CHWs in rural primary care settings can contribute to reducing the burden of noncommunicable diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They are especially valuable in countries like India, where COPD is the second leading cause of disease and is responsible for the deaths of as many as one million residents annually. Gupta and colleagues assessed the … [Read more...] about Effectiveness of a community health worker (CHW) training in monitoring and care of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in rural Gujarat, India
Chronic conditions
Impact of Community Health Worker Certification on Workforce and Service Delivery for Asthma and Other Selected Chronic Diseases
This study aimed to examine the relationship between CHW certification and CHW outcomes, such as recruitment and retention. It also strived to describe the association between certification and health outcomes for patients with asthma and other chronic illnesses. However, the investigators failed to find much evidence on CHW certification, its relationship with CHW retention, … [Read more...] about Impact of Community Health Worker Certification on Workforce and Service Delivery for Asthma and Other Selected Chronic Diseases
An Emerging Model for Community Health Worker–Based Chronic Care Management for Patients With High Health Care Costs in Rural Appalachia
CHWs can help improve population health by guiding individuals through behavioral changes. Through a chronic care model managed by mixed teams of qualified medical providers and CHWs, this intervention sought to improve diabetes control in an underserved rural population. From baseline to six months, 63% of the cohort had decreased fasting blood sugar levels; study authors also … [Read more...] about An Emerging Model for Community Health Worker–Based Chronic Care Management for Patients With High Health Care Costs in Rural Appalachia
Preparing for Community Health Worker Integration Into Clinical Care Teams Through an Understanding of Patient and Community Health Worker Readiness and Intent
Interest in expanding community health worker (CHW) roles into clinic settings is growing. This study evaluates both CHW readiness to be integrated into clinic-based community health worker programs (CHW) and patient readiness and intent to utilize CHW programs. … [Read more...] about Preparing for Community Health Worker Integration Into Clinical Care Teams Through an Understanding of Patient and Community Health Worker Readiness and Intent
Effect of a Community Health Worker-Based Approach to Integrated Cardiovascular Risk Factor Control in India: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Several previous studies have evaluated the ability of community health workers (CHWs) to target individual cardiovascular risk factors. This study presents findings from a randomized control trial aimed at integrating CHW lead efforts for hypertension, diabetes and smoking control. It revealed that CHWs have a significant effort on hypertension and promotes the use of … [Read more...] about Effect of a Community Health Worker-Based Approach to Integrated Cardiovascular Risk Factor Control in India: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial