Key result
Eight of 11 studies reported positive results, demonstrating that community health workers can effectively screen for cardiovascular risk factors, lower blood pressure and glucose, and improve lifestyle.
Why the study?
Do community health worker interventions improve the identification and control of cardiovascular risk factors in low- and middle-income countries?
Systematic Review
Do community health worker interventions improve the identification and control of cardiovascular risk factors in low- and middle-income countries?
Community health workers are an effective strategy for screening and managing cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and smoking in low- and middle-income countries.
Supports community health worker programs for CV risk factor control in LMICs; extends mixed-design evidence for task-shifting in low-resource settings.
Community health workers (CHW) may be effective in tackling the burden of cardiovascular diseases in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This review examines whether CHWs can improve the identification and control of cardiovascular risk factors in LMIC. We searched for studies that used CHW as a basis for cardiovascular risk factor management. Our search yielded 11 articles that targeted cardiovascular risk factor assessment, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, diet and physical activity. There were 4 randomized controlled trials, 3 quasi-experimental studies, 3 cross-sectional studies, and 1 retrospective analysis. Eight studies reported positive results with CHW being able to effectively screen for cardiovascular risk factors, decrease systolic blood pressure, decrease fasting blood glucose, increase quit rates of smoking, decrease weight, and improve diet and physical activity. Our review demonstrates that CHW may be effective in helping tackle the burden of cardiovascular disease in LMIC.
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Khetan et al. (2016) conducted a systematic review in Cardiovascular disease risk factors. Community health worker interventions vs. Usual care or clinical staff was evaluated. Eight of 11 studies reported positive results, demonstrating that community health workers can effectively screen for cardiovascular risk factors, lower blood pressure and glucose, and improve lifestyle.
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