Equipping Community Health Workers to turn the tide against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Urban Settings

The global disease burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is projected to grow 17% over the next decade alongside continued mass rural-to-urban migration worldwide. Currently 82 % of NCD-related deaths occur in low and... [ view full abstract ]

The global disease burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is projected to grow 17% over the next decade alongside continued mass rural-to-urban migration worldwide. Currently 82 % of NCD-related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries which are poorly equipped to prevent, diagnose, and treat chronic and debilitating conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. As respected community members, Community Health Workers (CHWs) are positioned to organize community-based responses around changing the local food and health environment while also supporting individuals with the daily challenges of managing NCD-related conditions. Recognizing that training and supporting CHWs is an effective and holistic way to approach NCD prevention and management, Hesperian Health Guides developed its trademark user-friendly and heavily illustrated materials describing cancer, diabetes, and heart disease treatment and prevention, part of its major revision of the well-known Where There is No Doctor.

These new materials are modeled on the successes of organizations like Latino Health Access, a southern California non-profit that uses a promotora network aiding urban immigrants to organize exercise programs, screening days, home-based outreach, and otherwise deploy existing community strengths to address new challenges. Hesperian’s new content lends itself to CHW-centered curricula for use in cities large and small in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

New chapters on Diabetes and Cancer were field-tested and assessed by health groups and dozens of individual experts in 10 countries. Feedback revealed critical data about local health beliefs and how easily these materials can be integrated into existing health education and delivery structures. CHWs demonstrated how their role with NCDs will increase capacity in otherwise overburdened health systems by: screening and referring patients, facilitating peer support groups for self-care support routines, offering individualized follow-up, and stimulating dialogue about community-level prevention.