Effectiveness of interventions by non-professional community-level workers or family caregivers to improve outcomes for physical impairments or disabilities in low resource settings systematic review of task-sharing strategies

Authors: Anne Kumurenzi, Julie Richardson, Lehana Thabane, Jeanne Kagwiza, Gerard Urimubenshi, Leah Hamilton, Jackie Bosch, and Tiago Jesus

In resource-limited settings, basic rehabilitation can be extended through community-level interventions by non-professionals like community health workers or family caregivers. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of such interventions compared to those provided by skilled professionals. Caregivers were commonly trained in hospitals to deliver interventions at home. However, the evidence quality is rated low, and the conclusion suggests that while task-sharing is a potential strategy for basic rehabilitation in low-resource settings, the current evidence on the effectiveness of non-professional community-level interventions is inconclusive. More research is needed to improve study design and intervention implementation based on existing experiences.