Exploring the motivations of female community health volunteers in primary healthcare provision in rural Nepal: A qualitative study

Authors: Panday, S., van Teijlingen, E. and Barnes, A.

Journal: PLOS Global Public Health

Volume: 4

Issue: 8 August

eISSN: 2767-3375

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003428

Abstract:

Motivating Community Health Workers (CHWs)—many of whom are volunteers—is crucial for achieving Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) for Primary Healthcare (PHC) in resource-poor areas. In rural Nepal, PHC is mostly delivered by female CHWs, locally known as Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs), but little is known about them. This paper explores experiential factors influencing FCHVs’ motivations, including how motivation intersects with women’s livelihoods and consider what this means for achieving PHC in Nepal and globally. We conducted qualitative research in the hill and the Terai (flatland bordering India) areas of Nepal. Data were purposively collected through 31 semi-structured interviews (20 volunteers, 11 paid local health workers) and three focus group discussions with additional 15 volunteers. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in Nepali and translated into English. Data were coded using NVivo10, analysed thematically at individual, organisational and community levels. FCHVs’ motivations to volunteer was affected in several ways. At the individual level, participants wanted and were committed to voluntary work, yet the opportunity costs of volunteering, out-of-pocket expenditure and inadequate family support strained many of the women who were already overburdened. At the community level, perceived lack of appreciation of volunteer efforts by community members, who saw volunteers as paid health workers, undermined FCHVs motivation to volunteer. Finally, at the organizational level, a bureaucratic emphasis on recording and reporting, and lack of respect from local health workers undermined their motivation at work. Our paper illustrates how FCHVs from some of the poorest backgrounds can be highly motivated to volunteer, yet inadequate social and economic support across individual, organisational and community levels undermined this motivation, the security of their livelihoods, and thus wider efforts to achieve PHC. Financial investments are needed to compensate FCHVs, so that they remain motivated to deliver global health goals for PHC.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/40043/

Source: Scopus

Exploring the motivations of female community health volunteers in primary healthcare provision in rural Nepal: A qualitative study.

Authors: Panday, S., Teijlingen, E.V. and Barnes, A.

Journal: PLOS Glob Public Health

Volume: 4

Issue: 8

Pages: e0003428

eISSN: 2767-3375

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003428

Abstract:

Motivating Community Health Workers (CHWs)-many of whom are volunteers-is crucial for achieving Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) for Primary Healthcare (PHC) in resource-poor areas. In rural Nepal, PHC is mostly delivered by female CHWs, locally known as Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs), but little is known about them. This paper explores experiential factors influencing FCHVs' motivations, including how motivation intersects with women's livelihoods and consider what this means for achieving PHC in Nepal and globally. We conducted qualitative research in the hill and the Terai (flatland bordering India) areas of Nepal. Data were purposively collected through 31 semi-structured interviews (20 volunteers, 11 paid local health workers) and three focus group discussions with additional 15 volunteers. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in Nepali and translated into English. Data were coded using NVivo10, analysed thematically at individual, organisational and community levels. FCHVs' motivations to volunteer was affected in several ways. At the individual level, participants wanted and were committed to voluntary work, yet the opportunity costs of volunteering, out-of-pocket expenditure and inadequate family support strained many of the women who were already overburdened. At the community level, perceived lack of appreciation of volunteer efforts by community members, who saw volunteers as paid health workers, undermined FCHVs motivation to volunteer. Finally, at the organizational level, a bureaucratic emphasis on recording and reporting, and lack of respect from local health workers undermined their motivation at work. Our paper illustrates how FCHVs from some of the poorest backgrounds can be highly motivated to volunteer, yet inadequate social and economic support across individual, organisational and community levels undermined this motivation, the security of their livelihoods, and thus wider efforts to achieve PHC. Financial investments are needed to compensate FCHVs, so that they remain motivated to deliver global health goals for PHC.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/40043/

Source: PubMed

Exploring the motivations of female community health volunteers in primary healthcare provision in rural Nepal: a qualitative study

Authors: Panday, S., van Teijlingen, E. and Barnes, A.

Journal: PLOS Global Public Health

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

eISSN: 2767-3375

Abstract:

Motivating Community Health Workers (CHWs) - many of whom are volunteers - is crucial for achieving Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) for Primary Healthcare (PHC) in resource-poor areas. In rural Nepal, PHC is mostly delivered by female CHWs, locally known as Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs), but little is known about them. This paper explores experiential factors influencing FCHVs’ motivations, including how motivation intersects with women’s livelihoods and consider what this means for achieving PHC in Nepal and globally.

We conducted qualitative research in the hill and the Terai (flatland bordering India) areas of Nepal. Data were purposively collected through 31 semi-structured interviews (20 volunteers, 11 paid local health workers) and three focus group discussions with additional 15 volunteers. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in Nepali and translated into English. Data were coded using NVivo10, analysed thematically at individual, organisational and community levels.

