Community health workers (CHWs), often volunteers or minimally paid, play vital roles in addressing health disparities. This study focuses on "change-agent" CHWs in an Indian nutrition education program.The analysis reveals challenges in volunteer selection, tensions between volunteer expectations, training and empowerment, and varied perspectives on CHWs payments. While … [Read more...] about Equity and empowerment effects: Multiple styles of ‘voluntarism’ in community-based health projects.
India
“We are everyone’s ASHAs but who’s there for us?” a qualitative exploration of perceptions of work stress and coping among rural frontline workers in Madhya Pradesh, India.
Over a million female village-level health workers known as 'Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs)' in India are experiencing significant stress due to demanding work and low pay, compounded by poverty and gender inequality. Through qualitative research, the study delved into ASHAs' views on work stress and their coping mechanisms. The findings highlighted specific … [Read more...] about “We are everyone’s ASHAs but who’s there for us?” a qualitative exploration of perceptions of work stress and coping among rural frontline workers in Madhya Pradesh, India.
Equity and empowerment effects: Multiple styles of ‘voluntarism’ in community-based health projects
Community health workers (CHWs), often women without formal health training, play vital roles in addressing health disparities. This study examines a program employing CHWs as "change agents" to provide nutrition education in eastern India. It explores how different forms of voluntarism, such as laissez-faire and honorarium-based, influence CHW efficacy, empowerment, and … [Read more...] about Equity and empowerment effects: Multiple styles of ‘voluntarism’ in community-based health projects
Development and effect of a coordinated Community Health Worker (CHW) Intervention (C-CHW-I) model for the stroke survivors in Kerala, South India
A community health worker (CHW) intervention model was developed and tested to enhance medication adherence and risk factor monitoring for stroke survivors in community settings. The model included CHW home visits, telephone calls, and health education over 6 months, with some groups receiving additional SMS alerts. The results showed improvement in medication adherence and … [Read more...] about Development and effect of a coordinated Community Health Worker (CHW) Intervention (C-CHW-I) model for the stroke survivors in Kerala, South India
Association between the use of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) services and uptake of institutional deliveries in India
This study investigates the impact of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) on increasing institution-based deliveries in India, focusing on low-performing states. Analyzing National Family Health Survey data, the study reveals that women using ASHA services were 1.6 times more likely to have institution-based deliveries. The study emphasizes the effectiveness of ASHAs in … [Read more...] about Association between the use of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) services and uptake of institutional deliveries in India

