Interplaying role of healthcare activist and homemaker: a mixed-methods exploration of the workload of community health workers (Accredited Social Health Activists) in India.

BACKGROUND: Globally, community health workers (CHWs) are integral contributors to many health systems. In India, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) have been deployed since 2005. Engaged in multiple health care activities, they are a key link between the health system and population. ASHAs are expected to participate in new health programmes prompting interest in their current workload from the perspective of the health system, community and their family. METHODS: This mixed-methods design study was conducted in rural and tribal Primary Health Centers (PHCs), in Pune district, Western Maharashtra, India. All ASHAs affiliated with these PHCs were invited to participate in the quantitative study, those agreeing to contribute in-depth interviews (IDI) were enrolled in an additional qualitative study. Key informants' interviews were conducted with the Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), Block Facilitators (BFF) and Medical Officers (MO) of the same PHCs. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: We recruited 67 ASHAs from the two PHCs. ASHAs worked up to 20 h/week in their village of residence, serving populations of approximately 800-1200, embracing an increasing range of activities, despite a workload that contributed to feelings of being rushed and tiredness. They juggled household work, other paid jobs and their ASHA activities. Practical problems with travel added to time involved, especially in tribal areas where transport is lacking. Their sense of benefiting the community coupled with respect and recognition gained in village brought happiness and job satisfaction. They were willing to take on new tasks. ASHAs perceived themselves as 'voluntary community health workers' rather than as 'health activists". CONCLUSIONS: ASHAs were struggling to balance their significant ASHA work and domestic tasks. They were proud of their role as CHWs and willing to take on new activities. Strategies to recruit, train, skills enhancement, incentivise, and retain ASHAs, need to be prioritised. Evolving attitudes to the advantages/disadvantages of current voluntary status and role of ASHAs need to be understood and addressed if ASHAs are to be remain a key component in achieving universal health coverage in India.

Effect of reduced two-dose (1+1) schedule of 10 and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (SynflorixTM and Prevenar13TM)) on nasopharyngeal carriage and serotype-specific immune response in the first two years of life: Results from an open-labelled randomized controlled trial in Indian children.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess the effect of a reduced dose regime (1 + 1) of PCV10 and PCV13 along with 3-dose regimes on pneumococcal vaccine-type (VT) carriage and immunogenicity in the first two years of life in PCV-naïve Indian children. METHODS: A total of 805 healthy infants aged 6-8 weeks were randomised to 7 groups (n = 115). Six groups received SynflorixTM(PCV10) or Prevenar13TM(PCV13) in the following schedules: 3 + 0 (three primary at 6, 10, and 14 weeks); 2 + 1 (two primary 6 and 14 weeks with booster at 9 months; 1 + 1 (one primary at 14 weeks with booster at 9 months). The 7th group was a PCV-naïve control group. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected at 6, 18 weeks, 9, 10, 15, and 18 months of age. Venous blood samples were collected at 18 weeks, 9, 10, and 18 months of age for assessment of sero-specific IgG antibodies. Additionally, functional activity using a serotype specific opsonophagocytic assay (OPA) was assessed at 10 and 18 months of age in a subset (20%) of participants. RESULTS: All schedules of PCV13 showed significant 13VT carriage reduction in the second year of life as compared to control. At 15 months of age, PCV13 (1 + 1) showed 45 % reduction in 13VT-carriage compared to the control [OR = 0.55 (95% CI; 0.31-0.97), p= 0.038]. None of the PCV10 schedules showed significant reduction in 10VT carriage in the second year. Although not powered for these outcomes, at 18 months of age, 1 + 1 and 2 + 1 schedules of both vaccines demonstrated higher sero-responders for all serotypes, higher geometric mean concentrations (GMC) for all serotypes except 23F [with both vaccines], higher percent OPA responders and OPA geometric mean titres (GMT) compared to the 3 + 0 schedules for all serotypes. CONCLUSION: The reduced dose schedule (1 + 1) of PCV13 results in significant VT-carriage reduction in the second year of life. Immune protection provided by 1 + 1 schedules of PCV10 and PCV13 in the second year of life is comparable to WHO-recommended 3-dose schedules.

Conducting community-based pediatric research in rural India: Experience from vadu rural health program.

This paper describes unique challenges faced during conduct of community research studies in rural population of Maharashtra at Vadu Rural Health Program, Pune, India. Some of the ethical issues faced include difficulty in comprehending the informed consent by rural families with low education levels and ensuring adequate compensation for study participation without undue inducement, ensuring large number of recruitments during early infancy, ensuring adherence to intervention by care-providers, retention of participants especially in studies having long follow-ups and regulatory compliance for serious adverse event reports are major operational challenges. The delays faced in approvals from the Health Ministry Screening Committee and lack of specific regulatory guidance on community-based conduct of studies pose challenges in terms of study timelines and operational aspect of these studies. Provision of study-related information during prestudy visits, designing patient information sheets in simple language, involving the decision-making member of the family, adequate time for families for decision-making are certain measures that have been useful for effective informed consent administration. Collaboration with accredited social health activists and auxillary nurse midwives for line-listing of pregnancies and births and regular conduction of prestudy visits or community sensitization meetings have been useful for the recruitment of large number of study participants during infancy. Strategies such as provision of universal immunization, selection of field research assistants from the local population, regular home visits, and provision of medical care has been helpful in retention of the study participants. Networking with local health facilities and local government bodies has helped in the provision of medical care to the study participants and in the management of serious adverse events. Our experience can provide important learnings to other investigators from developing countries working in the domain of child health.