FCHVs’ motivations to volunteer were affected in several ways. At the individual level, participants wanted and were committed to voluntary work, yet the opportunity costs of volunteering, out-of-pocket expenses and inadequate family support strained many of the women who were already overburdened. At the community level, perceived lack of appreciation of volunteer efforts by community members, who saw volunteers as paid health workers, undermined FCHVs motivation to volunteer. Finally, at the organizational level, a bureaucratic emphasis on recording and reporting, and lack of respect from local health workers undermined their motivation at work.

Our paper illustrates how FCHVs from some of the poorest backgrounds can be highly motivated to volunteer, yet inadequate social and economic support across individual, community and health system levels undermined this motivation, the security of their livelihoods, and thus wider efforts to achieve PHC. Financial investments are needed to compensate FCHVs, to help them to remain motivated to deliver global health goals for PHC.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/40043/

https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0003428

Source: Manual

Exploring the motivations of female community health volunteers in primary healthcare provision in rural Nepal: A qualitative study.

Authors: Panday, S., Teijlingen, E.V. and Barnes, A.

Journal: PLOS global public health

Volume: 4

Issue: 8

Pages: e0003428

eISSN: 2767-3375

ISSN: 2767-3375

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003428

Abstract:

Motivating Community Health Workers (CHWs)-many of whom are volunteers-is crucial for achieving Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) for Primary Healthcare (PHC) in resource-poor areas. In rural Nepal, PHC is mostly delivered by female CHWs, locally known as Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs), but little is known about them. This paper explores experiential factors influencing FCHVs' motivations, including how motivation intersects with women's livelihoods and consider what this means for achieving PHC in Nepal and globally. We conducted qualitative research in the hill and the Terai (flatland bordering India) areas of Nepal. Data were purposively collected through 31 semi-structured interviews (20 volunteers, 11 paid local health workers) and three focus group discussions with additional 15 volunteers. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in Nepali and translated into English. Data were coded using NVivo10, analysed thematically at individual, organisational and community levels. FCHVs' motivations to volunteer was affected in several ways. At the individual level, participants wanted and were committed to voluntary work, yet the opportunity costs of volunteering, out-of-pocket expenditure and inadequate family support strained many of the women who were already overburdened. At the community level, perceived lack of appreciation of volunteer efforts by community members, who saw volunteers as paid health workers, undermined FCHVs motivation to volunteer. Finally, at the organizational level, a bureaucratic emphasis on recording and reporting, and lack of respect from local health workers undermined their motivation at work. Our paper illustrates how FCHVs from some of the poorest backgrounds can be highly motivated to volunteer, yet inadequate social and economic support across individual, organisational and community levels undermined this motivation, the security of their livelihoods, and thus wider efforts to achieve PHC. Financial investments are needed to compensate FCHVs, so that they remain motivated to deliver global health goals for PHC.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/40043/

Source: Europe PubMed Central

Exploring the motivations of female community health volunteers in primary healthcare provision in rural Nepal: a qualitative study

Authors: Panday, S., van Teijlingen, E. and Barnes, A.

Journal: PLOS Global Public Health

Volume: 4

Issue: 8

Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)

ISSN: 2767-3375

Abstract:

Motivating Community Health Workers (CHWs) - many of whom are volunteers - is crucial for achieving Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) for Primary Healthcare (PHC) in resource-poor areas. In rural Nepal, PHC is mostly delivered by female CHWs, locally known as Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs), but little is known about them. This paper explores experiential factors influencing FCHVs’ motivations, including how motivation intersects with women’s livelihoods and consider what this means for achieving PHC in Nepal and globally.

We conducted qualitative research in the hill and the Terai (flatland bordering India) areas of Nepal. Data were purposively collected through 31 semi-structured interviews (20 volunteers, 11 paid local health workers) and three focus group discussions with additional 15 volunteers. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in Nepali and translated into English. Data were coded using NVivo10, analysed thematically at individual, organisational and community levels.

FCHVs’ motivations to volunteer were affected in several ways. At the individual level, participants wanted and were committed to voluntary work, yet the opportunity costs of volunteering, out-of-pocket expenses and inadequate family support strained many of the women who were already overburdened. At the community level, perceived lack of appreciation of volunteer efforts by community members, who saw volunteers as paid health workers, undermined FCHVs motivation to volunteer. Finally, at the organizational level, a bureaucratic emphasis on recording and reporting, and lack of respect from local health workers undermined their motivation at work.

Our paper illustrates how FCHVs from some of the poorest backgrounds can be highly motivated to volunteer, yet inadequate social and economic support across individual, community and health system levels undermined this motivation, the security of their livelihoods, and thus wider efforts to achieve PHC. Financial investments are needed to compensate FCHVs, to help them to remain motivated to deliver global health goals for PHC.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/40043/

Source: BURO EPrints