The use of indigenous health care workers (IHCWs), who were key elements in community health care programs in the United States in the 1960s, has gone in and out of fashion in subsequent years. The author and his colleagues recently established a service program at Wayne State University's Institute of Maternal and Child Health that employs IHCWs. Characterizations of IHCWs in … [Read more...] about Effective utilization and evaluation of indigenous health care workers.
The Impact of Paraprofessional versus Volunteer-Driven Home Visiting Programs on the Wellbeing of Orphans and Vulnerable Children: Evidence from a Longitudinal Evaluation in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
This brief describes the findings and program implications from a study designed to develop critical knowledge on “what works” to improve the well-being of children affected by HIV and AIDS. Community-based home visiting, in which care workers provide a range of support services during regular visits to the child’s home, is an increasingly popular service delivery … [Read more...] about The Impact of Paraprofessional versus Volunteer-Driven Home Visiting Programs on the Wellbeing of Orphans and Vulnerable Children: Evidence from a Longitudinal Evaluation in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Texting for Maternal Wellbeing: Use of Mobile Phones by CHWs to Offer Family Planning Services
This report summarizes an innovative mobile health application piloted among community health workers (CHWs) and health center staff to improve contraceptive prevalence in Benin’s Toffo and Zè communes. URC's non-profit affiliate, the Center for Human Services, conducted the pilot through the USAID-supported Partnership for Community Management of Child Health (PRISE-C) … [Read more...] about Texting for Maternal Wellbeing: Use of Mobile Phones by CHWs to Offer Family Planning Services
Malnutrition Is Treatable: Access to Nutrition Services Makes the Impossible Possible for an OVC
This success story describes URC's work with the government of Uganda to overcome malnutrition with ready-to-use therapeutic food and a simple device for detecting malnutrition. USAID’s Food and Nutrition Interventions for Uganda (NuLife), managed by URC, is helping the government reach rural populations by providing training to community-based workers. … [Read more...] about Malnutrition Is Treatable: Access to Nutrition Services Makes the Impossible Possible for an OVC
Malaria Control in Cambodia: Community Mobilization for Malaria Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment
This technical brief describes the approaches and lessons learned from the Malaria Control in Cambodia (MCC) project in mobilizing village malaria workers (VMWs) as an important source of information regarding malaria cases in remote communities. MCC is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by University Research Co., … [Read more...] about Malaria Control in Cambodia: Community Mobilization for Malaria Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment