Low-Cost Mobile Learning Solutions for Community Health Workers

Community health workers (CHWs) have a longstanding role in improving the health and well-being of underserved populations in resource-limited settings. CHWs are trusted in the communities they serve and are often able to see through solutions on community challenges that outside persons cannot. Notwithstanding, such solutions often must be low-cost, easily implementable, and permit knowledge gaps among CHWs to be filled via appropriate training. In this sense, use of cost-effective information technology (IT) solutions can be key to increasing access to knowledge for these community agents. This paper highlights insights gleaned from a pilot study performed in Detroit, Michigan with a group of CHWs in basic grant-writing training via an e-platform, the Community Health Innovator Program (CHIP). The results are discussed within the context of learning theory. It is concluded that e-platforms are necessary for CHWs to leverage knowledge from multiple sources in an adaptive environment towards addressing ever-evolving global health challenges.

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The use of low-cost ruggedized Android tablets to augment in-service training of community health workers in Mukono, Uganda: perspectives and lessons learned from the field

African Health Sciences ◽

10.4314/ahs.v21i3.60 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 1482-1490

Author(s):

Christina E Stiles ◽

Edward O’Neil Jr ◽

Kenneth Kabali ◽

James O’Donovan

Keyword(s):

Community Health ◽

Community Health Workers ◽

Health Workers ◽

Low Cost ◽

Local Level ◽

Scale Up ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Refresher Training ◽

Service Training

Background: Despite potential for community health workers (CHWs) to effectively reduce morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, they still face multiple barriers including access to on-going and refresher training. Digital technology offers a potential solution to improve the provision of ongoing training for CHWs. Objectives: This report shares participant insights and experiences following the implementation of a mobile health (mHealth) assisted Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) refresher training programme for CHWs in Mukono, Uganda. We seek to document benefits and challenges of such an approach. Methods: CHWs were trained to recognize, treat and prevent childhood pneumonia via locally made videos preloaded onto low cost, ruggedized Android tablets. Subsequent interviews were compiled with key stakeholders including CHWs, CHW leaders and programme supervisors to better understand the strengths, barriers and lessons learned following the interven- tion. Results: Success factors included the establishment of CHW leadership structures, the ability to use the tablets to learn on an “any pace, any place” basis and using the tablets to conduct community teaching and outreach. Barriers included appro- priate consideration of the implementation timeline and avoiding a “one size fits all” approach to digital literacy training. Conclusions: The strength of the program stemmed from a grassroots approach that prioritized stakeholder input at all stages. Leadership at a local level, a history of local engagement and trust built up over a period time were also integral. As organizations aim to scale up digitally enhanced training initiatives, it is paramount that attention is paid to these human factors which are key for program success. Keywords: Low-cost ruggedized Android tablets; in-service training; community health workers; Mukono.

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Global-local divides and ontological politics: feminist STS perspectives on mobile learning for community health workers in Kenya

Learning Media and Technology ◽

10.1080/17439884.2019.1628047 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 235-251 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jade Vu Henry ◽

Martin Oliver ◽

Niall Winters

Keyword(s):

Community Health ◽

Community Health Workers ◽

Mobile Learning ◽

Health Workers ◽

Feminist Sts

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Recruitment, Training, and Roles of the Bilingual, Bicultural Navegantes: Developing a Specialized Workforce of Community Health Workers to Serve a Low-Income, Spanish-Speaking Population in Rhode Island

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.666566 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Meghan McCarthy ◽

Katherine Barry ◽

Cindy Estrada ◽

Brenda Veliz ◽

Damaris Rosales ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Community Health ◽

Community Health Workers ◽

Rhode Island ◽

Low Income ◽

Health Workers ◽

Low Cost ◽

Large Population ◽

Well Being ◽

Healthcare Sector ◽

Spanish Speaking

Clínica Esperanza/Hope Clinic (CEHC) employs Navegantes, who are specially-trained bilingual Community Health Workers (CHW), as key team members who improve the ability of the clinic to provide care for and improve the health status of a large population of uninsured Spanish-speaking patients in Providence, Rhode Island. Given the growing demand for CHWs at the clinic and in the broader healthcare sector in the state, CEHC developed the Advanced Navegante Training Program (ANTP). The ANTP prepares community members to become certified CHWs who are equipped to provide patient navigation and lifestyle coaching as well as professional medical interpretation services. The ANTP is developed and taught by CEHC Navegantes who themselves are bilingual and bicultural peers of trainees as well as the population that CEHC serves. Upon graduation, ANTP trainees have been able to attain higher-paying and fulfilling careers in a range of healthcare and other community settings. The ANTP offers a low-cost, community-based model for training CHWs who are uniquely prepared to promote health and well-being among medically underserved patients.

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