Community Health Volunteers Deliver Quality Care to Refugees with Hypertension and Diabetes Amid COVID-19 Treatment Interruptions
This study shows the important role that CHVs play in delivering consistent, quality care for refugees and other vulnerable populations
Abstract
In Jordan, the COVID-19 pandemic quickly caused the closure of health care clinics, cutting off access to critical health services for Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians. For those with non-communicable diseases, like hypertension and diabetes, the closures increased the difficulty of managing and monitoring their conditions, creating a gap in care with the potential for severe health consequences.
To improve the quality and continuity of care, the International Rescue Committee implemented a remote, community health volunteer program for patients under care in their clinics. Trained community health volunteers (CHVs) conducted telephone consultations with patients where they monitored for life-threatening complications, offered counselling, and provided COVID-19 information and screenings as well as referrals to testing and care. The CHV program’s outcomes demonstrate the important role that CHVs play in delivering consistent, quality care for refugees and other vulnerable populations.
This research was supported by the Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) Programme
Citation
International Rescue Committee, University of Southern California, Jordanian University of Science and Technology (2022) Community Health Volunteers Deliver Quality Care to Refugees with Hypertension and Diabetes Amid COVID-19 Treatment Interruptions