medRxiv
July 2024
Deploying community health workers (CHWs) is a vital strategy to improve health at a community level in low- and middle-income countries. Whilst there is substantial evidence on the effectiveness of CHWs interventions, there is a need for more research on the mechanisms through which these interventions work. Understanding the acceptability of these interventions is one way of assessing the mechanisms through which they work.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHealth workers are essential for a functioning healthcare system, and their own health is often not addressed. During the COVID-19 pandemic health workers were at high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection whilst coping with increased healthcare demand. Here we report the development, implementation, and uptake of an integrated health check combining SARS-CoV-2 testing with screening for other communicable and non-communicable diseases for health workers in Zimbabwe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith COVID-19 no longer categorized as a public health emergency of international concern, vaccination strategies and priority groups for vaccination have evolved. Africa Centres for Diseases Prevention and Control proposed the '100-100-70%' strategy which aims to vaccinate all healthcare workers, all vulnerable groups, and 70% of the general population. Understanding whether healthcare workers were reached during previous vaccination campaigns and what can be done to address concerns, anxieties, and other influences on vaccine uptake, will be important to optimally plan how to achieve these ambitious targets.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Hypertension and diabetes are among the most common noncommunicable diseases in Zimbabwe. These 2 conditions are largely prevented and controlled by lifestyle modifications, such as healthy eating habits, physical activity, and avoiding the use of tobacco and alcohol.
Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effects of a community health worker (CHW)-led health literacy intervention on lifestyle modification among patients with diabetes and hypertension in the City of Harare, Zimbabwe, in terms of (1) adherence to recommended lifestyle changes, (2) blood pressure and blood glucose levels, and (3) medication adherence.