Feasibility of Deploying Community Health Workers to assist with Health-Related Social Needs and Hypertension in Community Care Clinics

Authors: Brian Robusto, Iris Cheng, Rohan Mahabaleshwarkar, Jessica McCutcheon, Nancy Denizard-Thompson, Sara R. Kinny, Selina Quinones, Henry Bundy, Yhenneko J. Taylor and Deepak Palakshappa

This small study tested using community health workers (CHWs) to help patients with high blood pressure and other needs. Thirty-five patients were referred to a CHW, and most were Black with an average age of 54. After six months, both blood pressure and social needs improved. Patients generally liked working with CHWs but sometimes found it hard to build a connection or understand what the CHWs were there to do.