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Dewangan M, Garg S, Nanda P, Sahu A, Xalxo L, Tandan P, Quereishi MJ, Sahu AK. Assessing the knowledge and skill of ASHA community health workers in blood pressure measurement and primary care of hypertension. J Family Med Prim Care 2024; 13:2993-2998. [PMID: 39228594 PMCID: PMC11368267 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1781_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction India has a high burden of hypertension, and community health workers (CHWs) can contribute to its primary care. Studies of small-scale interventions have shown that trained CHWs can be useful contributors to hypertension care. No assessments are available in India on effectiveness of CHW training when conducted on a large scale. Methods A study was conducted in Chhattisgarh, where 38,000 Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) CHWs had been trained in blood pressure (BP) measurement and counselling skills related to hypertension. The study involved a skill test and a knowledge test with ten points each, administered to two representative samples of trained CHWs - 433 in rural areas and 422 in urban slums. Results The mean skill score out of 10 was 7.79 (7.59-7.99) and 8.11 (7.93-8.29) for the rural and urban CHWs, respectively. Around 75.3% (71.0-79.1%) of the rural and 80.3% (76.2-83.9%) of urban CHWs were able to score 70% (7 out of 10) or higher in the skill test. The mean knowledge score out of 10 was 8.18 (8.04-8.33) and 8.82 (8.78-8.93) for the rural and urban CHWs, respectively. Around 83.2% (79.3-86.4%) and 95.0% (94.4-96.7%) of the rural and urban CHWs, respectively, were able to score 70% or higher in the knowledge test. Conclusion The ASHAs in Chhattisgarh demonstrated the necessary competence to contribute to BP measurement and primary care of hypertension. It shows feasibility of training a large number of CHWs in such skills. Efforts to equip and support the 1 million strong cadre of ASHAs across India need to be speeded up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukesh Dewangan
- Community Processes, State Health Resource Centre, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Samir Garg
- Health Systems, State Health Resource Centre, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Prabodh Nanda
- Community Processes, State Health Resource Centre, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Ashu Sahu
- Community Processes, State Health Resource Centre, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Lalita Xalxo
- Community Processes, State Health Resource Centre, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Pradeep Tandan
- State Programme Management Unit, National Health Mission, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - M Jawed Quereishi
- State Programme Management Unit, National Health Mission, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Anand Kumar Sahu
- State Programme Management Unit, National Health Mission, Chhattisgarh, India
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Patil SJ, Bhayani V, Yoshida Y, Bushweller L, Udoh EO, Todorov I, Saper R, Stange KC, Bolen S. Lay advisor interventions for hypertension outcomes: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and a RE-AIM evaluation. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 11:1305190. [PMID: 38831986 PMCID: PMC11144929 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1305190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Lay advisor interventions improve hypertension outcomes; however, the added benefits and relevant factors for their widespread implementation into health systems are unknown. We performed a systematic review to: (1) summarize the benefits of adding lay advisors to interventions on hypertension outcomes, and (2) summarize factors associated with successful implementation in health systems using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Methods We systematically searched several databases, including Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO from January 1981 to May 2023. All study designs of interventions delivered solely by lay advisors for adults with hypertension were eligible. If both arms received the lay advisor intervention, the study arm with lower intensity was assigned as the low-intensity intervention. Results We included 41 articles, of which 22 were RCTs, from 7,267 screened citations. Studies predominantly included socially disadvantaged populations. Meta-analysis (9 RCTs; n = 4,220) of eligible lay advisor interventions reporting outcomes showed improved systolic blood pressure (BP) [-3.72 mm Hg (CI -6.1 to -1.3; I2 88%)], and diastolic BP [-1.7 mm Hg (CI -1 to -0.9; I2 7%)] compared to control group. Pooled effect from six RCTs (n = 3,277) comparing high-intensity with low-intensity lay advisor interventions showed improved systolic BP of -3.6 mm Hg (CI -6.7 to -0.5; I2 82.7%) and improved diastolic BP of -2.1 mm Hg (CI -3.7 to -0.4; I2 70.9%) with high-intensity interventions. No significant difference in pooled odds of hypertension control was noted between lay advisor intervention and control groups, or between high-intensity and low-intensity intervention groups. Most studies used multicomponent interventions with no stepped care elements or reporting of efficacious components. Indicators of external validity (adoption, implementation, maintenance) were infrequently reported. Discussion Lay advisor interventions improve hypertension outcomes, with high intensity interventions having a greater impact. Further studies need to identify successful intervention and implementation factors of multicomponent interventions for stepped upscaling within healthcare system settings as well as factors used to help sustain interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonal J. Patil
