Efficacy of knowledge transfer and exchange between CHWs and community members in low resource settings

Abstract

In the developing world, noncommunicable diseases are on the rise, contributing greatly to the double disease burden of infectious and noncommunicable diseases. However, as trusted health knowledge bearers, Community Health Workers (CHWs) have stepped in to help, serving as a modern resource to address these growing healthcare challenges. CHWs venture out into their towns, providing short health consultations to their community members in order to offer basic health education, screenings, and advice. In a world where it is constantly evolving, technology has attempted to enter its way into CHW programs. However, CHWs in the developing world, such as Kenya, face many technological challenges and have resorted to low cost and simple methodologies to educate their local communities on basic health information. This article takes a closer look at the short consultations of a CHW in low context settings, as well as the type of actionable knowledge retained once the CHW leaves the meeting site. Through this assessment of the knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) between CHWs and community members, the valuable role of CHWs in the developing world shines through and offers insight into how CHWs can leave the greatest impact on their communities while leveraging practical and appropriate technologies.