Family Health History–Based Cancer Prevention Training for Community Health Workers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Ju Chen ◽  
Shixi Zhao ◽  
Donaji Stelzig ◽  
Katharine M. Nimmons ◽  
Shweta U. Dhar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Prevention ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Community Health Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Family Health History ◽  
Health History ◽  
Prevention Training

Exploring the Role of Community Health Workers in Improving the Collection of Family Health History: A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 152483992110199
Author(s):  
Caitlin G. Allen ◽  
Brittaney J. Bethea ◽  
Lawrence P. McKinney ◽  
Cam Escoffery ◽  
Tabia Henry Akintobi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Community Health Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Family Health History ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Health History ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Screening And Prevention

Community health workers (CHWs) have been successful partners in addressing public health and health care challenges but have yet to be engaged in efforts to promote family health history (FHH) collection. FHH information is a key factor in determining disease risk and supporting screening and prevention across multiple diseases. The collection of FHH information could be facilitated by the existing cadre of CHWs already working alongside clients and families. In this qualitative study, we interviewed 30 CHWs from Georgia to better understand the current level of knowledge about FHH, perceptions of how FHH collection aligns with their role, and barriers and facilitators in order to support more active involvement of CHWs in FHH collection. Interviews were completed, transcribed, and double coded by three study team members. More than half of CHWs reported knowing their own FHH information. CHWs showed a strong interest and support for collecting FHH in their job, despite limited current engagement in this role. CHWs acknowledged the collection of FHH as being an opportunity to empower clients to have conversations with their providers. To better support this work, CHWs requested training in using and integrating FHH tools into their workflow and support in communicating about FHH with their clients. Our findings suggest that with support and training, CHWs are uniquely positioned to improve FHH collection among their client base. Ultimately, improving FHH collection skills among the population could allow for better integration of risk-stratified approaches that are informed by FHH information for the prevention, management, and treatment of disease.

Authors’ Commentary: Domestic Violence Against Women, Public Policies and Community Health Workers in Brazilian Primary Health Care

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-239
Author(s):  
Marcos Signorelli ◽  
Angela Taft ◽  
Pedro Paulo Gomes Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Community Health Workers ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Primary Health

In this commentary paper, we highlight the key role that community health workers and family health professionals can perform for the identification and care for women experiencing domestic violence in communities. These workers are part of the primary health-care strategy in the Brazilian public health system, who are available in every municipalities and neighborhoods of the country. Based on our ethnographic research, we argue that identification and care of abused women by these workers and professionals follow a pattern which we described and named “the Chinese whispers model.” We also point gaps in training these workers to deal with complex issues, such as domestic violence, arguing for the need of formal qualification for both community health workers and family health professionals by, for example, incorporating such themes into curricula, further education, and continuing professional development.

scholarly journals Challenges facing community health workers in Brazil's Family Health Strategy : A qualitative study

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Grossman‐Kahn ◽  
Julia Schoen ◽  
John William Mallett ◽  
Alexandra Brentani ◽  
Elizabeth Kaselitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Community Health Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Health Strategy ◽  
Family Health Strategy

Community health workers: knowledge and conditions in a city of Minas Gerais, Brazil

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 1523
Author(s):  
Cecília Cardoso de Araújo Silva ◽  
Daniele Fernanda Rosário ◽  
Nancy Gomes Coelho ◽  
Cristiane Aparecida Silveira ◽  
Sonia Maria Alves de Paiva
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Community Health Workers ◽  
Maternity Leave ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Minas Gerais ◽  
High School Degree ◽  
Family Health Program

