TY - JOUR KW - Health care facilities KW - Podoconiosis KW - Health education and promotion KW - Behavioral and social aspects AU - Engdawork K AU - Davey G AU - Tadele G AU - Nahar P AU - Zaman S AU - Ju YJ AB - Community-based chronic care intervention is important in the control and prevention of lifelong conditions such as podoconiosis and similar ‘intensive disease management’ neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Despite a call for such interventions, few efforts have been made to identify opportunities and challenges related to their implementation. Employing a qualitative approach, this study explored the possibility of engaging community actors, physical places and networks to promote chronic care management in rural Ethiopia. We gathered data from affected individuals, community members, local leaders, health professionals and community health workers between April and May 2022. The study revealed that affected individuals, family members, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and health professionals have the potential to extend chronic care management in rural areas. Houses, churches, schools, and healthcare facilities are suitable venues at which to perform interventions. Strong community solidarity and political will are vital to chronic care interventions, while lack of understanding about chronic conditions, financial constraints, and limited resources at healthcare facilities could pose challenges. Using community assets has great promise for expanding chronic care management with minimal costs and efforts in under resourced areas. Achieving this will require a successful plan to coordinate the collaboration among the agents and settings. BT - PLOS ONE DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0309770 IS - 10 LA - ENG M3 - Article N2 - Community-based chronic care intervention is important in the control and prevention of lifelong conditions such as podoconiosis and similar ‘intensive disease management’ neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Despite a call for such interventions, few efforts have been made to identify opportunities and challenges related to their implementation. Employing a qualitative approach, this study explored the possibility of engaging community actors, physical places and networks to promote chronic care management in rural Ethiopia. We gathered data from affected individuals, community members, local leaders, health professionals and community health workers between April and May 2022. The study revealed that affected individuals, family members, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and health professionals have the potential to extend chronic care management in rural areas. Houses, churches, schools, and healthcare facilities are suitable venues at which to perform interventions. Strong community solidarity and political will are vital to chronic care interventions, while lack of understanding about chronic conditions, financial constraints, and limited resources at healthcare facilities could pose challenges. Using community assets has great promise for expanding chronic care management with minimal costs and efforts in under resourced areas. Achieving this will require a successful plan to coordinate the collaboration among the agents and settings. PB - Public Library of Science (PLoS) PY - 2024 SP - 1 EP - 18 T2 - PLOS ONE TI - Opportunities and challenges in utilizing community assets to extend chronic care management in podoconiosis endemic areas: Evidence from Northwestern Ethiopia UR - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0309770&type=printable VL - 19 SN - 1932-6203 ER -