CHW Central

A global resource for and about Community Health Workers

Malaria

Malaria Rapid Testing by Community Health Workers is Effective and Safe for Targeting Malaria Treatment: Randomised Cross-Over Trial in Tanzania

by

This study assessed the impacts of use of rapid malaria diagnostic tests (RDTs) by CHWs on the provision of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and health outcome in fever patients in Tanzania. The authors found that RDTs administered by CHWs may improve early and well-targeted ACT treatment in malaria patients at community level. However, the effect and impact of RDT, … [Read more...] about Malaria Rapid Testing by Community Health Workers is Effective and Safe for Targeting Malaria Treatment: Randomised Cross-Over Trial in Tanzania

Improving community health worker use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests in Zambia: package instructions, job aid and job aid-plus-training

by

This study examined: (i) whether Zambian CHWs could prepare and interpret RDTs accurately and safely using manufacturer's instructions alone; (ii) whether mostly pictorial instructions (a "job aid") could raise performance; and (iii) whether a brief training program would produce further improvement. The authors found that manufacturers' instructions, like those provided with … [Read more...] about Improving community health worker use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests in Zambia: package instructions, job aid and job aid-plus-training

Community-directed interventions for major health problems in Africa

by

In 2005, a three-year multi-country study was launched to examine how the Community Directed Intervention (CDI) approach, which had been remarkably successful in distributing ivermectin for treatment of onchocerciasis, could be used alongside ivermectin for integrated delivery (or co-implementation) of four other health interventions: Vitamin A supplementation, distribution of … [Read more...] about Community-directed interventions for major health problems in Africa

Community acceptability of use of rapid diagnostic tests for malaria by community health workers in Uganda

by

This study assesses community acceptability of the use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) by Ugandan CHWs, locally referred to as community medicine distributors (CMDs).  The study found that the use of RDTs by CMDs is likely to be acceptable by community members provided that CMDs are properly trained, and receive regular technical supervision and logistical support. A … [Read more...] about Community acceptability of use of rapid diagnostic tests for malaria by community health workers in Uganda

Community-Directed Interventions for Priority Health Problems in Africa: Results of a Multicultural Study

by

This three-year mulitcountry study was undertaken with the objective of determining the extent to which the community directed approach could effectively provide integrated delivery of other health interventions. CDI achieved significantly higher coverage than currently used delivery  approaches for all interventions except DOTS. The study concludes that CDI is an … [Read more...] about Community-Directed Interventions for Priority Health Problems in Africa: Results of a Multicultural Study