Kumar Pragya, Ahmad Shamshad, Pradhan Narottam, Chaudhary Neha, H Haripriya, Kumari Sarita, K G Naveen, Yadav Akanksha, Jha Rakesh, Parwez Md Ashraf, Swati Swati, Purty Apolenarius, Somya Somya
All India Institute of Medical Sciences Patna, Patna Bihar, India.
Project Concern International India, Patna Bihar, India.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Jan 27;25(1):146. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-12299-3.
Rural populations in Bihar, India, face significant healthcare access challenges due to geographical, infrastructural, and financial barriers. The Swasthya Mitra program, initiated by the Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society in collaboration with local and international partners, aims to mitigate these challenges by employing trained community members to navigate patients through the healthcare system.
This qualitative study employed in-depth interview and thematic analysis to evaluate the Swasthya Mitra program in the Bhagalpur and Jamui districts in Bihar, India. The participants included Swasthya Mitras, healthcare professionals, and beneficiaries. This study focused on understanding the role of Swasthya Mitras in facilitating healthcare services.
The program improved healthcare access for rural populations, with beneficiaries reporting reduced navigational confusion, decreased out-of-pocket expenditures, and enhanced patient care. Swasthya Mitras bridged the gap between the community and healthcare facilities. The program also empowered women, both Swasthya Mitras and beneficiaries, by improving their access to healthcare and increasing their involvement in health-related decision-making.
The Swasthya Mitra program may offer a viable model for improving healthcare access in rural settings, demonstrating the importance of community involvement in healthcare delivery. The findings suggested that such programs can be instrumental in overcoming barriers to healthcare access and reducing financial burdens on vulnerable populations.
The study was supported by the Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society supported by the World Bank and Project Concern Internation India.
由于地理、基础设施和经济障碍，印度比哈尔邦的农村人口在获得医疗保健方面面临重大挑战。比哈尔邦农村生计促进协会与当地及国际合作伙伴合作发起的“健康之友”项目，旨在通过雇佣经过培训的社区成员帮助患者在医疗系统中就医，以缓解这些挑战。
这项定性研究采用深入访谈和主题分析方法，对印度比哈尔邦巴格布尔和贾穆伊地区的“健康之友”项目进行评估。参与者包括健康之友、医疗专业人员和受益人。本研究着重了解健康之友在促进医疗服务方面的作用。
该项目改善了农村人口获得医疗保健的状况，受益人报告称就医困惑减少、自付费用降低且患者护理得到加强。健康之友弥合了社区与医疗机构之间的差距。该项目还通过改善医疗保健服务的可及性以及增加女性（包括健康之友和受益人）对健康相关决策的参与度，增强了她们的权能。
“健康之友”项目可能为改善农村地区的医疗保健可及性提供了一个可行模式，证明了社区参与医疗服务提供的重要性。研究结果表明，此类项目有助于克服医疗保健可及性障碍，并减轻弱势群体的经济负担。
本研究由世界银行支持的比哈尔邦农村生计促进协会以及国际关怀组织印度分会资助。
