Community health workers are recognized in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as important members of the health care workforce. The evidence shows that they can help improve health care access and outcomes; strengthen health care teams; and enhance quality of life for people in poor, underserved, and diverse communities. This article traces how … [Read more...] about Community Health Workers: Part Of The Solution
Research
Paving a Path to Advance the Community Health Worker Workforce in New York State: A New Summary and Recommendations
The New York State Community Health Worker Initiative has researched the role of community health workers (CHWs) and identified how to advance this workforce through state-level recommendations on employment and practice, training and certification, and financing. In order for CHWs to be better integrated into the health care and social service systems, the … [Read more...] about Paving a Path to Advance the Community Health Worker Workforce in New York State: A New Summary and Recommendations
Community Health Workers Then and Now: An Overview of National Studies Aimed at Defining the Field
This article compares and contrasts 3 national studies of the US Community Health Worker (CHW) field spanning 15 years. Findings cover 4 areas of overlap among the 3 studies: CHW Demographics, Core Roles and Competencies, Training and Credentialing, and Career Advancement and Workforce Issues. Implications for the future development of research, practice, and policy are … [Read more...] about Community Health Workers Then and Now: An Overview of National Studies Aimed at Defining the Field
Community Case Management Improves Use of Treatment for Childhood Diarrhea, Malaria and Pneumonia in a Remote District of Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s health extension workers (HEW) deliver preventive interventions and treat childhood diarrhea and malaria, but not pneumonia. Most of Ethiopia’s annual estimated 4 million childhood pneumonia cases go untreated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of volunteers in providing community case management for diarrhea, fever and pneumonia in a pre-HEW … [Read more...] about Community Case Management Improves Use of Treatment for Childhood Diarrhea, Malaria and Pneumonia in a Remote District of Ethiopia
Health Workers’ and Managers’ Perceptions of the Integrated Community Case Management Program for Childhood Illness in Malawi: The Importance of Expanding Access to Child Health Services
Community case management (CCM) is a promising task-shifting strategy for expanding treatment of childhood illness that is increasingly adopted by low-income countries. This study uses qualitative methods to explore health workers’ and managers’ perceptions about CCM provided by health surveillance assistants during the program’s first year in Malawi. … [Read more...] about Health Workers’ and Managers’ Perceptions of the Integrated Community Case Management Program for Childhood Illness in Malawi: The Importance of Expanding Access to Child Health Services