Contribution of community health volunteers in facilitating mobilization for nutritional screening among adolescents (10-19 years) residing in urban Puducherry, India – an operational research study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20213560Keywords:
Community health volunteers, Adolescent, Operational research, Health promotion, Nutrition, AnemiaAbstract
Background: Many countries have experimented with community health volunteers (CHVs) to expand their health systems. Adolescents represent 20% of India's population and serve as a vital resource in transforming its social and economic fortunes. Thus, we aimed at evaluating the contribution of CHVs in mobilizing adolescents for the adolescent health clinics (focusing on adolescent nutrition and anaemia) in a selected primary health centre (PHC) of Puducherry.
Methods: A community-based operational research study was conducted in the urban field practice area of JIPMER, Puducherry. Around 5-6 volunteers were selected from each of the 13 anganwadis functioning under the PHC. The volunteers were interviewed before enrolment for willingness. About four batches of sensitization and training sessions were conducted to provide necessary training regarding the prioritized topic. CHVs were then given three months to mobilize the adolescents. This model was evaluated using the theoretical underpinning technique.
Results: Of the total 85 CHVs suggested, around 65 (76.5%) showed willingness in rendering services. About 32 (49.2%) discontinued during the initial weeks of the intervention due to various reasons. The remaining CHVs reached 61 (17.2%) new adolescents and motivated around 48 (78.6%) individuals to visit the health center. All 48 were screened for malnutrition and anemia. About 25 (52%), 5 (10.2%) and 31 (64%) adolescents were diagnosed to have undernourishment (BMI<18.5), obesity (BMI>25) and anaemia (Hb<12) respectively.
Conclusions: About half of the CHVs who volunteered remained till the end. The involved volunteers improved the adolescent coverage by tripling the number of adolescent beneficiaries.
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