balamu — objectives 2020 – 2023
As our fellow researchers know, receiving International Review Board approval is a big step in any intervention. Our first study titled ‘Task Shifting Screening and Measurement of Blood Pressure and Blood Sugars by Community Health Workers for Early Detection and Referral of Hypertension and Diabetes in Rural Uganda‘ will investigate the early detection and referral capacities of community health workers. Meanwhile, we will collect data on NCD prevalence in rural Uganda.
This study combines a mixed-methods-approach. CHWs will perform modified questionnaires based on the WHO STEPS tool while social scientists will carry out qualitative interviews with key informants. 20 CHWs will investigate a sample of 3,500 community members throughout the study. Thereby, we will gain new insights on the value of disease detection and community referral done by CHWs in a rural area. We will follow the longterm goal of improving access to diabetic and hypertensive care through the development and implementation of community health worker task-shifting model for early detection, referral and promotion of continuity of care in Nakaseke, Uganda. Therefore, The study will assess the ability of trained CHWs to detect and refer patients with diabetes and or hypertension.
In the coming weeks, the project team will perform trainings for CHWs in detection, referral, and promotion of continuity for diabetes and hypertension care among community members. We are looking forward to introducing the extended project team soon – including all CHWs who are a crucial part for all our activities.