CHW Central

A global resource for and about Community Health Workers

South Africa

Building community capacity in diabetes care: Perspectives of community health workers

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This study explored how community health workers (CHWs) in South Africa see their role in supporting people with diabetes. Through group discussions with 32 CHWs in Tshwane District, researchers found that their main work involves health education on diet, lifestyle, medication, family involvement, and self-care. CHWs also help with screening, follow-up, and referrals. The … [Read more...] about Building community capacity in diabetes care: Perspectives of community health workers

Community-based hearing aid fitting model for adults in low-income communities facilitated by community health workers: a feasibility study

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This study tested whether community health workers could successfully fit hearing aids for people in a low-income area in Cape Town, South Africa. Twenty-five participants received over-the-counter hearing aids, and most reported better hearing, especially in noisy places, along with high satisfaction and daily use. Nearly all said the hearing aids were very helpful and would … [Read more...] about Community-based hearing aid fitting model for adults in low-income communities facilitated by community health workers: a feasibility study

A realist perspective on optimizing community health workers’ roles and functions to deliver integrated people-centred care

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This study explored how community health workers (CHWs) in rural South Africa deliver care that focuses on people’s needs. It found that trust, legitimacy, and motivation are key to helping CHWs connect with communities and coordinate services. These work best when CHWs have proper supervision, are part of the formal health system, and collaborate with other sectors. However, … [Read more...] about A realist perspective on optimizing community health workers’ roles and functions to deliver integrated people-centred care

Home-Based Care for Hypertension in Rural South Africa

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This study tested home-based care for people with high blood pressure in South Africa. Adults were split into three groups: standard clinic care, home care with CHW visits and remote nurse support, and an enhanced version where blood pressure readings were sent automatically. After six months, both home care groups had much lower blood pressure and better control rates than the … [Read more...] about Home-Based Care for Hypertension in Rural South Africa

Contributions of a community health worker program in improving district health system performance in South Africa, using routine health service variables in a quasi-experimental study design

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This study looked at how large-scale community health worker (CHW) programs affect health services in urban South Africa. Over nine years, clinics with strong CHW coverage were compared to those with little or no CHW involvement. Both improved, but clinics with CHWs saw bigger gains in areas like child health, HIV and TB testing, nutrition, and cervical cancer screening. The … [Read more...] about Contributions of a community health worker program in improving district health system performance in South Africa, using routine health service variables in a quasi-experimental study design