In this study, researchers in São Paulo, Brazil, examined how CHWs participate in the primary healthcare system. Researchers recruited CHWs from three primary health clinics and used two data collection methods. Firstly, researchers interviewed 26 CHWs about the role of Brazilian health workers and the future of the profession. Then, researchers used vignettes to identify to … [Read more...] about Are community health programmes always benign? Community health worker perceptions and the social construction of users in Brazil’s primary healthcare policy
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
Can telemedicine address neurologic health disparities in rural Guatemala: a health promotor educational intervention study
This study sought to determine the prevalence of neurologic disorders in San Lucas Tolíman, Guatemala. Additionally, researchers aimed to increase interest and knowledge in neurologic conditions among local health promoters. Using the results of a neurologic needs assessment, authors designed virtual monthly neurology-based workshops for 29 health promoters. Health promoters … [Read more...] about Can telemedicine address neurologic health disparities in rural Guatemala: a health promotor educational intervention study
Pandemic-Related Impairment in the Monitoring of Patients With Hypertension and Diabetes and the Development of a Digital Solution for the Community Health Worker: Quasi Experimental and Implementation Study
This study investigated how the care of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first part of the study, researchers evaluated the frequency of medical consultations and the disease status of DM patients from 34 primary health care centers in Brazil. Subsequently, authors developed an application for use by CHWs to identify at-risk DM … [Read more...] about Pandemic-Related Impairment in the Monitoring of Patients With Hypertension and Diabetes and the Development of a Digital Solution for the Community Health Worker: Quasi Experimental and Implementation Study
Lessons from an eight-country community health data harmonization collaborative
This article describes a data harmonization and collaboration executed by the Community Health Impact Coalition. This project aimed to identify practices that enable quality care across community health sites, facilitate cross-site learning, and reinforce health information systems across communities. In the initial data collection phase described in this paper, researchers … [Read more...] about Lessons from an eight-country community health data harmonization collaborative
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the frontline health workforce: Perceptions of vulnerability of Brazil’s community health workers
This paper describes the further integration of CHWs into the healthcare system in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors argue that CHWs are in a unique position to address social determinants of health, but are also vulnerable to infections, abuse, and other workplace hazards. They demonstrate how these issues have been exacerbated by the pandemic, and conclude … [Read more...] about The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the frontline health workforce: Perceptions of vulnerability of Brazil’s community health workers