Vol. 2012 No. 1 (2012)
Expanding Community Health Workers' Role in Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment: Impact on Case Management Outcomes in Northern Ghana
Abstract
Community health workers (CHWs) play a crucial role in tuberculosis (TB) management in resource-limited settings such as Northern Ghana. A systematic literature review was conducted, involving multiple databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Global Health. Studies published in English between and were included based on predefined inclusion criteria. The findings indicate that CHWs' expanded role significantly improved TB case detection rates by 25% (95% CI: 18-32) compared to baseline levels, with a notable increase in treatment completion rates. While the expansion of CHWs' role had positive outcomes on TB management, further research is needed to determine long-term sustainability and cost-effectiveness. Policy makers should prioritise training programmes for CHWs in Northern Ghana to ensure consistent quality care. Additionally, investment in community infrastructure supporting TB services is recommended. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.
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