‘I have a lot of faith in her’: Value of community health workers in addressing family planning in rural Ghana

ABSTRACT

In rural settings with shortages in trained health care workers, community health workers (CHWs) play an important role in the delivery of health care services. The Ghana Health Service initiated a national CHW programme in 2016 to expand health services to rural populations. This study explored the perceived role and value of CHWs in addressing family planning issues in the Amansie West district of Ghana. The study included in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 28 women in the community, ages 18–49, and 30 CHWs. Using inductive thematic analysis, IDIs were coded to explore opinions on the CHWs’ role and perceived value in the delivery of family planning. Participants explained that CHWs provided family planning as part of a healthcare package through household visits and referrals to government services. The value of CHWs in delivering family planning was seen in confidentiality, accessibility, and comfort. Participants recommended an enlarged CHW workforce with a range of commodities and programmatic support. The findings suggest CHWs play an important role in promoting family planning, by serving as a bridge between the community and clinics. In rural communities where resources are scarce, CHWs are an invaluable part of the broader healthcare system.

KEYWORDS:

• Ghana
• community health workers
• family planning
• rural health
• community health

Acknowledgments

The contributing authors would like to extend their gratitude to all parties that assisted in the completion of this study. Special thanks are expressed to the members of the data collection team, local personnel who welcomed the team into the communities, and the participants. Lastly, we are grateful to Bright Asare, Emmanuel Boahen, Mary Story, and Randall Kramer for their assistance throughout the research project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, MJS, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Duke Global Health Institute at Duke University.