Authors: Daniel Ebbs, Max Taricia, Melissa C Funaro, Maggie O'Daniel, Michael Cappello
Point-of-Care Tests (POCTs) are widely used in well-resourced regions but are limited in the global south, especially in prehospital settings. There is little research on the use of non-malarial POCTs by Community Health Workers (CHWs). This scoping review aims to explore the variety and scope of POCTs used in prehospital settings. An experienced medical librarian conducted a medical subject heading (MeSH) analysis and scoping searches in databases to find articles on “point of care testing” and “community health workers.” The review followed the PRISMA Extension for scoping reviews. Out of 2735 publications, 185 were reviewed in full, and 110 met the study criteria. Most studies focused on malaria (67%) or HIV (23%), while 8% covered other tests. The studies showed a wide geographic range and varied terminology for CHWs. The use of new POCTs is increasing and could improve early risk assessment in low-resource settings. Lessons from malaria POCTs over the years can inform future implementation strategies.
Link: Prehospital use of point-of-care tests by community health workers a scoping review
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Resource Topic: CHW, Pre-referral care
Resource Type: Review
Year: 2024
Region: Global
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Publisher May Restrict Access: No