- Center for Health Equity, Engagement, Education, and Research (CHEEER), Department of Family Medicine, The MetroHealth Campus of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Vishwa Bhayani
- Department of Public Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Yilin Yoshida
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Leila Bushweller
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Eno-Obong Udoh
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Irina Todorov
- Department of Wellness and Preventive Medicine, Primary Care Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Robert Saper
- Department of Wellness and Preventive Medicine, Primary Care Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Kurt C. Stange
- Center for Community Health Integration, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Shari Bolen
- Department of Medicine, Center for Health Care Research and Policy, The MetroHealth Campus of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
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Garg S, Dewangan M, Nanda P, Sahu A, Xalxo L, Bebarta KK, Gupta V, Quereishi MJ, Sahu AK, Tandan P. Impact of community health workers on improving identification and primary care of hypertension among the urban poor - findings from Chhattisgarh state of India. BMC PRIMARY CARE 2023; 24:272. [PMID: 38093191 PMCID: PMC10717607 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-023-02231-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypertension is a major health problem globally and in India. Around 60% of people with hypertension in India are not aware that they have the condition. Less than 30% of individuals with hypertension are on treatment. Existing studies have indicated that community health workers (CHWs) can play a useful role in expanding the care for hypertension. Evaluations are needed to study the impact when an intervention is implemented by the government in its existing large-scale CHW programme to improve the identification, regular follow-up and medication adherence for hypertension. METHODS Chhattisgarh state implemented a pilot intervention to improve screening and follow-up for hypertension by equipping Mitanin-CHWs to measure blood pressure (BP). The study design involved an intervention-group and a comparison-group of urban slum population. The survey covered 5974 individuals (30-79 years age) in intervention-group and 5131 in comparison-group. Multivariate analysis was conducted to find out the effect of intervention on the desired outcomes. RESULTS In intervention-group, 80.2% of the individuals (30-79 years age) had been screened for hypertension whereas the proportion was 37.9% in comparison-group. For 47.0% of individuals in intervention-group, Mitanin CHW was the provider who measured BP for the first time. Around 16.3% of individuals in intervention-group and 9.5% in comparison-group had been diagnosed with hypertension. Around 85.9% of hypertension cases in intervention-group and 77.0% in comparison-group were on treatment. BP had been measured in preceding 30 days for 81.8% of hypertension-cases in intervention-group and 64.3% in comparison-group. Around 70.3% of hypertension-cases in intervention-group and 55.1% in comparison-group had taken their complete medication for last seven days. Multivariate analysis showed that CHW intervention was associated significantly with improvements in all the desired outcomes. CONCLUSION Equipping the CHWs to measure BP was effective in increasing the screening and identification of hypertension, regular measurement of BP of individuals with hypertension and the adherence to medication. This shows the potential if the one-million strong work-force of Accredited-Social-Health-Activists (ASHA) CHWs in India gets equipped for this role. Governments need to provide a stronger policy push to get this materialised.
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Grants
- PIP 2022 National Health Mission, India
- PIP 2022 National Health Mission, India
- PIP 2022 National Health Mission, India
- PIP 2022 National Health Mission, India
- PIP 2022 National Health Mission, India
- PIP 2022 National Health Mission, India
- PIP 2022 National Health Mission, India
- PIP 2022 National Health Mission, India
- PIP 2022 National Health Mission, India
- PIP 2022 National Health Mission, India
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Garg
- State Health Resource Centre, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, India.
