Clinical trial NCT05748418: CHWs' Challenges and Job Satisfaction
Official title: Challenges Facing Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Provision of Health Services in Assiut Governorate
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Conditions: Reproductive Issues
Lead sponsor: Assiut University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-02-28
Enrollment: 250
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Observational model: OTHER
Time perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL
Sampling method: PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Community health workers working in Assiut governorate.

Brief summary: 1. Determine the role of CHWs in health system.
2. Identify the barriers \& obstacles they face in their work.
3. Determine factors related to motivation and satisfaction of CHWs job.
4. Identify the role of CHWs in family planning services.

Detailed description: WHO consider "Community health workers should be members of the communities where they work, should be selected by the communities, should be answerable to the communities' needs and priorities, should be supported by the health system but not necessarily a part of the government and have shorter training than professional health workforce".

CHWs aims to provide appropriate, accessible care and bring care closer to mothers and babies, bridging the service delivery gap in underserved communities.

CHWs can effectively provide key primary, maternal, and newborn health care services including immunizations, tuberculosis treatment and contraceptive counseling.

CHWs face several challenges in reaching their full potential. Many of the obstacle's stem from a lack of understanding about their role within primary health system.

CHWs are faced by community and familial expectations of selflessness, equitably applied care, maintaining domestic responsibilities at home and implied understanding that extra work did not amount to extra pay.

In addition, motivation and satisfaction are key not only for retention but also for performance. Better workforce performance is positively associated with higher job satisfaction, and low levels of job satisfaction adversely affect employee commitment and sequentially affect achievement of organizational objectives and performance. Factors strongly associated with CHW satisfaction include relationships with health workers and communities, the availability of job aides and the capacity to provide services and with the training. On the other hand, CHWs were highly dissatisfied with the unavailability of transportation for carrying out their tasks and the lack of allowances or financial incentives. Also, Non-financial incentives include community recognition and respect, acquisition of valued skills, personal growth and development, accomplishment, peer support and community factors like relations with communities and leaders. Other supportive CHW programmed factors.

include frequent supervision and continuous training. therefore, CHW interventions must be implemented with an understanding of the complex challenges faced by CHWs and community members. This would in turn empower CHWs in navigating complex relationships within the community and the health system.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Community health workers working in Assiut governorate.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Other healthcare providers.
* People with mental illness.

Primary outcomes:
measure: CHWs' challenges
timeFrame: baseline
measure: CHWs' satisfaction
timeFrame: baseline
Secondary outcomes:
measure: role of community health workers in reproductive health services in Assiut governorate.
timeFrame: baseline
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
References:
citation: Laurenzi CA, Skeen S, Rabie S, Coetzee BJ, Notholi V, Bishop J, Chademana E, Tomlinson M. Balancing roles and blurring boundaries: Community health workers' experiences of navigating the crossroads between personal and professional life in rural South Africa. Health Soc Care Community. 2021 Sep;29(5):1249-1259. doi: 10.1111/hsc.13153. Epub 2020 Sep 4.
citation: Njororai F, Ganu D, Nyaranga KC, Wilberforce C. Role of Socio-Demographic and Environmental Determinants on Performance of Community Health Workers in Western Kenya. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Nov 8;18(21):11707. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182111707.