Results: 3217
How workers respond to social rewards: evidence from community health workers in Uganda (2020)
How does recognition affect CHW performance? The authors of this study explored how a competitive annual award (a social reward) affected CHW performance in Uganda. The researchers found that when one CHW received the award, peer CHW performance decreased. Additionally, the authors found that if a whole CHW branch receivedRead more…
Effect of community-led delivery of HIV self-testing on HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy initiation in Malawi: A cluster-randomised trial (2021)
HIV infection can go undetected in certain populations of Malawi, increasing disease-burden and continued transmission. Researchers conducted a study to assess the effectiveness and safety of community-led delivery of HIV self-testing (HIVST) to increase antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. The authors found that community-led HIVST was a safe and cost effectiveRead more…
Assessing selection procedures and roles of Community Health Volunteers and Community Health Management Committees in Ghana’s Community-based Health Planning and Services program (2021)
In Ghana, community health volunteers (CHVs) and community health management committees (CHMCs) are essential to providing health care and fostering a sense of community ownership. This study sought to understand the criteria used to select these crucial community-based providers. The authors found that selection processes for CHVs and CHMCs varyRead more…
Health policy and system support to optimize CHW programmes for HIV, TB and Malaria services: an evidence guide (2021)
Tuberculosis (TB), HIV, and malaria remain endemic in many countries worldwide. The WHO has developed an evidence guide for engaging CHWs to combat poverty and social access barriers that prevent continued progress in health outcomes related to these diseases. This guide includes evidence-based CHW program planning, implementation, and evaluation resourcesRead more…
The role of community health workers in COVID-19 vaccination: Implementation and support guide (2021)
The WHO developed a guide to support governments with essential vaccine distribution efforts to combat the global COVID-19 epidemic. They emphasize the crucial role of community health workers (CHWs) in distributing vaccines and recommend the following for utilizing CHWs in vaccine distribution efforts: (1) CHWs be involved at every stageRead more…
Gender intentional approaches to enhance health social enterprises in Africa: a qualitative study of constraints and strategies (2021)
Although efforts to reach gender equality can improve health outcomes, research is lacking as to what specific gender barriers exist that perpetuate substandard health outcomes. This qualitative study set out to identify specific gender barriers that create obstacles to achieving improved health in Africa. Researchers found that female community healthRead more…
The Lived Experiences of Community Health Workers Serving in a Large-Scale Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Intervention Trial in Rural Bangladesh (2021)
In Bangladesh, community health workers (CHWs) were integral in implementing a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) program. The authors studied the lived experiences of CHWs in the program to inform future implementation. CHWs reported positive effects of participation in the program, such as increased confidence and a sense of respectRead more…
Evaluating Vertical Malaria Community Health Worker Programs as Malaria Declines: Learning From Program Evaluations in Honduras and Lao PDR (2021)
Community health workers are essential for providing malaria-related healthcare services in both the Greater Mekong Subregion and Central America. This mixed-method study evaluated CHW programs in Laos and Honduras to further understand the vertical organization of CHW-delivered malaria services. To maintain the near-zero malaria incidence rate achieved in 2019 inRead more…
Perspectives on Workforce Development Needs for Community Health Workers (CHWs): Results from a Statewide Survey of CHW Employers (2021)
This mixed-methods cross-sectional study conducted in Texas, USA, aimed to elucidate characteristics of CHW programs to further understand their needs. CHWs must be state-certified to provide health education and conduct health promotion activities within their communities. They are viewed as essential to the multidisciplinary healthcare team in Texas. Respondents expressedRead more…
Testing a home-based model of care using misoprostol for prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage: results from a randomized placebo-controlled trial conducted in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan (2020)
In Afghanistan, where a majority of births take place outside of a formal healthcare system and without a skilled health professional, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a high risk. The authors of this study conducted a randomized-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of a prophylactic drug, misoprostol, on treating PPH. CommunityRead more…
Humanitarian led community-based surveillance: case study in Ekondo-titi, Cameroon (2021)
In Cameroon, social and political conflicts have impaired infrastructure to monitor disease outbreaks. This study compared the ability of community-based and facility-based surveillance systems to identify outbreaks. Overall, community-based surveillance was most successful in identifying potential outbreaks and initiating preliminary investigations. This highlights an opportunity for community health workers toRead more…
Measuring client trust in community health workers: A multi-country validation study (2021)
Community trust is essential to increasing access and providing quality healthcare. A study was conducted in Haiti, Kenya, and Bangladesh to develop a quantitative scale that measures this significant factor and its effect on the impact of healthcare systems and programs. The resulting Trust in CHWs scale is a validatedRead more…
Engaging Parents in Mental Health Services: A Qualitative Study of Community Health Workers’ Strategies in High Poverty Urban Communities (2021)
This study investigates the utility of a school-based mental health service model using community health workers to implement early intervention programs in high poverty urban communities amongst K-4 children and their parents. Findings of this study indicate that CHWs are able to identify and implement mental health interventions for school-agedRead more…
Community health workers and non-clinical patient navigators: A critical COVID-19 pandemic workforce (2021)
This paper comments on the ways that community health workers should be deployed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. CHWs are members of the communities they serve, making them skilled in community engagement and health communication at a time when social distancing mandates are a possible barrierRead more…
Cost-effectiveness of community health systems strengthening: quality improvement interventions at community level to realise maternal and child health gains in Kenya (2021)
In Kenya, researchers wanted to know how community health workers were being engaged to improve antenatal care and skilled delivery outcomes to determine what quality improvement interventions would be most beneficial. The authors found that community quality improvement interventions were a cost-effective way to increase the identification, referral and follow-upRead more…
Compensation models for community health workers: Comparison of legal frameworks across five countries (2021)
Despite their vital function in keeping communities healthy and safe, community health worker (CHW) pay has long been a subject to global debate. This study maps the legal environment for CHW compensation in Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa. Ultimately, having a strong legal framework does not guarantee properRead more…
Mother-To-Mother: Evaluation of The Sustainability of A Peer Model to Communicate Nutrition Messages in Mozambique (2020)
In Mozambique, child malnutrition remains a persistent problem. This study evaluated the use of community health workers (CHWs) as part of a health promotion strategy in a USAID-funded Child Survival Program in Mozambique five years after the program ended. CHWs proved to be valuable in the fight against child malnutrition,Read more…
Community surveillance of COVID-19 by village health volunteers, Thailand (2021)
In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the government of Thailand trained Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) to both educate their communities and identify community cases of COVID-19 to offset the lack of health professionals in the region. With the success of VHVs in identifying cases and educating communities, Thailand was ableRead more…
Diagnostic Accuracy of a Two-Stage Sequential Screening Strategy Implemented by Community Health Workers (CHWs) to Identify Individuals with COPD in Rural India (2020)
When Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) goes undiagnosed, it often results in a high disease burden and in some cases death. Community Health Workers (CHWs) in a rural area of North India assessed the effectiveness of a two-step screening strategy to accurately identify individuals with COPD. With such a strategy,Read more…
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 (2021)
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 understandRead more…
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