Pandemic response in pluralistic health systems: a cross-sectional study of COVID-19 knowledge and practices among informal and formal primary care providers in Bihar, India.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Responding to pandemics is challenging in pluralistic health systems. This study assesses COVID-19 knowledge and case management of informal providers (IPs), trained practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) and Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) medical doctors providing primary care services in rural Bihar, India.

Design

This was a cross-sectional study of primary care providers conducted via telephone between 1 and 15 July 2020.

Setting

Primary care providers from 224 villages in 34 districts across Bihar, India.

Participants

452 IPs, 57 AYUSH practitioners and 38 doctors (including 23 government doctors) were interviewed from a census of 1138 primary care providers used by community member

SUBMITTER: Rao KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8098292 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature