Community Health Worker Roles and Responsibilities in Rural and Urban America

Authors: Timothy H. Callaghan, David J. Washburn, Cason D. Schmit, Denise Martinez, Emily Thompson, Megan LaFleur, and Zuleyma Ruiz

With their unique ties and cultural knowledge of their communities, community health workers (CHWs) help fill healthcare gaps in both rural and urban America. This qualitative study sought to further understand the workforce development needs of CHWs and compare experiences of CHWs in urban and rural America. The study found that CHWs act as key links to healthcare in their communities, but that there is disagreement over the nature of certification and licensure a CHW must have. Additionally, the authors found that CHWs in rural regions may experience more barriers to closing care gaps than urban CHWs and that rural CHWs identify as “generalists” whereas urban CHWs often participate in more specialized healthcare.