ABSTRACTObjective: to examine the knowledge and work conditions of the community health workers from a city of Minas Gerais state. Method: this is about an exploratory and descriptive study from quantitative data analysis. With the help of a structured instrument constructed by the researchers and validated by experts, we investigated the ACS of a local miner. Inclusion criteria were: ACS for more than a year in the city studied, not being on vacation, maternity leave or other absence from work take part in the study and sign the Informed Consent (IC), resulting in 61 ACS studied. The study was approved by the Health Department of the municipality and by the Ethics in Research of the Pontiphical University Catholic of Minas Gerais protocol number  0276.0.213.000-08. Results: most of them have high school degree, live next to the job, do not have the necessaries equipments to make home visits, can recognize an emergency and an urgency situation, know the socioeconomic and cultural reality of the community, have access to homes visited and their mission is the prevention and the promotion of basic health. Conclusions: the development of a more effective policy in this area should promote a process of continued education for the professionals, improving their training related to the family and community approach. Descriptors: family health program; public health, workers.RESUMOObjetivo: analisar o conhecimento e condições de trabalho dos agentes comunitários em saúde (ACS) em uma cidade de Minas Gerais. Métodos: estudo exploratório-descritivo, com análise quantitativa dos dados. Com o auxílio de um instrumento estruturado construído pelas pesquisadoras e validado por especialistas, foram investigados os ACS de um município mineiro. Os critérios de inclusão foram: ser ACS há mais de um ano no município estudado, não estar em férias, licença-maternidade ou outro tipo de afastamento do trabalho aceitar participar da pesquisa e assinar o Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido (TCLE), resultando em 61 ACS estudados.  O estudo foi aprovado pela Secretaria de Saúde do município, bem como pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais com número de protocolo 0276.0.213.000-08. Resultados: a maioria possui ensino médio completo, residem no bairro de atuação, não possuem equipamento básico necessário para realização da visita domiciliar, têm como missão básica a prevenção e promoção da saúde, reconhecem casos de urgência e emergência, conhecem a realidade socioeconômica e cultural da comunidade e têm acesso ao interior das residências visitadas. Conclusão: o desenvolvimento de uma política mais efetiva nessa área deve promover um processo de educação permanente dos profissionais, aprofundando sua formação quanto à abordagem familiar e comunitária. Descritores: programa saúde da família; saúde pública; trabalhadores. RESUMENObjetivo: examinar los conocimientos y las condiciones de trabajo de la agente comunitario de salud de una ciudad de Minas Gerais. Método: estudio exploratorio y descriptivo, con el análisis cuantitativo de datos. Con la ayuda de un instrumento estructurado construido por los investigadores y validado por expertos, se investigó la ACS de un minero local. Los criterios de inclusión fueron: ACS por más de un año en la ciudad estudiada, no estar de vacaciones, licencia de maternidad u otras ausencias del trabajo de participar en el estudio y firmar el consentimiento informado (CI), lo que ACS en 61 estudiados. El estudio fue aprobado por el Departamento de Salud del municipio y por la Ética en la Investigación de la Pontifica Universidad Católica de Minas Gerais con el numero de protocolo 0276.0.213.000-08. Resultados: la mayoría completa la escuela secundaria, viven en el barrio de la acción, la falta de equipo básico necesario para realizar la visita domiciliaria, cuya misión fundamental la prevención y promoción de la salud, reconocer los casos de urgencia y de emergencia, conocer la realidad socioeconómica y cultural de la comunidad y tener acceso al interior de los hogares visitados. Conclusión: el desarrollo de una política más eficaz en este ámbito debe promover un proceso de educación continua para los profesionales, la mejora de su formación. Descriptores: agente comunitario de salud; programa de salud de familia; salud pública; trabajadores.

scholarly journals Comparison of Environmental and Occupational Health in Gas Flare Host Communities and those Farther from Gas Flare Sites

2021 ◽  
pp. 34-41
Author(s):  
Nkemdilim I. Obi ◽  
Phillip T. Bwititi ◽  
Ezekiel U. Nwose
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Family Health History ◽  
Respiratory Problems ◽  
Gas Flaring ◽  
Community Needs ◽  
Health History ◽  
Background Gas ◽  
The Impact

Background: Gas flaring occurs during crude oil extraction and can have adverse implications for the community’ health and the environment. Reports show that residents complain about ill-health e.g. insomnia due to heat generated during gas flaring. This article therefore compares the impact on health in gas flaring host and non-gas flaring host communities. Methodology: This research followed a mixed method approach of quantitative and qualitative analysis. Six questions were asked on occupation, residence, distance from the gas flare, social status in community, health status and family health history. Two questions assessed health status as well as family health history of participants and were semi-qualitative. All questions were adopted from a previously published report. Comparison of environmental and occupational data between host and neighbouring communities was done. Outcome: Nearness of residence to gas flare sites show increased frequency in the number of ill health issues in respondents and their families. The impact of gas flaring i.e. ill health is high in those near to the site and diabetes is more prevalent amongst other ill-health conditions surveyed. Multiple comparisons show that the group farthest from gas flare site have significantly least proportion of members who are stressed or suffering respiratory problems. Conclusion: Impact on health or wellbeing among members of gas flaring host communities are more severe when compared to those far. Government policies need to mitigate the adverse effects of gas flaring and the community needs to be educated on the impacts of gas flaring and how this can be minimised.

scholarly journals Innovating home visiting to mothers and infants by community health workers: an action-oriented guide

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 865-869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tereza Rebecca de Melo e Lima ◽  
Paula Ferdinanda Conceição de Mascena Diniz Maia ◽  
Emanuelle Pessa Valente ◽  
Francesca Vezzini ◽  
Giorgio Tamburlini
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Community Health Workers ◽  
Home Visiting ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Postnatal Period ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Perceived Needs ◽  
Effective Use

Abstract Objectives: to describe the process of development and the structure of an action-oriented guide for home visits (HVs) to mothers and infants by Community Health Workers (CHWs). The guide was adopted in a controlled trial aimed at assessing its efficacy in improving CHWs' performance. Methods: steps to develop the guide included: 1) Review of international and national standards and recommendations for community interventions for maternal and child care; 2) Assessment of perceived needs of CHWs and other Family Health professionals regarding prenatal and postnatal HVs; 3) Identification of elements to construct the guide. Results: the Guide provides action-oriented instructions for 10 HVs during prenatal and postnatal period up to 9 months instead of the 18 HVs currently recommended by Ministry of Health. Specific tasks for each visit including assessment and promotion of early child development (ECD) and an action-oriented risk classification are introduced as standardized operational practice. Conclusions: the described approach to guide construction allows adapting the guide contents to the health system context in Brazil and other countries interested in improving quality of HVs by CHWs. The guide, by identifying tasks to be carried out and actions to be taken at each HV, provides an innovative approach and represents a requisite for a more efficient and effective use of their time.

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