Authors: Abhinav Bassi, Varun Arora, Sumaiya Arfin, Oommen John, Kavita Yadav, Devarsetty Praveen, O P Kalra, S V Madhu, Vivekanand Jha
This study tested whether community health workers in India, supported by a simple digital tool, could help people manage diabetes better. ASHAs screened nearly 1,800 people and found 418 with diabetes. Those in the intervention group received nine months of follow-up from ASHAs, who were guided by a decision-support app and supervised by doctors. More people in the intervention group lowered their blood sugar compared to those who received usual care. They also saw doctors more often, took their medication more regularly, and stayed more engaged in managing their condition. Interviews showed that patients, ASHAs, and doctors found the approach practical and helpful, and it gave ASHAs more confidence in handling chronic illness. Overall, shifting some diabetes care tasks to trained CHWs, supported by simple digital tools, can improve outcomes in low-resource settings. Further work is needed to see if the model is sustainable and affordable over time.
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Resource Topic: CHW programs, Diabetes, Digital support, Digital technology
Resource Type: Randomized controlled trial
Year: 2025
Region: Asia
Country: India
Publisher May Restrict Access: No