CHW Central

A global resource for and about Community Health Workers

North America (U.S. and Canada)

The Lived Experiences of HIV+ Community Health Workers Serving HIV+ Clients

CHWs serving people living with HIV/AIDS contribute to healthy behaviors and better health outcomes; however, there is a gap in the literature regarding how the health of HIV + CHWs is impacted by their jobs. The author of this dissertation used a phenomenological design to gain insight into the lived experiences of HIV+ CHWs (HIVCHW) who provided services to HIV positive … [Read more...] about The Lived Experiences of HIV+ Community Health Workers Serving HIV+ Clients

An Emerging Model for Community Health Worker-Based Chronic Care Management for Patients With High Health Care Costs in Rural Appalachia

CHWs reduce patient demand on primary care systems and decrease the cost of provision of care among those in rural and isolated areas. Richard Crespo and colleagues developed a training model to improve health outcomes among high-risk diabetes patients in rural Appalachia and then evaluated whether training improved diabetes management outcomes among patients of CHWs. The … [Read more...] about An Emerging Model for Community Health Worker-Based Chronic Care Management for Patients With High Health Care Costs in Rural Appalachia

Evaluation of a novel community-based COVID-19 ‘Test-to-Care’ model for low-income populations

Andrew Kerkhoff and colleagues developed a “Test-to-Care” model to improve the ability of vulnerable populations to isolate and quarantine following a COVID-19 diagnosis. This model includes CHW-led education about COVID-19 and available community resources, ways to receive home deliveries to facilitate safe isolation, and long-term social support. The researchers evaluated the … [Read more...] about Evaluation of a novel community-based COVID-19 ‘Test-to-Care’ model for low-income populations

Planetary health and the role of community health workers

CHWs can play a significant role in mitigating the impacts of biodiversity loss, climate change, and global noncommunicable diseases on health by providing culturally-relevant education and behavioral interventions. Manas Behera and colleagues performed a review of the literature to understand how CHWs impact these factors on a global scale. The researchers identified four … [Read more...] about Planetary health and the role of community health workers

Using Community Health Workers and a Smartphone Application to Improve Diabetes Control in Rural Guatemala

CHWs in low- and middle-income countries frequently use mobile health (mHealth) technology to support diabetes management. Sean Duffy and colleagues evaluated whether or not mHealth applications could be used to provide CHWs with clinical decision support for primary diabetes management in Guatemala. Results indicated that CHWs effectively helped patients manage diabetes during … [Read more...] about Using Community Health Workers and a Smartphone Application to Improve Diabetes Control in Rural Guatemala