James O’Donovan

Datos Biográficos

ID7828444
NOMBREJames O’Donovan
NOMBRESJames
APELLIDOO’Donovan
FIRMAO’DONOVAN J
AFILIACIONESUniversity of Oxford
ORCID0000-0002-7248-5436
VERIFICADOSí
TOTAL DE OBRAS15
TOTAL DE CITAS0
TOTAL COMO AUTOR15
TOTAL COMO EDITOR0
PRIMER AÑO DE PUBLICACIÓN2018
AÑO MÁS RECIENTE DE PUBLICACIÓN2026
ÍNDICE H0

  • Trends in government and donor funding for vertical and horizontal community health worker programmes in sub-Saharan Africa

    Open AccessShivani Shukla, Lucia M Mupara et al.ARTICLEBMJ Global Health2026

    INTRODUCTION: Community health worker (CHW) programmes are central to primary healthcare (PHC) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Yet who pays for them, how much, and whether funds favour vertical (single-disease) or horizontal (broader-focus) programmes remains unclear. This study examined trends in donor and government financing for CHW programmes across SSA. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of publicly available data. Organisation for Econ…

  • Costs and cost-effectiveness of community health worker programs on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health in low- and middle-income countries (2015–2024)

    Open AccessMadelyn Miyares, Linnea Stansert Katzen et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2026

    Community Health Workers (CHWs) are vital in delivering primary health care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To inform their broader rollout, this study updates a 2015 review, critically examining the costs, cost-effectiveness and affordability of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) CHW programs in LMICs. A scoping review was conducted using ten databases and grey literature, covering studies published between Aug…

  • Costs and cost-effectiveness of community health worker programmes focussed on non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries (2015–2024)

    Open AccessJames O’Donovan, Cleo Baskin et al.ARTICLEBMJ Global Health2025

    BACKGROUND: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death and morbidity worldwide, responsible for 7 out of 10 deaths, 86% occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). As the NCD burden on health systems increases, community health workers (CHWs) have become increasingly involved in NCD care provision and management. This study updates a 2015 review to synthesise and critically analyse the recent evidence base on the c…

  • Essential aid made fully visible

    Open AccessCleo Baskin, Carey Westgate et al.ARTICLEBMJ Global Health2025

    INTRODUCTION: Community health workers (CHWs) play a critical role in extending healthcare services to underserved populations, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. Professional CHWs (proCHWs), who are salaried, skilled, supplied and supervised, are essential for achieving Universal Health Coverage and other global health goals. Despite the growing recognition of proCHWs, there is limited understanding of the global financing lan…

  • Costs and cost-effectiveness of integrated horizontal community health worker programmes in low- and middle-income countries (2015–2024)

    Open AccessJames O’Donovan, Meghan Bruce Kumar et al.ARTICLEBMJ Global Health2025

    BACKGROUND: Community health workers (CHWs) play a vital role in delivering primary health care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), addressing multiple diseases through horizontal programmes. Despite their effectiveness, there is a US$4.4 billion annual funding gap for professional CHW programmes. Some countries have adopted these programmes, while others require stronger economic evidence to justify investments. This study updates a 201…

  • Economic evaluations of community health worker programs focussed on neglected tropical diseases in low- and middle-income countries (2015–2024)

    Open AccessLinnea Stansert Katzen, Madelyn Miyares et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2025

    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 l…

  • Costs and cost-effectiveness of community health worker programs focussed on HIV, TB and malaria infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries (2015–2024)

    Open AccessJames O’Donovan, Cleo Baskin et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2025

    Infectious diseases remain a significant public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a pivotal role in addressing these diseases, yet evidence on the costs and cost-effectiveness of CHW-led interventions remains fragmented. We performed a scoping review, searching ten databases and the grey …

  • Building consensus on common features and interoperability use cases for community health information systems

    Open AccessIsaac Holeman, David Citrin et al.ARTICLEBMJ Global Health2024

    INTRODUCTION: Information systems for community health have become increasingly sophisticated and evidence-based in the last decade and they are now the most widely used health information systems in many low-income and middle-income countries. This study aimed to establish consensus regarding key features and interoperability priorities for community health information systems (CHISs). METHODS: A Delphi study was conducted among a systematically…

  • The role of community healthcare workers in head and neck cancer

    Open AccessEllen Meredith, James O’Donovan et al.ARTICLEGlobal Public Health2022

    It is estimated that Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) will cause over 500,000 deaths worldwide by 2030. This is coupled with a shortage of trained healthcare professionals to manage HNC. An alternative cadre of workers - community healthcare workers (CHWs) - could be deployed to address this shortage. A systematic scoping review was conducted. Seven major databases were searched from inception to 30 June 2021. Studies were included from across the glob…

  • Exploring supervision for volunteer community health workers in Mukono District, Uganda

    Open AccessJames O’Donovan, Allan Saul Namanda et al.ARTICLEGlobal Public Health2021

    Community Health Worker (CHW) supervision is an under-researched area. This mixed-methods study engaged key stakeholders involved in CHW supervision in Mukono District, Uganda including CHWs ( n = 14), District Health Office officials ( n = 5), NGO programme managers ( n = 3) and facility-based health staff ( n = 3). Our study aimed to explore how supervision is currently conceptualised and delivered in this setting, the desired qualities of a po…

  • Community health workers and early detection of breast cancer in low-income and middle-income countries

    Open AccessJames O’Donovan, James O'Donovan et al.ARTICLEBMJ Global Health2020

    BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the leading cause of female mortality in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Early detection of breast cancer, either through screening or early diagnosis initiatives, led by community health workers (CHWs) has been proposed as a potential way to address the unjustly high mortality rates. We therefore document: (1) where and how CHWs are currently deployed in this role; (2) how CHWs are trained, including …

  • Community health workers in palliative care provision in low-income and middle-income countries

    Open AccessMacKenzie Clark MacRae, Owais Fazal et al.ARTICLEBMJ Global Health2020

    BACKGROUND: Community health workers (CHWs) are currently deployed in improving access to palliative care in a limited number of low-income or middle-income countries (LMICs). This review therefore aimed to document evidence from LMICs regarding (1) where and how CHWs are currently deployed in palliative care delivery, (2) the methods used to train and support CHWs in this domain, (3) the evidence surrounding the costs attached with deploying CHW…

  • Exploring perceptions, barriers, and enablers for delivery of primary ear and hearing care by community health workers

    Open AccessJames O’Donovan, Allan Saul Namanda et al.ARTICLEInternational Journal for Equity…2020

  • We are the people whose opinions don’t matter’. A photovoice study exploring challenges faced by community health workers in Uganda

    Open AccessJames O’Donovan, Rebecca Hamala et al.ARTICLEGlobal Public Health2019

    Understanding the experiences of community health workers (CHWs) through the use of participatory visual methods (PVMs) has been relatively underexplored. One such PVM is photovoice, which involves the capture of photographic images related to issues of social importance. In this study, we explore challenges faced by eight CHWs in Mukono District, Uganda through the use of photovoice. Over a six-week period, CHWs captured 62 relevant photographs.…

  • The use of participatory visual methods with community health workers

    Open AccessJames O’Donovan, Andrew J Thompson et al.ARTICLEGlobal Public Health2018

    With the need to design and evaluate Community Health Worker (CHW) programmes from a more human-centred perspective, researchers and programme managers are exploring the role of participatory visual methodologies (PVMs). This review identifies, maps, and assesses the quality of current literature that describes the use of PVMs with CHWs. It includes material from the grey literature and 10 major databases between 1978-2018. A Critical Appraisal S…