From Poverty Alleviation to Well-Being Enhancement: Empowering Mid-level Managers of JEEViKA and Its Technical Support Program (JTSP) Staff for Health, Nutrition and Sanitation Integration

Pragya Kumar; Shamshad Ahmad; Ria Roy; Rakesh K Jha; Swati Swati; Sudarshan Das; Apolenarius Purty; Somya Somya; Narottam Pradhan

doi:10.7759/cureus.70783

From Poverty Alleviation to Well-Being Enhancement: Empowering Mid-level Managers of JEEViKA and Its Technical Support Program (JTSP) Staff for Health, Nutrition and Sanitation Integration

Cureus. 2024 Oct 3;16(10):e70783. doi: 10.7759/cureus.70783. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Authors

Pragya Kumar¹, Shamshad Ahmad¹, Ria Roy², Rakesh K Jha³, Swati Swati⁴, Sudarshan Das⁵, Apolenarius Purty⁶, Somya Somya⁶, Narottam Pradhan⁷

Affiliations

¹ Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Patna, IND.
² Community Medicine, Santiniketan Medical College, Bolpur, IND.
³ Health and Nutrition, Project Concern International, Patna, IND.
⁴ Capacity Building and Communications, Project Concern International, Patna, IND.
⁵ Women Economic Advancement, Project Concern International, Patna, IND.
⁶ Health and Nutrition, Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society JEEViKA, Patna, IND.
⁷ Family Health and Nutrition, Project Concern International, Patna, IND.

Abstract

Introduction: The JEEViKA program, a rural livelihood initiative, sought to uplift Self-Help Group (SHG) cadres in Bihar, India. However, health-related issues remained a challenge due to limited attention and health literacy among SHG members and mid-level managers. This study aimed to enhance health knowledge among mid-level managers through a technical course developed by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Patna in collaboration with JEEViKA and Project Concern International (PCI), focusing on integrating health aspects with economic development.

Methods: A comprehensive training needs assessment identified gaps in health knowledge among mid-level managers. A technical course curriculum was developed, comprising 20 topics covering health, nutrition, and sanitation. The course was delivered virtually to six batches of mid-level managers. Pre- and post-training assessments measured knowledge improvement.

Results: Initial assessment revealed that 71 (38.8%) participants had good, while 90 (49.2%) had average health knowledge scores. The virtual course led to improved knowledge levels, with 538 (89.7%) out of 600 total participants achieving good or excellent scores in post-training assessments. Specific knowledge gaps related to maternal, infant, and child health were addressed throughout the course.

Discussion: The study underscores the importance of equipping mid-level managers with health literacy to effectively integrate health components into livelihood projects. The collaboration between AIIMS Patna, JEEViKA, and PCI highlights the potential of knowledge-based interventions to bridge health gaps in rural communities. The success of the virtual course emphasizes the feasibility of online training to enhance health knowledge and underscores the symbiotic relationship between health and economic development.

Keywords: classroom training; e-learning modules; health integration; jeevika; jtsp; lms; mid-level managers; rural livelihoods; training need assessment.

Grants and funding

Project Concern International, the project partner of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Patna, had approved and provided funding for the project.