Abstract:
Background: Chronic illnesses, including non-communicable diseases (NCDs),
continue to be a public health concern, globally, and contribute to the high burden of
diseases. These health challenges have led to the introduction of community health
workers (CHWs) in both developed and developing countries as a way of dealing
with these challenges. It is more than five years since ward-based outreach teams
(WBOTs) were introduced into the Julesburg area in order to respond to the needs of
the community, based on the government’s focus on quadruple burden of diseases.
The researcher is aware of the increasing workload, unclear roles and
responsibilities, different approaches to CHWs’ work taken, and the ever-changing
focus of their work, based on the community needs and diseases that the community
faces at a particular time. It is for this reason that the researcher is interested in
understanding the CHWs’ experiences and the manner in which they cope with
challenges when working in their ever-changing environment, workload, work focus
and roles and responsibilities.
Methods: A qualitative exploratory, descriptive and contextual study approach was
used; data was collected using focus group discussions with CHWs and one-on-one
interviews with key informants, using their supervisors to gather more information
that could not have been shared by CHWs.
Result: The findings from the focus group discussions revealed that the CHWs have
a high workload, while receiving stipend and are not permanently employed. CHWs
have had experiences that make them feel unimportant and not needed, as well as
enduring poor working conditions without sufficient personal protective equipment
(PPE). Even though they experience dissatisfaction, they are passionate about
continuing with their community-based work for many years, evidenced by those who
have up to 22 years of service.
