Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 4(5), pp. 250 - 258
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2016.040505
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Community Health Workers' Role in Solving Health Problems at the Community Level in Bénin and Togo

Panaveyi Vicky Malou Adom ^1,*, Charles Patrick Makoutode ², Edgar Marius Ouendo ², Takpaya Gnaro ¹, Gado Napo-Koura ¹, Michel Makoutode ^2
1 Training Centre for Public Health, Togo
² Regional Institute of Public Health, Benin

ABSTRACT

The resolution of health problems at the community level requires firm political will on the part of governments and the effective participation of communities in co-management programs and health activities. The objective of this work is to study the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in solving health problems at the community level in Bénin and Togo, from 2009 to 2015. This is an evaluative study of the quasi-experimental type, with its variant 'here elsewhere'; it was conducted in six health zones in Bénin and five health districts in Togo, ail randomly chosen from the list of districts and zones within the regions or departmental directions covered. The study involved 385 community health workers and 6150 heads of households. Female heads of households were predominant. The community health workers were predominantly male and their level of education was secondary school and up. Only level of education, marital status and the matrimonial régime of heads of households were not significantly correlated to their level of knowledge in both Bénin and Togo (p>5%). The heads of households had an acceptable knowledge of community health workers and their activities, but the subsequently expected favorable behavior towards health remained low. Thus, the role of CHWs in solving health problems was perceived as weak. For a visible impact of the actions of this new class of agents at the community level, a strong political will is needed from the countries in the implementation of World Health Organisation's recommendations on community health.

KEYWORDS
Community Health Workers, Household, Role, Knowledge, Behavior, Health Issues, Bénin, Togo

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Panaveyi Vicky Malou Adom , Charles Patrick Makoutode , Edgar Marius Ouendo , Takpaya Gnaro , Gado Napo-Koura , Michel Makoutode , "Community Health Workers' Role in Solving Health Problems at the Community Level in Bénin and Togo," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. 250 - 258, 2016. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2016.040505.

(b). APA Format:
Panaveyi Vicky Malou Adom , Charles Patrick Makoutode , Edgar Marius Ouendo , Takpaya Gnaro , Gado Napo-Koura , Michel Makoutode (2016). Community Health Workers' Role in Solving Health Problems at the Community Level in Bénin and Togo. Universal Journal of Public Health, 4(5), 250 - 258. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2016.040505.