The data comprises open ended interviews conducted with rural health care workers (known as ASHAs) and women in the Sirmaur District of Himachal Pradesh, India. The data documents ASHAs' experiences acting as frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, including their perceptions of risks, challenges, and professional responsibilities. The data also documents rural women's experiences of managing their households, caring for children, and navigating the challenges that they faced during this highly uncertain time. Respondents were identified through snowball sampling, and all interviews were conducted through telephone conversations due to pandemic-related travel restrictions.

Methods and questionnaires
Our data collection was guided by two sets of questions:
- The “General” Covid-19 questionnaire includes questions about household labor roles, livelihoods, care for children, and emotional experiences navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic.
- The “Community health worker” (ASHA) questionnaire includes questions for community health care workers, their roles and responsibilities, and experiences as frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interviews:
All interviews were conducted over the phone due to pandemic-related travel restrictions. The questionnaires identified main topics for discussion, however the interviews were semi-structured. We allowed the respondent to share their thoughts and experiences of their own choosing and to direct the conversation where they wanted to take it. We conducted additional follow-up interviews where the respondents agreed to do so.

Sampling:
Respondents were contacted through snowball sampling. Initial contacts were made through an NGO in the Sirmaur District as well as through field staff employed on the research project, "Institutional Networks and Self-Organized Adaptation". After making initial contact with several respondents, they were able to suggest others to speak with from the area. The sample is thus non-random. We spoke with whomever we were able to get in contact with and who was willing to spend time speaking with us over the phone. Show less..

Data contains personal data

Yes

Sensitive personal data

Yes

Type of personal data

Data contains information about community health workers and women's personal experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. All data has been pseudonymised.

Data contain other protected information

Yes: Data contains highly personal accounts of distress during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as socio-economic, caste, and ethnic background of some respondents.

Language

English

Method and outcome

Unit of analysis

Individual

Population

The population contains community health workers and women in the Sirmaur District of Himachal Pradesh, India

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling procedure

Non-probability: Respondent-assisted
Non-probability: Availability

Respondents were contacted through snowball sampling. Initial contacts were made through an NGO in the Sirmaur District as well as through field staff employed on the research project, "Institutional Networks and Self-Organized Adaptation". After making initial contact with several respondents, they were able to suggest others to speak with from the area. The sample is thus non-random. We spoke with whomever we were able to get in contact with and who was willing to spend time speaking with us over the phone.

Time period(s) investigated

2020-05-01 – 2020-12-01

Number of individuals/objects

Data format / data structure

Text

Data collection

Mode of collection: Telephone interview
Description of the mode of collection: Interview were conducted over the telephone based on a semi-structured interview protocol
Time period(s) for data collection: 2020-05-01 – 2020-12-01
Data collector: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Sample size: 45
Number of responses: 45
Source of the data: Population group

Geographic coverage

Geographic spread

Geographic location: India

Geographic description: Respondents are from the Sirmaur District, Himachal Pradesh, India

Administrative information

Responsible department/unit

Department of Urban and Rural Development

Contributor(s)

Carly Nichols - University of Iowa

Falak Jalali - University of Iowa

Funding

Funding agency: Swedish Research Council
Funding agency's reference number: 2018-05875
Project name on the application: Institutional networks and self-organized adaptation: Tracing the democratic architectures of climate response

Ethics Review

Swedish Ethical Review Authority - Ref. 2020-00944

Topic and keywords

Research area

Human geography (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Social sciences interdisciplinary (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Specific social services: use and availability (CESSDA Topic Classification)

General health and well-being (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Health care services and policies (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Gender and gender roles (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Keywords

Community health services, Rural development, Covid-19, Ashas, Health governance, Women's labor

Publications

Nichols, Carly, Falak Jalali, and Harry Fischer. 2022. “Corona warriors”? Experiences of India's community health workers (ASHAs) in India's COVID-19 response. Political Geography 99: 102770.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2022.102770

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