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Research article
Shantanu Sharma
MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child
Corresponding Author
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Background: The soft skills of community health workers (Accredited Social Health Activists, ASHA) are known to be effective in negotiating behaviour change in the community; however, there has been a meagre focus towards improving them. Considering this gap, we adopted a comprehensive training program, known as Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement (P.A.C.E.), to empower ASHAs on soft skills and financial literacy. The present study intends to assess the training program in two districts of Uttar Pradesh, India, by examining changes in knowledge, perceptions, and practices of ASHAs about soft skills and financial literacy.
Methods: We conducted a quasi-experimental, non-randomized, controlled study with pre- and post-test assessments. Data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, and practices related to soft skills (communication skills, self-confidence, problem–solving and decision-making skills, time and stress management skills) and financial literacy. Additionally, perceptions regarding changes in practices related to gender issues, soft skills, and savings at the personal, community, and workplace levels were obtained from the intervention group. Factor analysis was performed to obtain the change patterns by assessing the degree to which the four domains of soft skills, financial literacy, and domains of perceptions of change in practices were correlated to each other. A general linear regression model was performed to assess associations among change pattern scores and socio-demographic variables.
Results: The data of 171 ASHAs were analyzed (intervention group:86 and control group:85). There was a significant improvement in the average post-test scores of all the soft skills and financial literacy in the intervention group (p<0.001). Three distinct change patterns were found post-training in the intervention group. Factor 1 (high loadings for perceptions related to change in practices) was positively associated with ASHAs aged 38 years and above and with experience of ≤12 years. On the contrary, the change in financial literacy and self-confidence scores was common among ASHAs with more than 12 years of experience.
Conclusions: The P.A.C.E training program was found effective in improving the soft skills and financial literacy of ASHAs in India.
Keywords
Community health workers, Communication, Decision making, Problem solving, Research, Training support, Time management
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View the published article at BMC Health Services Research.
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On 15 Dec, 2020
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Editorial decision: Minor revision
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On 03 Dec, 2020
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On 03 Dec, 2020
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Editorial decision: Minor revision
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Received 12 Nov, 2020
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Received 01 Nov, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 28 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 20 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 19 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 19 Oct, 2020
Version 1
Posted 14 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 17 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 11 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 31 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 05 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 21 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 17 Jul, 2020
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On 11 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Jul, 2020
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A new preprint design is coming!
We have improved readability, clarity, accessibility, and opportunities for engagement.
See the published version of this preprint at BMC Health Services Research.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Shantanu Sharma
MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Health Services Research.
No community comments so far
Submission checks complete
On 18 Dec, 2020
Editorial decision: Accept
On 15 Dec, 2020
Version (no preprint)
Posted 08 Dec, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 08 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 03 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 03 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 03 Dec, 2020
This version was not preprinted
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 18 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 12 Nov, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 12 Nov, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 01 Nov, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 28 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 20 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 19 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 19 Oct, 2020
Version 1
Posted 14 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 17 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 11 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 31 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 05 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 21 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 17 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 11 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Jul, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Health Policy
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Health Services Research.
Background: The soft skills of community health workers (Accredited Social Health Activists, ASHA) are known to be effective in negotiating behaviour change in the community; however, there has been a meagre focus towards improving them. Considering this gap, we adopted a comprehensive training program, known as Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement (P.A.C.E.), to empower ASHAs on soft skills and financial literacy. The present study intends to assess the training program in two districts of Uttar Pradesh, India, by examining changes in knowledge, perceptions, and practices of ASHAs about soft skills and financial literacy.
Methods: We conducted a quasi-experimental, non-randomized, controlled study with pre- and post-test assessments. Data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, and practices related to soft skills (communication skills, self-confidence, problem–solving and decision-making skills, time and stress management skills) and financial literacy. Additionally, perceptions regarding changes in practices related to gender issues, soft skills, and savings at the personal, community, and workplace levels were obtained from the intervention group. Factor analysis was performed to obtain the change patterns by assessing the degree to which the four domains of soft skills, financial literacy, and domains of perceptions of change in practices were correlated to each other. A general linear regression model was performed to assess associations among change pattern scores and socio-demographic variables.
Results: The data of 171 ASHAs were analyzed (intervention group:86 and control group:85). There was a significant improvement in the average post-test scores of all the soft skills and financial literacy in the intervention group (p<0.001). Three distinct change patterns were found post-training in the intervention group. Factor 1 (high loadings for perceptions related to change in practices) was positively associated with ASHAs aged 38 years and above and with experience of ≤12 years. On the contrary, the change in financial literacy and self-confidence scores was common among ASHAs with more than 12 years of experience.
Conclusions: The P.A.C.E training program was found effective in improving the soft skills and financial literacy of ASHAs in India.
Figure 1
Figure 2
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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