Abstract
ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE To associate the strength of community health workers interventions with primary health care strategies for women’s and children’s health, diabetes, and hypertension.METHODS This is a cross-sectional study assessing 29,778 family health teams working in primary health care in Brazil in 2014. The association between community health workers activity levels and primary health care facilities was analyzed using multiple logistic regression.RESULTS We found higher levels of community health workers activities strongly associated with primary health care practices (OR = 6.88) for those activities targeting hypertension management, followed by children’s health (OR = 6.56), and women’s health (OR = 6.21).CONCLUSIONS At a time when Brazil discusses whether community health workers should or should not remain in the same scale-up and skill level as they currently are, our results reinforce the importance of these workers for the care model advocated by the Brazilian Unified Health System.
Highlights
Community health workers (CHW) have had an essential role in bridging between the communities within which they act and primary health care services
At a time when Brazil discusses whether community health workers should or should not remain in the same scale-up and skill level as they currently are, our results reinforce the importance of these workers for the care model advocated by the Brazilian Unified Health System
High community health workers (CHW) activity was positively correlated to health practices in all fields investigated – hypertension, diabetes mellitus, children’s health, and women’s health, – indicating that high CHW activity in a given field is associated with better heath
Summary
Community health workers (CHW) have had an essential role in bridging between the communities within which they act and primary health care services. CHW are commonly defined as health professionals who deliver care services out of health facilities and are trained in some way in the context of intervention strategies[1]. Given their importance as trusted members of the communities they serve, responding to local societal and cultural norms and customs to ensure community acceptance and ownership, the number of CHW has grown over time[2]. In Brazil, the CHW plays a pivotal role in the family health team (FHT) together with one physician, one nurse, and nurse technicians. The articulation of CHW and FHT has been successful in the country, achieving outstanding results[6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
