Assessing Stress Level of Frontline Health Workers during Covid-19: A Qualitative Exploration

UNSTRUCTURED Abstract: India has a massive non-communicable disease (NCD) burden at an enormous cost to the individual, family, society and health system at large, in spite of which prevention and surveillance is relatively neglected. Risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease if diagnosed early and treated adequately would help decrease the mortality and morbidity burden. India is in a stage of rapid epidemiological transition with the state of Kerala being at the forefront, pointing us towards likely disease burden and outcomes for the rest of the country, in the future. A previous study done by the same investigators, in a population of >100,000, revealed poor awareness and treatment of NCDs and also poor adherence to medicines in individuals with CVD. The investigators are looking at a sustainable, community based model of surveillance for NCDs with corporate support wherein frontline health workers check all individuals in the target group ( > age 30 years) with further follow up and treatment planned in a “spoke and hub” model using the public health system of primary health centres (PHCs) as spokes to the hubs of Taluk or District hospitals. All data entry done by frontline health workers would be on a Tab PC ensuring rapid acquisition and transfer of participant health details to PHCs for further follow up and treatment. The model will be evaluated based on the utilisation rate of various services offered at all tier levels. The proportions of the target population screened, eligible individuals who reached the spoke or hub centres for risk stratification and care and community level control for hypertension and diabetes in annual surveys will be used as indicator variables. The model ensures diagnosis and follow up treatment at no cost to the individual entirely through the tiered public health system of the state and country.

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Towards A Comprehensive Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Environment: Insight From Selected Health Facilities In The Central Region of Ghana

10.21203/rs.3.rs-122512/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jacqueline N/A Nkrumah ◽

Aaron Asibi Abuosi ◽

Rodney Buadi Nkrumah

Keyword(s):

Work Environment ◽

Maternity Leave ◽

Health Workers ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Breastfeeding Support ◽

Workplace Environment ◽

Healthcare Facilities ◽

Workplace Support ◽

Frontline Health Workers

Abstract Background In the last three decades, Ghana has championed the objectives of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative to provide pregnant women and nursing mothers with skills and support necessary for optimal breastfeeding. Yet, little is known about practical interventions to promote breastfeeding friendly work environment in healthcare facilities. This study explores the extent to which healthcare facilities in Effutu Municipality provide breastfeeding friendly workplace environment to breastfeeding frontline health workers. Methods A descriptive mixed-method approach was employed to collect data from healthcare facility representative and breastfeeding frontline health workers. Self-administered questionnaire with structured responses and interview guide were used to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview responses. Survey responses were processed with SPSS version 23.0 and presented using frequencies and percentages.Results Three main themes, namely, Standpoints on workplace breastfeeding support; Breastfeeding support, suggested future directions and six sub-themes, including backings for workplace breastfeeding support; perceived benefits of breastfeeding support; factors of poor breastfeeding workplace support; maternity protection benefits; workplace support gaps, and awareness creation on benefits were identified to explain the extent to which health facilities provide breastfeeding friendly workplace environment. Breastfeeding frontline health workers said their hospitals have no breastfeeding policy (96%), no breastfeeding facility (96%), do not go to work with baby (96%), but went on 12 weeks maternity leave (96%) and work half-day (70%) on return to work.ConclusionHealth facilities in the study do not provide breastfeeding friendly work environment except the privileges provided by the Labor Act. Continuous advocacy on breastfeeding workplace support and stakeholder engagement to build consensus on the mix of strategies suitable to cushion breastfeeding frontline health workers against work-breastfeeding stress and minimize its negative impact on optimal breastfeeding among frontline health workers is recommended.

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Use of Health Communication Strategies under National Health Mission (NHM) by the Frontline Health Workers: a research in Chhotaudepur (Tribal) District of Gujarat, India

Adalya Journal ◽

10.37896/aj9.10/047 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

Keyword(s):

Health Communication ◽

National Health ◽

Health Workers ◽

Communication Strategies ◽

Frontline Health Workers

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Feasibility and acceptability of implementing early infant diagnosis of HIV in Papua New Guinea at the point of care: a qualitative exploration of health worker and key informant perspectives

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043679 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. e043679

Author(s):

Yasmin Mohamed ◽

Martha Kupul ◽

Janet Gare ◽

Steven G Badman ◽

Selina Silim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Papua New Guinea ◽

Standard Care ◽

Health Workers ◽

Point Of Care ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Early Infant Diagnosis ◽

Pmtct Programme ◽

Early Infant ◽

Qualitative Exploration ◽

Hiv 1

IntroductionEarly infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV and timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality among HIV-positive infants. Access to EID is limited in many low-income and middle-income settings, particularly those in which standard care involves dried blood spots (DBS) sent to centralised laboratories, such as in Papua New Guinea (PNG). We conducted a qualitative exploration of the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a point-of-care (POC) EID test (Xpert HIV-1 Qualitative assay) among health workers and key stakeholders working within the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programme in PNG.MethodsThis qualitative substudy was conducted as part of a pragmatic trial to investigate the effectiveness of the Xpert HIV-1 Qualitative test for EID in PNG and Myanmar. Semistructured interviews were undertaken with 5 health workers and 13 key informants to explore current services, experiences of EID testing, perspectives on the Xpert test and the feasibility of integrating and scaling up POC EID in PNG. Coding was undertaken using inductive and deductive approaches, drawing on existing acceptability and feasibility frameworks.ResultsHealth workers and key informants (N=18) felt EID at POC was feasible to implement and beneficial to HIV-exposed infants and their families, staff and the PMTCT programme more broadly. All study participants highlighted starting HIV-positive infants on treatment immediately as the main advantage of POC EID compared with standard care DBS testing. Health workers identified insufficient resources to follow up infants and caregivers and space constraints in hospitals as barriers to implementation. Participants emphasised the importance of adequate human resources, ongoing training and support, appropriate coordination and a sustainable supply of consumables to ensure effective scale-up of the test throughout PNG.ConclusionsImplementation of POC EID in a low HIV prevalence setting such as PNG is likely to be both feasible and beneficial with careful planning and adequate resources.Trial registration number12616000734460.

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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Response in Zimbabwe: A Call for Urgent Scale-up of Testing to meet National Capacity

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/cid/ciaa1301 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Tafadzwa Dzinamarira ◽

Solomon Mukwenha ◽

Rouzeh Eghtessadi ◽

Diego F Cuadros ◽

Gibson Mhlanga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Health Workers ◽

Universal Access ◽

Scale Up ◽

Health Concern ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

Frontline Health Workers ◽

National Public Health ◽

National Capacity

Abstract Control of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) heavily relies on universal access to testing in order to identify who is infected; track them to make sure they do not spread the disease further; and trace those with whom they have been in contact. The recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe is an urgent national public health concern and requires coordinated efforts to scale up testing using the capacity already in existence in the country. There is a need for substantial decentralization of testing, investment in better working conditions for frontline health workers, and the implementation of measures to curb corruption within government structures.

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