Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32409331›Full record

ArticleBMJ global health2020

Community health workers and early detection of breast cancer in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic scoping review of the literature.

James O'Donovan, Ashley Newcomb, MacKenzie Clark MacRae, Dorice Vieira, Chinelo Onyilofor, Ophira Ginsburg

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ global health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
33citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–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

33 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  11. Translational cancer research · 2025
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  20. "Cancer Education on Wheels," a Novel Cost-Effective Method in Creating Awareness in the Community: a Pilot Study.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2023
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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

6 authors.

James O'DonovanDepartment of Education, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK connectabinfo@gmail.com.
Ashley NewcombPerlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
MacKenzie Clark MacRaeDivision of Research and Health Equity, Omni Med, Mukono, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0002-2952-2844
Dorice VieiraPerlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
Chinelo OnyiloforThe George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.
Ophira GinsburgPerlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBreast cancer is the leading cause of female mortality in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Early detection of breast cancer, either through screening or early diagnosis initiatives, led by community health workers (CHWs) has been proposed as a potential way to address the unjustly high mortality rates. We therefore document: (1) where and how CHWs are currently deployed in this role; (2) how CHWs are trained, including the content, duration and outcomes of training; and (3) the evidence on costs associated with deploying CHWs in breast cancer early detection.

methodsWe conducted a systematic scoping review and searched eight major databases, as well as the grey literature. We included original studies focusing on the role of CHWs to assist in breast cancer early detection in a country defined as a LMIC according to the World Bank.

findings16 eligible studies were identified. Several roles were identified for CHWs including awareness raising and community education (n=13); history taking (n=7); performing clinical breast examination (n=9); making onward referrals (n=7); and assisting in patient navigation and follow-up (n=4). Details surrounding training programmes were poorly reported and no studies provided a formal cost analysis.

conclusionsDespite the relative paucity of studies addressing the role of CHWs in breast cancer early detection, as well as the heterogeneity of existing studies, evidence suggests that CHWs can play a number of important roles in breast cancer early detection initiatives in LMICs. However, if they are to realise their full potential, they must be appropriately supported within the wider health system.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsDeveloping CountriesCommunity Health WorkersEarly Detection of CancerFemaleHumansPovertycancerepidemiologyhealth education and promotionscreeningsystematic review

Identifiers

PMID32409331
PMCPMC7228495

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.