An Evaluation of Community Health Workers’ Knowledge Regarding Non-Communicable Diseases in Selected Primary Health Centres of Suryapet District, Telangana
Abstract
Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are on the rise in India. In 2010, the Government of India (GOI) initiated the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke (NPCDCS) with the aim of assessing and addressing the anticipated burden of NCDs. As part of the programme, the GOI planned for community health workers (CHWs) to deliver health services to the last mile. However, the existing research shows that CHWs do not know enough about chronic diseases. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the knowledge and skills of CHWs in Suryapet District regarding NCDs.
Aim: The study’s objective was to find out how much Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) in Telangana knew about NCDs and how good CHWs in Telangana were at screening for NCDs.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 CHWs in Suryapet, Telangana, from June 2019 to August 2019. The CHWs were selected using a convenience sampling technique from designated Primary Health Centers (PHCs) in the Suryapet district.
Results: The CHWs older than 40 years, with post-secondary education or higher, and with prior training in NCDs had the highest levels of knowledge about these conditions.
Conclusions: The majority of respondents had a limited understanding of NCDs. Knowledge was also found to increase with age, education, and experience. However, training is needed to ensure that frontline workers can correctly identify various symptoms and risk factors of NCDs.
How to cite this article:
Kurapati J, Anitha C T. An Evaluation of Community Health Workers’ Knowledge regarding Non-Communicable Diseases in Selected Primary Health Centres of Suryapet District, Telangana. Chettinad Health City Med J. 2024;13(2):11-20.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202423
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