Connecting Communication Competencies to Public Health Practice: Community Health Workers as Non-Traditional Risk Communicators

Authors: Carina Zelaya ,Cynthia Baur ,Anita Atwell Seate ,David Liendo Uriona ,Christina Getrich ,Lahne Mattas-Curry & Brooke Fisher Liu

This study explored how community health workers supported Latine communities with health information during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Interviews with 41 CHWs showed that they needed several connected skills, including finding and checking reliable information, explaining messages clearly, communicating across cultures and through digital platforms, working with other teams, and helping people access services and resources. The study shows that CHWs play an important role in helping communities understand and respond to public health crises and that these skills should be included in their training and support.