Open AccessThe front line health worker: selection, training, and performance.
Author(s) -
Hossain A. Ronaghy,
E Najarzadeh,
Terry Ann Schwartz,
S S Russel,
Steven Solter,
B Zeighami
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.66.3.273
Subject(s) - residence , medicine , environmental health , population , software deployment , literacy , christian ministry , geography , demography , socioeconomics , psychology , pedagogy , philosophy , theology , sociology , computer science , operating system
Iranian villagers with basic literacy were recruited, selected, trained, and deployed as Village Health Workers (VHWs) to rural areas of Iran. VHW clinical visit records and activities logs were analyzed to determine levels and nature of effort achieved in the field. Within six months of deployment, the number of patient visits to VHW treatment services constituted 53% of the target population. Within ten months of deployment, the number of family planning acceptors rose from 8% to 21% of the population at risk. Improvements to water supplies have been effected in 50% of target villages. Sanitary improvements have been made to 35% of the houses and 88% of toilets in those villages. Demographic characteristics, class rank, and place of residence of VHWs appear unassociated with village differences in levels of achievement. However, availability of material resources and actual time spent by VHWs on the job may be factors influencing the differences in outcome between villages.