Primary Health Care Workforce in Southeast Asia Region, Existing Status and Strategies for Non-Communicable Diseases and Oral Health Alliance: A Scoping Review.

Vikrant Mohanty,Aswini Y Balappanavar,Puneet Chahar,Surbhi Kapoor,Kavita Rijhwani

doi:10.7759/cureus.22362

Abstract

Oral diseases and non-communicable diseases (NCD) share modifiable risk factors and common social determinants, thus creating new opportunities for improving oral health. The existing primary health care workers can play an integral role in NCD and oral health care integration by creating awareness, promoting oral health, controlling risk factors, and referring for timely dental care. This study aimed to identify and understand the roles of the existed human health resources working at primary health care and develop strategies to build on a unified NCD and oral health alliance human resources at this level.A scoping review was conducted to identify the primary health workforce in the Southeast Asia region, their roles and responsibility, and integration in oral health care. Various databases like NCBI (PubMed), Google Scholar, World Health Organisation (WHO)-Southeast Asia region (SEAR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare websites in SEAR were comprehensively searched from January 1980 to December 2020 for reports, reviews, and original research. The keywords used were “primary health care workers,” “community health care workers,” “primary oral health care in SEAR,” etc. Only full-text articles in English language and reports available in Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) sites of SEAR were included in the study.Information was taken from 39 full-text articles, six WHO reports, and two reports from Ministry of Health sites of SEAR. Primary health workers (PHW) are known by multiple names in different countries of Southeast Asia. They share various common roles and responsibilities. There are many opportunities for the prevention and control of oral diseases in the SEAR. Basic systems and human resources for the control of NCD are in place in many countries. Oral health can be integrated with NCD programs and policies to reduce the burden of diseases.

Highlights

BackgroundNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) are widely identified as a key challenge to health and sustainable human development
Information was taken from 39 full-text articles, six World Health Organisation (WHO) reports, and two reports from Ministry of Health sites of Southeast Asia region (SEAR)
Basic systems and human resources for the control of NCD are in place in many countries

Summary

Introduction

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are widely identified as a key challenge to health and sustainable human development. NCDs are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, responsible for 70% of global mortality [1]. The low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are most likely to be affected by these highly preventable diseases. World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognized the following four major non-communicable diseases: cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases; and four major risk factors as follows: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol [2]. There exists a range of diseases that share common risk factors and are linked to the four most common NCDs. Oral diseases have similar risk factors and are highly interconnected [3]. There is an urgent need to reorganize our health systems so that integrated approaches can be implemented rather than a single disease approach

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