| | | | - Prabodh Nanda
- State Health Resource Centre, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, India
| | - Ashu Sahu
- State Health Resource Centre, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, India
| | - Lalita Xalxo
- State Health Resource Centre, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, India
| | | | - Vishnu Gupta
- State Health Resource Centre, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, India
| | | | - Anand Kumar Sahu
- State Programme Management Unit, National Health Mission, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, India
| | - Pradeep Tandan
- State Programme Management Unit, National Health Mission, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, India
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Bera OP, Mondal H, Bhattacharya S. Empowering Communities: A Review of Community-Based Outreach Programs in Controlling Hypertension in India. Cureus 2023; 15:e50722. [PMID: 38234936 PMCID: PMC10793189 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.50722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
India's epidemiological shift from communicable to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) signifies the impact of healthcare advancements and changing lifestyles. Despite declines in infectious diseases, challenges related to chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes have risen. Approximately one in four Indian adults has hypertension, with only 12% maintaining controlled blood pressure. To meet the 25% relative reduction target in hypertension prevalence by 2025, India must enhance treatment access and public health initiatives. A global report underscores the urgency of preventing, detecting, and managing hypertension, especially in low- and middle-income countries like India, where 188.3 million adults are estimated to have hypertension. Loss to follow-up persists in both communicable and non-communicable diseases, driven by factors such as stigma and socioeconomic barriers. Community outreach programs have proven effective, incorporating mobile health interventions, community health worker engagement, and door-to-door screenings. Hypertension management faces similar challenges, with community outreach tailored to lifestyle factors and cultural beliefs showing promise. The comprehensive strategy to control hypertension involves strengthening primary healthcare centers, promoting wellness centers, and capacitating Community Health Officers. While community-led, tech-enabled private sector interventions can screen and manage NCDs, integration with the public health system is crucial for widespread adoption and cost-effectiveness. In conclusion, tailored strategies, such as community outreach integrated into healthcare systems, are essential to address loss to follow-up and enhance health management success in both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Om Prakash Bera
- Health Systems Strengthening Unit, Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Himel Mondal
- Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Deoghar, Deoghar, IND
| | - Sudip Bhattacharya
- Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Deoghar, Deoghar, IND
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Akter K, Kuddus A, Jeny T, Nahar T, Shaha S, Ahmed N, King C, Pires M, Haghparast-Bidgoli H, Azad K, Fottrell E, Morrison J. Stakeholder perceptions on scaling-up community-led interventions for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in Bangladesh: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:719. [PMID: 37081438 PMCID: PMC10116471 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15551-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Engaging communities is an important component of multisectoral action to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted research with non-communicable disease stakeholders in Bangladesh to understand how a community-led intervention which was shown to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes in rural Bangladesh could be scaled-up. METHODS We purposively sampled any actor who could have an interest in the intervention, or that could affect or be affected by the intervention. We interviewed central level stakeholders from donor agencies, national health policy levels, public, non-governmental, and research sectors to identify scale-up mechanisms. We interviewed community health workers, policy makers, and non-governmental stakeholders, to explore the feasibility and acceptability of implementing the suggested mechanisms. We discussed scale-up options in focus groups with community members who had attended a community-led intervention. We iteratively developed our data collection tools based on our analysis and re-interviewed some participants. We analysed the data deductively using a stakeholder analysis framework, and inductively from codes identified in the data. RESULTS Despite interest in addressing NCDs, there was a lack of a clear community engagement strategy at the government level, and most interventions have been implemented by non-governmental organisations. Many felt the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare should lead on community engagement, and NCD screening and referral has been added to the responsibilities of community health workers and health volunteers. Yet there remains a focus on reproductive health and NCD diagnosis and referral instead of prevention at the community level. There is potential to engage health volunteers in community-led interventions, but their present focus on engaging women for reproductive health does not fit with community needs for NCD prevention. CONCLUSIONS Research highlighted the need for a preventative community engagement strategy to address NCDs, and the potential to utilise existing cadres to scale-up community-led interventions. It will be important to work with key stakeholders to address gender issues and ensure flexibility and responsiveness to community concerns. We indicate areas for further implementation research to develop scaled-up models of community-led interventions to address NCDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohenour Akter
