Navigating double burden Community health workers in rural Dominican Republic living and working through the epidemiologic transition

Authors: Eliana G Armora Langoni, Deshira D Wallace, Clare Barrington

In rural Dominican Republic, community health workers (CHWs) are dealing with both infectious diseases and rising non-communicable diseases at the same time. In interviews, CHWs said they see themselves as leaders improving community health, but their work has become harder. Their roles have grown, yet they face low pay, heavy workloads, and added pressure due to gender expectations. To keep helping their communities, CHWs need more support.