BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Lay Health Workers (LHW) in increasing case detection rate and treatment success outcome of Tuberculosis cases METHODS: PUBMED,; Google scholar, African Journal Online (AJOL) and other search engines were systematically searched, for literature from 2000 to 2012 for studies that are either: [randomized/cluster randomized/non randomized or prospective cohort study); assessing lay Health care worker participation in tuberculosis (TB) treatment, using the key words (LHW, TB and treatment). Studies were pooled using a random effect model. Of the thirteen studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria for systemic review, only five were heterogeneous enough for a meta-analysis. RESULTS: There was a marginal effectiveness of LHW involvement in TB treatment success rate, RR 1.09 Confidence Interval. [0.98-1.21]. There was no publication bias; with {p = 0.135 for Eggar's weighed regression analysis}. Restrictive analysis showed a marginally higher summary relative risk in rural based studies RR 1.12, C.I. [1.01-1.24]; compared to urban studies RR 1.01, C.I. [0.91-1.13]. CONCLUSION: The use of Lay Health care workers is associated with a marginal benefit in improving TB treatment success compared to standard facility based TB care. Larger studies are needed to properly prove its superiority.
BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Lay Health Workers (LHW) in increasing case detection rate and treatment success outcome of Tuberculosis cases METHODS: PUBMED,; Google scholar, African Journal Online (AJOL) and other search engines were systematically searched, for literature from 2000 to 2012 for studies that are either: [randomized/cluster randomized/non randomized or prospective cohort study); assessing lay Health care worker participation in tuberculosis (TB) treatment, using the key words (LHW, TB and treatment). Studies were pooled using a random effect model. Of the thirteen studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria for systemic review, only five were heterogeneous enough for a meta-analysis. RESULTS: There was a marginal effectiveness of LHW involvement in TB treatment success rate, RR 1.09 Confidence Interval. [0.98-1.21]. There was no publication bias; with {p = 0.135 for Eggar's weighed regression analysis}. Restrictive analysis showed a marginally higher summary relative risk in rural based studies RR 1.12, C.I. [1.01-1.24]; compared to urban studies RR 1.01, C.I. [0.91-1.13]. CONCLUSION: The use of Lay Health care workers is associated with a marginal benefit in improving TB treatment success compared to standard facility based TB care. Larger studies are needed to properly prove its superiority.
Authors: Rebecca King; Joseph Hicks; Christian Rassi; Muhammad Shafique; Deepa Barua; Prashanta Bhowmik; Mahua Das; Helen Elsey; Kate Questa; Fariza Fieroze; Prudence Hamade; Sameena Huque; James Newell; Rumana Huque Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2020-06-17 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: K Questa; M Das; R King; M Everitt; C Rassi; C Cartwright; T Ferdous; D Barua; N Putnis; A C Snell; R Huque; J Newell; H Elsey Journal: Int J Equity Health Date: 2020-04-06
Authors: Lisa M Puchalski Ritchie; Monique van Lettow; Austine Makwakwa; Ester C Kip; Sharon E Straus; Harry Kawonga; Jemila S Hamid; Gerald Lebovic; Kevin E Thorpe; Merrick Zwarenstein; Michael J Schull; Adrienne K Chan; Alexandra Martiniuk; Vanessa van Schoor Journal: Implement Sci Date: 2020-12-11 Impact factor: 7.327
Authors: Lisa M Puchalski Ritchie; Esther C Kip; Hayley Mundeva; Monique van Lettow; Austine Makwakwa; Sharon E Straus; Jemila S Hamid; Merrick Zwarenstein; Michael J Schull; Adrienne K Chan; Alexandra Martiniuk; Vanessa van Schoor Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2021-07-02 Impact factor: 2.692