Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28923041›Full record

Trial reportBMC public health2017

Lay health workers perceptions of an anemia control intervention in Karnataka, India: a qualitative study.

Arun S Shet, Abha Rao, Paul Jebaraj, Maya Mascarenhas, Merrick Zwarenstein, Maria Rosaria Galanti, Salla Atkins

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC public health, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Arun S ShetHematology Research Division, St. Johns Research Institute, St. Johns National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, 560034, India. arunshet1@gmail.com.
Abha RaoHematology Research Division, St. Johns Research Institute, St. Johns National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, 560034, India.
Paul JebarajHematology Research Division, St. Johns Research Institute, St. Johns National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, 560034, India.
Maya MascarenhasMYRADA, Bangalore, India.
Merrick ZwarensteinDepartment of Family Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Maria Rosaria GalantiDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Salla AtkinsDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Funding

Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust-DBT India Alliance IA/SF/2013/AS/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLay health workers (LHWs) are increasingly used to complement health services internationally. Their perceptions of the interventions they implement and their experiences in delivering community based interventions in India have been infrequently studied. We developed a novel LHW led intervention to improve anemia cure rates in rural community dwelling children attending village day care centers in South India. Since the intervention is delivered by the village day care center LHW, we sought to understand participating LHWs' acceptance of and perspectives regarding the intervention, particularly in relation to factors affecting daily implementation.

methodsWe conducted a qualitative study alongside a cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating a complex community intervention for childhood anemia control in Karnataka, South India. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with trained LHWs assigned to deliver the educational intervention. These were complemented by non-participant observations of LHWs delivering the intervention. Transcripts of the FGDs were translated and analyzed using the framework analysis method.

resultsSeveral factors made the intervention acceptable to the LHWs and facilitated its implementation including pre-implementation training modules, intervention simplicity, and ability to incorporate the intervention into the routine work schedule. LHWs felt that the intervention impacted negatively on their preexisting workload. Fluctuating relationships with mothers weakened the LHWs position as providers of the intervention and hampered efficient implementation, despite the LHWs' highly valued position in the community. Modifiable barriers to the successful implementation of this intervention were seen at two levels. At a broader contextual level, hindering factors included the LHW being overburdened, inadequately reimbursed, and receiving insufficient employer support. At the health system level, lack of streamlining of LHW duties, inability of LHWs to diagnose anemia and temporary shortfalls in the availability of iron supplements constituted potentially modifiable barriers.

conclusionThis qualitative study identified some of the practical challenges as experienced by LHWs while delivering a community health intervention in India. Methodologically, it highlights the value of qualitative research in understanding implementation of complex community interventions. On the contextual level, the results indicate that efficient delivery of community interventions will require streamlining of LHW workloads and improved health system infrastructure support.

trial registrationThis trial was registered with ISRCTN.com (identifier: ISRCTN68413407 ) on 23 September 2013.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelAnemiaChildCluster AnalysisCommunity Health WorkersFemaleHumansIndiaQualitative ResearchRural Health ServicesChildhood anemiaComplex community interventionFocus group discussionImplementationLay health workersPragmatic RCTQualitative research

Identifiers

PMID28923041
PMCPMC5604152

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.