In the Lao district of Xepon, the majority of the Village Health Volunteer (VHV) workforce is male, which presents unique challenges when engaging with pregnant females for primary healthcare purposes. To enhance primary care among this population through VHVs, this study paired VHVs were partnered with female VHVs to understand the effect of a male and female VHV team on … [Read more...] about Impact of village health volunteer support on postnatal depressive symptoms in the remote rural areas of Lao People’s Democratic Republic: a cross-sectional study
Asia
Community health workers for non-communicable disease prevention and control in Nepal: a qualitative study
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major health issue in Nepal. This study examines existing barriers and facilitators to utilizing CHWs in the prevention and management of NCDs. The authors argue that CHWs deliver essential NCD services. To improve service delivery, CHWs should be fully integrated into the primary care system in Nepal. … [Read more...] about Community health workers for non-communicable disease prevention and control in Nepal: a qualitative study
Article: Health for the People: Past, Current, and Future Contributions of National Community Health Worker Programs to Achieving Global Health Goals
Despite CHW’s contributions to public health goals, there continues to be a lack of investment in CHW programs. The authors of this paper argue that strengthening and growing national CHW programs are crucial to achieving global health goals like universal health coverage and ending child and maternal deaths by 2030. They suggest that offering comprehensive training for CHWs … [Read more...] about Article: Health for the People: Past, Current, and Future Contributions of National Community Health Worker Programs to Achieving Global Health Goals
Promoting Gender Responsive Policies and Programmes for Community Health Workers: a Gender Analysis Framework
Informal occupational roles with the lowest pay and the least power have been dominated by women. Recent findings from Afghanistan showed that male CHWs were praised for their volunteer work while female CHWs doing similar work were not praised as their efforts were viewed “expected” (Najafizada et al. 2019). COVID-19 has further highlighted the gendered nature of the … [Read more...] about Promoting Gender Responsive Policies and Programmes for Community Health Workers: a Gender Analysis Framework
Tracking Weight-for-Age of Infants Using Home Based Newborn Care Plus by ASHA Workers
Child malnutrition remains a serious global concern. The authors of this study investigate whether frequent home health visits by a CHW in the first year of a child’s life improve the nutritional status of children. The study found statistically significant benefits to frequent home health visits by a CHW within the first year of a child’s life. This determined that frequent … [Read more...] about Tracking Weight-for-Age of Infants Using Home Based Newborn Care Plus by ASHA Workers