scholarly journals Training health workers at scale in Nigeria to fight COVID-19 using the InStrat COVID-19 tutorial app: an e-health interventional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 204993612110407
Author(s):  
Akaninyene Otu ◽  
Okey Okuzu ◽  
Emmanuel Effa ◽  
Bassey Ebenso ◽  
Soter Ameh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Epidemic Control ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Worker Training ◽  
Frontline Health Workers ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Service Disruption

Background: Health worker training is an essential component of epidemic control; rapid delivery of such training is possible in low-middle income countries with digital platforms. Methods: Based on prior experience with the Ebola outbreak, we developed and deployed a bespoke InStrat COVID-19 tutorial app, to deliver accurate and regularly updated information about COVID-19 to frontline health workers and epidemic response officers across 25 states of Nigeria. The potential effectiveness of this app in training frontline health workers was assessed through online pre- and post-tests and a survey. Results: A total of 1051 health workers from 25 states across Nigeria undertook the e-learning on the InStrat COVID-19 training app. Of these, 627 (57%) completed both the pre- and post-tests in addition to completing the training modules. Overall, there were statistically significant differences between pre- and post-tests knowledge scores (54 increasing to 74). There were also differences in the subcategories of sex, region and cadre. There were higher post-test scores in males compared with females, younger versus older and southern compared with northern Nigeria. A total of 65 (50%) of the participants reported that the app increased their understanding of COVID-19, while 69 (53%) stated that they had applied the knowledge and skills learnt at work. Overall, the functionality and usability of the app were satisfactory. Conclusion: Capacity building for epidemic control using e-health applications is potentially effective, can be delivered at minimal cost and service disruption and can serve as a tool for capacity building in similar contexts.

scholarly journals Neurosurgical digital teaching in low-middle income countries: beyond the frontiers of traditional education

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. E17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Nicolosi ◽  
Zefferino Rossini ◽  
Ismail Zaed ◽  
Angelos G. Kolias ◽  
Maurizio Fornari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Scientific Validity ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Poor Countries ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Standard Education ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries ◽  
Learning Programs

OBJECTIVENeurosurgical training is usually based on traditional sources of education, such as papers, books, direct surgical experience, and cadaveric hands-on courses. In low-middle income countries, standard education programs are often unavailable, mainly owing to the lack of human and economic resources. Introducing digital platforms in these settings could be an alternative solution for bridging the gap between Western and poor countries in neurosurgical knowledge.METHODSThe authors identified from the Internet the main digital platforms that could easily be adopted in low-middle income countries. They selected free/low-cost mobile content with high educational impact.RESULTSThe platforms that were identified as fulfilling the characteristics described above are WFNS Young Neurosurgeons Forum Stream, Brainbook, NeuroMind, UpSurgeOn, The Neurosurgical Atlas, Touch surgery, The 100 UCLA Subjects in Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Survival Guide, EANS (European Association of Neurosurgical Societies) Academy, Neurosurgical.TV, 3D Neuroanatomy, The Rhoton Collection, and Hinari. These platforms consist of webinars, 3D interactive neuroanatomy and neurosurgery content, videos, and e-learning programs supported by neurosurgical associations or journals.CONCLUSIONSDigital education is an emerging tool for contributing to the spread of information in the neurosurgical community. The continuous improvement in the quality of content will rapidly increase the scientific validity of digital programs. In conclusion, the fast and easy access to digital resources could contribute to promote neurosurgical education in countries with limited facilities.

scholarly journals Mutual Capacity Building to Reduce the Behavioral Health Treatment Gap Globally

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 497-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen E. Jack ◽  
Bronwyn Myers ◽  
Kristen S. Regenauer ◽  
Jessica F. Magidson
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Behavioral Health ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Lay Health Workers ◽  
Treatment Gap ◽  
Health Treatment ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Behavioral Health Treatment

AbstractUse of lay health workers for the treatment of common mental disorders is an expanding, yet still underutilized, opportunity for closing the behavioral health treatment gap globally. In this commentary, we describe how “mutual capacity building,” an equal exchange of ideas between low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs) to promote shared learning, could promote the development and scale-up of therapies using lay health workers. We propose ways that task sharing models for behavioral health can inform and be supported by bidirectional learning across HICs and LMICs.

scholarly journals COVID-19 patients and surgical recommendations in low-resource settings

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 372
Author(s):  
Bappy Basak ◽  
M. Tasdik Hasan ◽  
Rifat Alam ◽  
Raiiq Ridwan ◽  
Imran Kais ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Resource Management ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Care Teams ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Operative Care ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries ◽  
Maximum Protection ◽  
Surgical Conditions

