03321nas a2200481   4500000000100000008004100001260004600042653003900088653002900127653002500156653003700181653003600218100002200254700001400276700001400290700001300304700001400317700001000331700001400341700001400355700001100369700002400380700001300404700001400417700001300431700001300444700001800457700001600475700001400491700001300505700001700518700001200535700001700547700001300564700001800577700001500595245018000610856010900790300000900899490000600908520191100914022001402825       2025                            d  c12/2025bPublic Library of Science (PLoS)10aNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs)10aCommunity health workers10aEconomic evaluations10acommunity health worker programs10aLow and middle income countries1 aStansert Katzen L1 aMiyares M1 aVaughan K1 aBaskin C1 aBallard M1 aKok M1 aJimenez A1 aIberico M1 aCook J1 aBienvenue Ishimwe A1 aMartin L1 aKawooya P1 aAranda Z1 aMantus M1 aBruce Kumar M1 aFinnegan KE1 aMudhune S1 aDennis M1 aPalazuelos D1 aMbewe D1 aNshimayesu M1 aRevill P1 aO’Donovan J1 aRobinson J00aEconomic evaluations of community health worker programs focussed on neglected tropical diseases in low- and middle-income countries (2015–2024): A scoping literature review  uhttps://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0005551&type=printable  a1-160 v53 a<p>Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of more than twenty diseases caused by parasitic, bacterial, and viral infections, affecting more than one billion individuals worldwide. Economic evidence can help guide the investment in Community Health Workers (CHWs) who can help expand access to preventive and curative NTD services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A scoping review was conducted across ten databases and grey literature, covering studies published between August 2015 and July 2024. Search terms related to “Community Health Workers” and “Economic Evaluations” were used. Studies were screened via Covidence software based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data on study methodology, costs, and outcomes were extracted, tabulated in Microsoft Excel, and analysed. Of the 29 included scenarios (n = 10 studies), 7 were about community mass drug administration and 22 focused on other topics - such as disease-specific prevention and treatment (e.g., dengue). Across scenarios, the most commonly reported outcomes were cost per service delivered (ranging from $0.13-$5.33) and cost per capita (ranging from $10.24-$21.09). Five scenarios reported on cost-effectiveness, with varied results (40–50% of scenarios were reported as cost effective). One study found that interventions were more likely to be cost-effective when they leveraged integrated care as opposed to vertical approaches. The evidence base for economic evaluations regarding CHW involvement in NTD programs is highly limited. From the 10 studies identified there was no clear conclusion with regards to cost-effectiveness or affordability of CHWs in NTD programs in LMICs. To better understand the critical role CHWs can play in both prevention- and treatment-focused NTD programs, further evidence of the cost-effectiveness and affordability of such interventions is needed.</p>
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