Community satisfaction with Enhanced Community Health Workers Activities in Mukono District, Uganda

Abstract Background Although the community health workers’ (CHWs) / volunteer health teams’ (VHTs) work is widely appreciated, some households do resist their interventions, and figures of authority sometimes question their manner and ability. Despite critical shortage of health workers’ world-over, little has been done to explore whether community health workers satisfy the people they serve. To fill this VHT training and support gap, Omni Med Uganda, a local Non-Governmental Organization in Uganda, has been implementing an enhanced hybrid VHT program since 2008. This study aimed at assessing community satisfaction with the CHW activities involved the enhanced CHW program. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was employed. Qualitative data was collected from 217 participants using semi-structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, proportions, and means were performed for socio-demographic characteristics, Community satisfaction, and CHW activities. Prevalence Ratios (PR) were used to determine association between Community satisfaction and enhanced CHW activities. Results Majority of the respondents 81.1% (176/217) reported that the performance of the CHWs was satisfactory to maintain their health and that of their families. CHW activities such as confirming sick persons (APR:1.26 :95%CI (1.01–1.44), mobilization for cook stove building, (APR: 1.18: 95%CI (1.04–1.34), and monthly visits at participant’s homes (APR: 1.17: 95%CI (1.01–1.35) were positively associated with community satisfaction. Conclusion Enhancement of CHW activities should be considered during CHW programs. However, CHW performance should also be considered because community satisfaction does not imply high performance by CHWs and adherence to health interventions by the community.