Nair Hitha V, Sasidharan Navami, Sreedevi Aswathy, Ramachandran Rahul U
Community Medicine, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, IND.
Child Health, National Health Mission, Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, IND.
Cureus. 2024 Sep 10;16(9):e69128. doi: 10.7759/cureus.69128. eCollection 2024 Sep.
Introduction Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) are community health workers established under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). ASHAs have played a crucial role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted ASHAs to adapt their strategies and methods to effectively address the challenges and ensure the well-being of the communities they serve. Objectives This study was done to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the duties and performance of ASHAs. Methods A qualitative study was conducted over one month in the rural Primary Health Center (PHC) area of Thrissur district, Kerala. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among ASHAs and in-depth interviews with a Junior Health Inspector (JHI) and a Junior Public Health Nurse (JPHN). Results During the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare system shifted its focus toward managing the virus, leading to changes in the responsibilities of ASHA workers. They were assigned additional duties, and their routine services were disrupted due to lockdown measures. Despite the challenges, several factors played a crucial role in facilitating their services, including social support, teamwork, and personal satisfaction. However, there were several barriers that affected their effectiveness, such as inadequate and inconsistent remuneration, lack of recognition, transportation difficulties, safety concerns, and out-of-pocket expenses. Conclusion ASHAs effectively managed the challenging situation during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking diligent measures and showing a high level of commitment to their duties. It is essential to prioritize regular evaluations of their performance to ensure ongoing quality and effectiveness.
引言
经认可的社会健康活动家（ASHAs）是根据国家农村卫生使命（NRHM）设立的社区卫生工作者。ASHAs在应对COVID-19大流行中发挥了关键作用。COVID-19大流行促使ASHAs调整其策略和方法，以有效应对挑战并确保其所服务社区的福祉。
目标
本研究旨在探讨COVID-19大流行对ASHAs职责和表现的影响。
方法
在喀拉拉邦特里苏尔区农村初级卫生中心（PHC）地区进行了为期一个月的定性研究。对ASHAs进行了焦点小组讨论（FGDs），并对一名初级卫生检查员（JHI）和一名初级公共卫生护士（JPHN）进行了深入访谈。
结果
在COVID-19大流行期间，医疗保健系统将重点转向管理病毒，导致ASHAs工作人员的职责发生变化。他们被分配了额外的职责，并且由于封锁措施，他们的常规服务受到干扰。尽管存在挑战，但几个因素在促进他们的服务方面发挥了关键作用，包括社会支持、团队合作和个人满意度。然而，也有几个障碍影响了他们的效率，如薪酬不足且不一致、缺乏认可、交通困难、安全担忧和自付费用。
结论
ASHAs通过采取勤勉措施并对其职责表现出高度承诺，有效地应对了COVID-19大流行期间的挑战性局面。必须优先对其表现进行定期评估，以确保持续的质量和有效性。
