Listening to community health workers: How ethnographic research can inform positive relationships among community health workers, health institutions, communities

K. Maes, S. Closser and I. Kalofonos

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 5, e5-e9

Abstract: Many actors in global health are concerned with improving community health worker (CHW) policy and practice to achieve universal health care. Ethnographic research can play an important role in providing information critical to the formation of effective CHW programs, by elucidating the life histories that shape CHWs' desires for alleviation of their own and others' economic and health challenges, and by addressing the working relationships that exist among CHWs, intended beneficiaries, and health officials. We briefly discuss ethnographic research with 3 groups of CHWs: volunteers involved in HIV/AIDS care and treatment support in Ethiopia and Mozambique and Lady Health Workers in Pakistan. We call for a broader application of ethnographic research to inform working relationships among CHWs, communities, and health institutions.

Keywords: acquired immune deficiency syndrome; article; cultural anthropology; decision making; Ethiopia; health auxiliary; health care delivery; health care disparity; health disparity; health services research; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; human relation; methodology; motivation; Mozambique; organization and management; Pakistan; policy; psychological aspect; public relations, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Anthropology, Cultural; Career Choice; Community Health Workers; Delivery of Health Care; Ethiopia; Health Services Research; Health Status Disparities; Healthcare Disparities; HIV Infections; Humans; Interprofessional Relations; Motivation; Mozambique; Pakistan; Policy; Professional-Patient Relations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.301907_8

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.301907

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