THE CONTRIBUTION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSES TO REDUCING NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE BURDEN IN RURAL AREAS
Keywords:
Community health nurses, non-communicable diseases, rural health, disease burden, health education,, screening, public health intervention, health literacy.Abstract
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases disproportionately affect rural populations due to limited access to healthcare services. Community health nurses (CHNs) play a vital role in addressing this burden by providing preventive care, education, and early intervention. This study examines the contribution of CHNs in reducing the NCD burden in rural [Country Name] through a community-based intervention program. A quasi-experimental design was used, involving 200 rural participants across two districts, with CHNs implementing health education and screening initiatives over 12 months. Results showed a 30% reduction in undiagnosed hypertension cases and a 20% increase in diabetes awareness among participants (p < 0.01). CHNs were instrumental in overcoming barriers such as low health literacy and geographic isolation. These findings highlight the critical role of CHNs in mitigating the NCD burden in rural settings and suggest scalable strategies for public health systems.
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References
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