Helping managers to manage: work schedules of field-workers in rural Bangladesh.
The Maternal-Child Health/Family Planning (MCH/FP) Extension Project in Bangladesh identifies and examines barriers to implementation of the national MCH/FP program, and determines strategies to overcome them. This study analyzes field-workers' ability to carry out more tasks than they do presently, and how their performance might be improved when additional field-workers are hired. In two experimental subdistricts, researchers observed the work of family welfare assistants (FWAs), the female family planning field-workers, to determine the duration and frequency of their home visits with village women and the content of their exchanges. While many factors influence the FWA's work, researchers found that the preplanned monthly work schedules could be manipulated relatively easily to improve duration and frequency of program contact with village women. With more time available to spend with women, the potential to improve the quality of services is enhanced.
Maternal and Neonatal Health and Nutrition Project, John Snow, Inc., Arlington, Virginia 22209.
M A
MA
Koblinsky
S J
SJ
Brechin
S D
SD
Clark
M Y
MY
Hasan
D001459:Bangladesh; D003150:Community Health Workers; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008430:Maternal-Child Health Centers; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012423:Rural Health; D014937:Work