Task-Shifting: Can Community Health Workers Be Part of the Solution to an Inactive Nation?

Estelle D. Watson (), Shabir Moosa, Dina C. Janse Van Rensburg, Martin Schwellnus, Estelle V. Lambert and Mark Stoutenberg
Additional contact information
Estelle D. Watson: Department of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, School of Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
Shabir Moosa: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
Dina C. Janse Van Rensburg: Section Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Martin Schwellnus: Section Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Estelle V. Lambert: UCT Research Centre for Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport (HPALS), Department of Human Biology, Division of Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Division of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
Mark Stoutenberg: Department of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, School of Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 17, 1-13

Abstract: Background: In low-to-middle income countries (LMICs), there is a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) placing strain on the facilities and human resources of healthcare systems. Prevention strategies that include lifestyle behavior counseling have become increasingly important. We propose a potential solution to the growing burden of NCDs through an expansion of the role for community health workers (CHWs) in prescribing and promoting physical activity in public health settings. This discussion paper provides a theoretical model for task-shifting of assessment, screening, counseling, and prescription of physical activity to CHWs. Five proposed tasks are presented within a larger model of service delivery and provide a platform for a structured, standardized, physical activity prevention strategy aimed at NCDs using CHWs as an integral part of reducing the burden of NCDs in LMICs. However, for effective implementation as part of national NCD plans, it is essential that CHWs received standardized, ongoing training and supervision on physical activity and other lifestyle behaviors to optimally impact community health in low resource settings.

Keywords: advocacy; behavior change; community health workers; health promotion; physical activity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/17/6675/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/17/6675/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:17:p:6675-:d:1227865

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().