Authors: Julian T Rowe, Elaina Parrillo, Olivia Stanford, Jennifer Wenzel, Fabian M Johnston
Palliative care is essential for enhancing the quality of life for patients with serious chronic illnesses, yet its availability remains limited. Community health workers (CHWs) play a crucial role in improving access to palliative care by bridging gaps in patient education and healthcare access. However, CHWs encounter various barriers when supporting patients with serious chronic illnesses. Through qualitative interviews with twelve CHWs, both active and passive barriers were identified, including interprofessional conflicts, limited understanding of the CHW role among healthcare workers, and inadequate access to resources. To address these challenges, CHWs emphasized the need for job-specific training, improved resource management tools, and better communication within healthcare teams. These findings highlight the importance of supporting CHWs to effectively assist patients with serious illnesses.
Link: Individual and Systemic Barriers Blocking Community Health Workers from Helping the Seriously Ill
Resource Topic: Palliative care
Resource Type: Qualitative
Year: 2024
Region:
Country: United States of America
Publisher May Restrict Access: No