Pilot peer health education for noncommunicable disease prevention in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Palau

Abstract

Back Background ground Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are growing health threats in developing countries. We previously conducted epidemiological and qualitative ethnographic studies on NCD risk factors in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Palau, and found that NCD risk factors were significantly prevalent. Although people had some knowledge of NCDs, they had no clue to change their daily risky behaviour, revealing urgent needs for developing appropriate health education programs. Peer health education is a strategy widely applied in developing countries for infectious disease control and maternal and child health, and known to be effective to change behaviour. This article aims to describe the experience of developing peer health education modules and evaluating the trials.