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Training community health workers: an evaluation of effectiveness, sustainable continuity, and cultural humility in an educational program in rural Haiti

Publication ,  Journal Article
Knettel, BA; Slifko, SE; Inman, AG; Silova, I
Published in: International Journal of Health Promotion and Education
July 4, 2017

Community health worker (CHW) programs, which provide health-related training to members of the general public, have emerged as a key tool in addressing the health needs of the world’s poorest citizens. The Caribbean nation of Haiti is widely considered the least developed in the Western hemisphere with health indicators near the bottom of all countries worldwide. In response to the vast healthcare needs of the country, attempts have been made to extend sustainable rural health services with a small number of CHW programs formed through international and community partnerships. The purpose of the current mixed methods research was to evaluate the efficacy, sustainability, and cultural compatibility of an annual volunteer-led training program for CHWs in rural southeast Haiti. The course aimed to expand the health literacy of 126 Haitian CHWs with a specific focus on maternal and child health. Results showed significant improvement in participants’ knowledge of course content and participants overwhelmingly endorsed the course as valuable. However, trainees cited logistical, material, and financial barriers impeding them from carrying out their roles as CHWs. Additionally, although the partnership responsible for the ongoing training is taking a long-term stance to their work in Haiti, training provided by non-Haitian, short-term volunteers creates concerns about a lack of sustainable continuity and cultural compatibility. In response, the authors provide recommendations for building effective, volunteer-led training programs that uphold principles of participatory action and cultural humility.

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Published In

International Journal of Health Promotion and Education

DOI

EISSN

2164-9545

ISSN

1463-5240

Publication Date

July 4, 2017

Volume

55

Issue

4

Start / End Page

177 / 188

Related Subject Headings

  • Public Health
  • 4206 Public health
  • 3901 Curriculum and pedagogy
  • 1117 Public Health and Health Services
 

Citation

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Knettel, B. A., Slifko, S. E., Inman, A. G., & Silova, I. (2017). Training community health workers: an evaluation of effectiveness, sustainable continuity, and cultural humility in an educational program in rural Haiti. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 55(4), 177–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2017.1284014
Knettel, B. A., S. E. Slifko, A. G. Inman, and I. Silova. “Training community health workers: an evaluation of effectiveness, sustainable continuity, and cultural humility in an educational program in rural Haiti.” International Journal of Health Promotion and Education 55, no. 4 (July 4, 2017): 177–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2017.1284014.
Knettel BA, Slifko SE, Inman AG, Silova I. Training community health workers: an evaluation of effectiveness, sustainable continuity, and cultural humility in an educational program in rural Haiti. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education. 2017 Jul 4;55(4):177–88.
Knettel, B. A., et al. “Training community health workers: an evaluation of effectiveness, sustainable continuity, and cultural humility in an educational program in rural Haiti.” International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, vol. 55, no. 4, July 2017, pp. 177–88. Scopus, doi:10.1080/14635240.2017.1284014.
Knettel BA, Slifko SE, Inman AG, Silova I. Training community health workers: an evaluation of effectiveness, sustainable continuity, and cultural humility in an educational program in rural Haiti. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education. 2017 Jul 4;55(4):177–188.

Published In

International Journal of Health Promotion and Education

DOI

EISSN

2164-9545

ISSN

1463-5240

Publication Date

July 4, 2017

Volume

55

Issue

4

Start / End Page

177 / 188

Related Subject Headings

  • Public Health
  • 4206 Public health
  • 3901 Curriculum and pedagogy
  • 1117 Public Health and Health Services