<p>COVID-19 infection has made a great impact on the health and economy of many countries. Low middle-income countries are yet to experience the worst of it. There are lots of issues, such as, appropriate resource management that will come alongside the infection that can make the condition even worse. For how long this virus will stay with us is yet to be known. In the situation, whole surgical management cannot be postponed for a longer period that can damage the patient’s health. There are lots of queries that will also come up with the viral infection, for example, how should we use our limited test kits, when should we use PPE and which one, how should we select surgical cases, how to ensure proper post-operative care, and another vital question how can we protect health workers from getting infected while giving the service. We have made a bunch of recommendations for such countries to ensure proper preparation against this pandemic. These considerations can ensure the highest care for the patients with surgical conditions and also guarantee maximum protection of the health care teams from admission to operation, operation to ward, and ward to discharge.</p>

scholarly journals 344Impact of a disease surveillance training program on knowledge of health workers in South-western Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Oladoyin ◽  
Joy Osifo ◽  
Abiola Temitayo-Oboh ◽  
Ayoola Fatiregun ◽  
Elvis Isere
Keyword(s):  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Male Health ◽  
Frontline Health Workers ◽  
Surveillance And Response ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Level Of Significance ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background Poor knowledge of frontline health workers on integrated disease surveillance and response (IDSR) is a cause of poor surveillance reporting performance in Nigeria. To improve the knowledge of frontline health workers, they are trained annually, together with the surveillance focal persons, on IDSR. This study determined the immediate impact of one of such trainings on IDSR knowledge of the trainees. Methods A quasi experimental study, involving a pre- and post-test questionnaire survey, was conducted among 205 surveillance training participants in Ondo State, Nigeria. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics at 5% statistical level of significance. Results Mean age was 39.4 ± 9.1 years, 77.6% were females and 51.7% were clinicians. Although most (89.3%) were aware of IDSR, only 48.3 % and 43.9% had been involved in IDSR implementation and training respectively. Overall, the mean pre-test IDSR knowledge score was 12.43. This increased significantly to 18.63 in the post-test (p &lt; 0.001). Sex (p = 0.003) and previous involvement in IDSR implementation (p = 0.043) were associated with improved knowledge score. Females were significantly more likely to have an improved knowledge score [β = 1.876 (CI: 0.305-3.447)]. Conclusions IDSR trainings has the capacity to improve surveillance knowledge in the short-term with a possible resultant improvement in disease prevention and control in the long-term. Key messages Training on IDSR should be conducted regularly for all health care workers and special attention should be given to male health workers.

Using Participatory Approaches for Community Health Worker Training

2021 ◽  
pp. 121-136
Author(s):  
David Musoke
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Training Methods ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Worker Training ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Participatory Training

Community health workers (CHWs) are a key human resource for health, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Participatory training approaches for CHWs are increasingly important as they actively engage participants, facilitate shared learning, and are more responsive to the needs of the learners. In addition, participatory training methods build teamwork and confidence, enhance critical thinking, and are interesting to learners. This chapter presents different participatory training methods for CHWs, including role-plays, demonstrations, songs, small and large group discussions, brainstorming, debates, simulations, exercises, field trips, gallery walks, class presentations, practicals, case studies, and interactive exercises. The relative advantages and disadvantages of each method are also presented. Despite the strengths and weaknesses of each of the methods, it is important that the local context is always considered while selecting which ones to be used in a CHW training programme.

Design & Development of a digital assistant to support teleconsultations between remote doctors and frontline health workers in low and middle-income countries (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Verma ◽  
Harold Lehmann ◽  
Amal Afroz Alam ◽  
Youseph Yazdi ◽  
Soumyadipta Acharya
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Health Worker ◽  
Community Health Workers ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
User Needs ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Frontline Health Workers ◽  
Low And Middle Income

BACKGROUND Many low and middle-income countries (LMICs) have adopted telemedicine programs that connect frontline health workers (FHWs) such as nurses, midwives, or community health workers in rural and remote areas with doctors in urban areas to deliver care to patients. By leveraging technology to reduce temporal, financial, and geographic barriers, these health worker-to-doctor telemedicine programs have the potential to increase quality, to expand the specialties available to patients, and to reduce the time and cost required to deliver care. OBJECTIVE We aimed to identify, validate, prioritize unmet needs in this healthcare space of health worker-to-doctor telemedicine programs, and develop and refine a solution that addresses those needs. METHODS We collected information regarding user needs through ethnographic research, direct observation, and semi-structured interviews with 37 stakeholders (5 doctors, 1 public health program manager, 12 community health workers, and 19 patients) at two telemedicine clinics in rural West Bengal, India. We used the Spiral-Innovative Iteration model to design and develop a prototype solution to meet these needs. RESULTS We identified 74 unmet needs through our immersion in health worker-to-doctor telemedicine programs. We identified a critical unmet need that achieving optimal teleconsultations in LMICs often requires shifting tasks such as history taking and physical examination, from high-skilled remote doctors to the frontline health worker (FHW). To solve this need, we developed a prototype digital assistant that would allow frontline health workers to assume some of the tasks carried out by remote clinicians. The user needs of multiple stakeholder groups (patients, FHWs, doctors, and health organizations) informed this task-shifting tool. CONCLUSIONS The final prototype developed was released as an open source digital public good and may improve the quality and efficiency of care delivery in health worker-to-doctor telemedicine programs.

