Yosuke Inoue1, Daichi Takahashi2, Naoki Kondo3,4, Akiko Yoshii5, Makoto Sekihara5, Francis W Hombhanje6, Takahiro Tsukahara5,7. 1. Carolina Population Center, 123 West Franklin St., Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA. 2. Department of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. 3. Department of Health and Social Behavior, School of Public Health, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. 4. Department of Health Education and Health Sociology, School of Public Health, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. 5. Department of International Affairs and Tropical Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan. 6. Divine Word University, Rabaul Campus, East New Britain 613, Kokopo, Papua New Guinea. 7. School of Economics, Hosei University Graduate School, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0843, Japan.
Abstract
Background: Little is known about the association between the social capital of village health volunteers (VHVs) and their performance in relation to malarial care. Methods: Data came from 337 children and 13 VHVs working in Dagua, Papua New Guinea. The outcome variable was whether caretakers brought their children to health care services on the incidence of a febrile episode. The social capital of VHVs was assessed by inquiring about relationships with people in 25 social positions/roles. Results: Caretakers were more likely to bring their febrile children to health care services when they lived in a village whose VHVs frequently discussed their activities with people in positions/roles outside their village (prevalence ratio [PR]=1.47 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.22 to 1.78]). On the other hand, caretakers were less likely to do so when their VHVs had known people in informal positions/roles inside their village (PR=0.85 [95% CI 0.77 to 0.93]) and when they discussed their activities with people in formal positions/roles inside their village (PR=0.76 [95% CI 0.61 to 0.95]). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the social interactions of VHVs with people in positions/roles outside the village may benefit residents while those with people in positions/roles inside the village might not necessarily benefit them.
Background: Little is known about the association between the social capital of village health volunteers (VHVs) and their performance in relation to malarial care. Methods: Data came from 337 children and 13 VHVs working in Dagua, Papua New Guinea. The outcome variable was whether caretakers brought their children to health care services on the incidence of a febrile episode. The social capital of VHVs was assessed by inquiring about relationships with people in 25 social positions/roles. Results: Caretakers were more likely to bring their febrile children to health care services when they lived in a village whose VHVs frequently discussed their activities with people in positions/roles outside their village (prevalence ratio [PR]=1.47 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.22 to 1.78]). On the other hand, caretakers were less likely to do so when their VHVs had known people in informal positions/roles inside their village (PR=0.85 [95% CI 0.77 to 0.93]) and when they discussed their activities with people in formal positions/roles inside their village (PR=0.76 [95% CI 0.61 to 0.95]). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the social interactions of VHVs with people in positions/roles outside the village may benefit residents while those with people in positions/roles inside the village might not necessarily benefit them.