Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) after COVID-19. Most VHVs had adequate (65.5%) or excellent (29.4%) HL. Higher HL was linked to positive attitudes, strong motivation, and over 10 years of experience, while higher household income was associated with lower HL. The findings suggest training and support should … [Read more...] about Exploring health literacy and demographic determinants among village health volunteers in the post-COVID-19 era: a web-based cross-sectional study

This study looked at how community health workers (ASHAs) and traditional birth attendants (Dais) influence maternal and newborn care in rural Bihar, India. ASHAs mainly supported mothers during pregnancy and labor, helping increase antenatal visits and institutional deliveries. Dais had more influence after birth, promoting traditional practices like newborn massage. When both … [Read more...] about Coexisting traditional and biomedical healthcare systems: a mixed-methods analysis of community health workers and traditional birth attendants’ contributions to perinatal health behaviors in rural India

This study looked at whether home visits by community health workers could improve the mental health of pregnant women in rural China. Overall, the visits did not improve mental health for all women. However, they did help women who had strong support from their families, especially those with supportive husbands. The findings suggest that home visit programs work better when … [Read more...] about The mental health benefit of a community-based home-visiting program for prenatal women: evidence from a randomized controlled trial in China