scholarly journals Can lay health workers support the management of hypertension? Findings of a cluster randomised trial in South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e000577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Goudge ◽  
Tobias Chirwa ◽  
Sandra Eldridge ◽  
Francesc Xavier F Gómez-Olivé ◽  
Chodziwadziwa Kabudula ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Care ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Randomised Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomised Trial ◽  
Lay Health Workers ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Cluster Randomised ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries

IntroductionIn low/middle-income countries with substantial HIV and tuberculosis epidemics, health services often neglect other highly prevalent chronic conditions, such as hypertension, which as a result are poorly managed. This paper reports on a study to assess the effect on hypertension management of lay health workers (LHW) working in South African rural primary healthcare clinics to support the provision of integrated chronic care.MethodsA pragmatic cluster randomised trial with a process evaluation in eight rural clinics assessed the effect of adding two LHWs supporting nurses in providing chronic disease care in each intervention clinic over 18 months. Control clinics continued with usual care. The main outcome measure was the change in the difference of percentage of clinic users who had elevated cardiovascular risk associated with high blood pressure (BP) before and after the intervention, as measured by two cross-sectional population surveys.ResultsThere was no improvement in BP control among users of intervention clinics as compared with control clinics. However, the LHWs improved clinic functioning, including overall attendance, and attendance on the correct day. All clinics faced numerous challenges, including rapidly increasing number of users of chronic care, unreliable BP machines and cuffs, intermittent drug shortages and insufficient space.ConclusionLHWs improved the process of providing care but improved BP control required improved clinical care by nurses which was compromised by large and increasing numbers of patients, the dominance of the vertically funded HIV programme and the poor standards of equipment in clinics.Trial registration numberISRCTN12128227.

scholarly journals A Nationwide Virtual Research Education Program for Medical Students in Pakistan: Methodological Framework, Feasibility Testing, and Outcomes

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Aahil Noorali ◽  
Maha Inam ◽  
Hamna Shahbaz ◽  
Hareem Rauf ◽  
Faiqa Binte Aamir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Jammu And Kashmir ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Research Education ◽  
Research Workshop ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries ◽  
Post Test

Introduction: Equipping young medical trainees with fundamental research skills can be a promising strategy to address the need for professionals who can understand and responsibly communicate evolving scientific evidence during a pandemic. Despite an ardent interest to partake in research, most educational institutions in Pakistan and other low-middle income countries have not yet adopted a comprehensive strategy for research skills education. The authors aimed to design and assess the feasibility of implementing the first nation-wide virtual research workshop for medical students in Pakistan.Methods: The course “Beginners Guide to Research,” designed as a nation-wide virtual research workshop series, was conducted for medical students across Pakistan in June 2020. Four interactive live workshops took place online on alternate days from June 22nd, 2020, to June 27th, 2020, each lasting 1–2 h. Outcomes included: (i) reach, (ii) efficacy as indexed by pre-post change in score pertaining to knowledge and application of research and (iii) self-rated perceptions about understanding of research on a Likert scale.Results: 3,862 participants enrolled from 41 cities and 123 institutions. Enrolled participants belonged to the following provinces: Sindh (n = 1,852, 48.0%), Punjab (n = 1,767, 45.8%), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (n = 109, 2.8%), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (n = 84, 2.2%) Balochistan (n = 42, 1.1%). We also saw a few registrations from international students (n = 8, 0.2%). Mean (SD) age of enrolled medical students was 21.1 (2.1) years, 2,453 (63.5%) participants were female and 2,394 (62.0%) were from private-sector medical colleges. Two thousand ninety-three participants participants filled out all four pre-test and post-test forms. The total median knowledge score improved from 39.7 to 60.3% with the highest improvements in concepts of research bioethics and literature search (p &lt; 0.001) with greater change for females compared to males (+20.6 vs. +16.2%, p &lt; 0.001) and private institutions compared to public ones (+16.2 vs. +22.1%, p &lt; 0.001).Conclusion: The overwhelming enrollment and significant improvement in learning outcomes (&gt;50% of baseline) indicate feasibility of a medical student-led research course during a pandemic, highlighting its role in catering to the research needs in the LMICs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document