Assessing the Use of Pulse Oximeters by Community Health Workers in Rural Burundi

In the heart of rural Burundi, community health workers (CHWs) play a crucial role in providing healthcare to remote communities. One of their biggest challenges is accurately diagnosing childhood illnesses, especially pneumonia, due to the lack of sophisticated diagnostic tools. To tackle this, a pilot study introduced multimodal handheld pulse oximeters to CHWs during their integrated community case management (iCCM) consultations for children aged 6-59 months. The study aimed to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of these devices. Through purposive sampling, CHWs were selected and trained to use these oximeters during their household visits. After eight weeks, focus group discussions were conducted to gather experiences and perceptions from both CHWs and caregivers. The analysis revealed several key themes, including the durability and storage of the devices, trust in their reliability, and the boost in confidence among CHWs.

However, there were challenges as well. While the temperature feature was well understood, CHWs struggled with interpreting respiration rate, pulse, and oxygen saturation data. Young children, especially those between 6-12 months, often became agitated, making it hard to get accurate readings. This highlights the need for additional training on parameter interpretation and the use of child-calming techniques. Moreover, the study found that while CHWs and caregivers greatly valued the oximeters, their effectiveness might be better realized and scaled at health facilities rather than during household visits.

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