Table 1 Summary of key lay health worker (LHW) tasks and responsibilities
LHW task | Description |
|---|---|
Home assessments | ● After a patient is assigned to a LHW, the LHW completes a socio-economic assessment form with the patient. This form also records the patient’s enablers and possible barriers to treatment adherence. |
Treatment and adherence support visits | ● Observation of treatment taking is provided to TB patients, as part of the direct observation of treatment (DOT) strategy. |
● Visits also include medical (pill counts; checking for treatment side-effects; helping patients to manage their treatment dosages) and social (help with HIV non-disclosure and psycho-social problems) support to patients. | |
Door-to-door health promotion visits | ● Health promotion and illness prevention visits are made to each home in the community. |
● Visits include the dissemination of general health information on TB and HIV and on TB screening. LHWs refer residents to the healthcare facility for TB/HIV testing and for other medical problems identified during visits. |