- Diabetic Association of Bangladesh - Centre for Health Research and Implementation (BADAS-CHRI), BIRDEM, Ramna, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Abdul Kuddus
- Diabetic Association of Bangladesh - Centre for Health Research and Implementation (BADAS-CHRI), BIRDEM, Ramna, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Tasnova Jeny
- Diabetic Association of Bangladesh - Centre for Health Research and Implementation (BADAS-CHRI), BIRDEM, Ramna, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Tasmin Nahar
- Diabetic Association of Bangladesh - Centre for Health Research and Implementation (BADAS-CHRI), BIRDEM, Ramna, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Sanjit Shaha
- Diabetic Association of Bangladesh - Centre for Health Research and Implementation (BADAS-CHRI), BIRDEM, Ramna, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Naveed Ahmed
- Diabetic Association of Bangladesh - Centre for Health Research and Implementation (BADAS-CHRI), BIRDEM, Ramna, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Carina King
- Karolinska Institutet, K9 Global Folkhälsa, K9 GPH Stålsby Lundborg Alfvén, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
| | - Malini Pires
- UCL Institute for Global Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | | | - Kishwar Azad
- Diabetic Association of Bangladesh - Centre for Health Research and Implementation (BADAS-CHRI), BIRDEM, Ramna, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Edward Fottrell
- UCL Institute for Global Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Joanna Morrison
- UCL Institute for Global Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
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Kate MP, Samuel C, Singh S, Jain M, Kamra D, Singh GB, Sharma M, Pandian JD. Community health volunteer for blood pressure control in rural people with stroke in India: Pilot randomised trial. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2023; 32:107107. [PMID: 37003249 DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2023.107107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that an Accredited social health activist (ASHA), a community health volunteer in a task-sharing model can help in sustained control of systolic blood pressure (BP) in rural people with Stroke and hypertension at 6 months follow up. METHODS In this randomized trial two rural areas (Pakhowal and Sidhwan bet) with 70 and 94 villages respectively were screened for people with stroke and hypertension. They were assigned to either ASHA-assisted BP control in addition to standard-of-care (Pakhowal-intervention Group) or standard-of-care alone (Sidhwan bet- Control Group). Assessors blinded to intervention conducted the baseline and 6 months follow-up visits to measure risk factors in both the rural areas. RESULTS A total of 140 people with stroke with mean age of 63.7 ± 11.5 years and 44.3% females were randomised. The baseline systolic BP was higher in the intervention group (n = 65,173.5 ± 22.9 mmHg) compared to the control group (n = 75,163 ± 18.7 mmHg, p = 0.004). The follow-up systolic BP was lower in the intervention group compared to the control group 145 ± 17.2 mmHg and 166.6 ± 25.7 mmHg respectively (p < 0.0001). According to the intention-to-treat analysis a total of 69.2% of patients in the intervention group achieved systolic BP control compared to 18.9% in the control group patients (OR 9, 95% CI 3.9-20.3; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Task sharing with ASHA a community health volunteer can improve BP control in rural people with stroke and hypertension. They can also help in the adoption of healthy behaviour. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ctri.nic.in, CTRI/2018/09/015709.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh Pundlik Kate
- Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 7-132C Clinical Sciences Building, 11350 83 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6G2E3, Canada.
| | - Clarence Samuel
- Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India
| | - Shavinder Singh
- Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India
| | - Maneeta Jain
- Senior Consultant, Healthcare Financing, National Health Systems Resource Centre, India
| | - Deepshikha Kamra
- Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India
| | - G B Singh
- State Programme Officer, National Programme for Prevention of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) Programme, Government of Punjab, Chandigarh, India
| | - Meenakshi Sharma
- Scientist-G, Program Officer: Cardiovascular Diseases and Neurology, Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Jeyaraj Durai Pandian
- Professor of Neurology and Principal, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India; School of Nursing, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom; NIHR Global Health Research Group on Improving stroke care in India, United Kingdom
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Thankappan KR, Daivadanam M, Mini GK, Joshi R, Sathish T. Editorial: Awareness, Treatment, and Control of Hypertension or Diabetes in India: The Impact of Public Health Promotion. Front Public Health 2022; 10:906862. [PMID: 35586003 PMCID: PMC9108190 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.906862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kavumpurathu Raman Thankappan
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Central University Kerala, Kasargod, India
- *Correspondence: Kavumpurathu Raman Thankappan
| | - Meena Daivadanam
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University and Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - G. K. Mini
- Global Institute of Public Health, Ananthapuri Hospitals and Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Rohina Joshi
- Global Health, School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Thirunavukkarasu Sathish
- Department of Global Health, Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Thirunavukkarasu Sathish
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