In developing countries, where the density of trained physicians and nurses is low, community health workers (CHWs) are typically the primary and sometimes sole providers of healthcare to millions. However, studies have shown that even well motivated CHWs using paper-based job aids demonstrate less-than-desirable rates of treatment and diagnosis errors, and … [Read more...] about Performance factors of mobile rich media job aids for community health workers.
Impact of a mHealth intervention for peer health workers on AIDS care in rural Uganda: a mixed methods evaluation of a cluster-randomized trial.
Mobile phone access in low and middle-income countries is rapidly expanding and offers an opportunity to leverage limited human resources for health. We conducted a mixed methods evaluation of a cluster-randomized trial exploratory substudy on the impact of a mHealth (mobile phone) support intervention used by community-based peer health workers (PHW) on AIDS care in rural … [Read more...] about Impact of a mHealth intervention for peer health workers on AIDS care in rural Uganda: a mixed methods evaluation of a cluster-randomized trial.
Retention of female volunteer community health workers in Dhaka urban slums: a case-control study
Volunteer community health workers (CHWs) are one approach to addressing the health workforce shortage in developing countries. BRAC, a large NGO in Bangladesh, is a pioneer in using female volunteer CHWs as core workers in its successful health programmes. After 25 years of implementing the CHW model in rural areas, BRAC is now using CHWs in urban slums of Dhaka through … [Read more...] about Retention of female volunteer community health workers in Dhaka urban slums: a case-control study
Can Volunteer Community Health Workers Decrease Child Morbidity and Mortality in Southwestern Uganda? An Impact Evaluation
The potential for community health workers to improve child health in sub-Saharan Africa is not well understood. Healthy Child Uganda implemented a volunteer community health worker child health promotion model in rural Uganda. An impact evaluation was conducted to assess volunteer community health workers' effect on child morbidity, mortality and to calculate volunteer … [Read more...] about Can Volunteer Community Health Workers Decrease Child Morbidity and Mortality in Southwestern Uganda? An Impact Evaluation
Quality of care for severe acute malnutrition delivered by community health workers in southern Bangladesh
This study assessed the quality of care provided by community health workers (CHWs) in managing cases of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) according to a treatment algorithm. CHWs screened children at community level using a mid-upper arm circumference measurement, and treated cases without medical complications. Caretakers perceived CHWs' services as acceptable and valuable, … [Read more...] about Quality of care for severe acute malnutrition delivered by community health workers in southern Bangladesh