2024 Volume 39 Issue 4 Pages 91-103
Introduction
In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), health care providers known as Community Health Workers (CHWs) are active in preventing and managing Type2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). However, their specific roles and activities have not been academically reviewed. The purpose of this article is to obtain suggestions for effective appointment and utilization of CHWs by categorizing the approach of CHWs on Type2 diabetes prevention and management programs in resource-limited regions.
Methods
Original articles published between 2018 to July 2023 on the database of PubMed and Web of Science were searched. Articles that include all the keywords; ‘diabetes’, ‘community health worker(s)’ and ‘each name of LMICs (total of 54 countries or region)’ in the title/abstract were extracted.
Results
From the 71 articles extracted, 20 articles from 11 countries/regions were selected for analysis. CHWs’ approaches towards the prevention and management of T2DM were categorized into: recruitment, screening, referral, follow-up, and others. The most common form of approach that CHWs make was a ‘home visit’.
Conclusions
CHWs contributed to improved access to T2DM prevention and management using their knowledge of the community and relationships of trust with residents. A diverse approach by CHWs was identified, and they played important roles in primary and secondary prevention. Their roles are essential for high-quality T2DM prevention and management in LMICs facing a shortage of health care workers.
