title: Access, acceptability and utilization of community health workers using diagnostics for case management of fever in Ugandan children: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Use of diagnostics in integrated community case management (iCCM) of fever is recognized as an important step in improving rational use of drugs and quality of care for febrile under-five children. This study assessed household access, acceptability and utilization of community health workers (CHWs) trained and provided with malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and respiratory rate timers (RRTs) to practice iCCM.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 423 households with under-five children were enrolled into the study in Iganga district, Uganda. Households were selected from seven villages in Namungalwe sub-county using probability proportionate to size sampling. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to caregivers in selected households. Data were entered into Epidata statistical software, and analysed using SPSS Statistics 17.0, and STATA version 10.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most (86%, 365/423) households resided within a kilometre of a CHW's home, compared to 26% (111/423) residing within 1 km of a health facility (p < 0.001). The median walking time by caregivers to a CHW was 10 minutes (IQR 5-20). The first option for care for febrile children in the month preceding the survey was CHWs (40%, 242/601), followed by drug shops (33%, 196/601).Fifty-seven percent (243/423) of caregivers took their febrile children to a CHW at least once in the three month period preceding the survey. Households located 1-3 km from a health facility were 72% (AOR 1.72; 95% CI 1.11-2.68) more likely to utilize CHW services compared to households within 1 km of a health facility. Households located 1-3 km from a CHW were 81% (AOR 0.19; 95% CI 0.10-0.36) less likely to utilize CHW services compared to those households residing within 1 km of a CHW.A majority (79%, 336/423) of respondents thought CHWs services were better with RDTs, and 89% (375/423) approved CHWs' continued use of RDTs. Eighty-six percent (209/243) of respondents who visited a CHW thought RRTs were useful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ICCM with diagnostics is acceptable, increases access, and is the first choice for caregivers of febrile children. More than half of caregivers of febrile children utilized CHW services over a three-month period. However, one-third of caregivers used drug shops in spite of the presence of CHWs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Makerere University School of Public Health, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda. dmukanga@afenet.net
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mukanga
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Tibenderana
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: George W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Pariyo
authors.forename: Juliet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kiguli
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Waiswa
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Babirye
authors.forename: Godfrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ojiambo
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasasa
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pagnoni
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kallander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003150:Community Health Workers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda