In Iowa, growing immigrant communities have highlighted health gaps, especially in rural and underserved areas. To address this, local residents were trained as community health navigators to offer health education and screenings in culturally appropriate ways. So far, over 35 navigators have reached more than 1,200 people in places like churches, mosques, and housing … [Read more...] about Empowering Health Navigators and Communities
Innovative models of integrated community mental health workforce development
This article looks at new ways to strengthen the mental health workforce and make care more accessible. It highlights how training community health workers to provide basic mental health support, using digital tools like telepsychiatry, and involving people with lived experience can improve care in places with few specialists. It also stresses the importance of teamwork between … [Read more...] about Innovative models of integrated community mental health workforce development
Community Health Worker Interventions for Identifying and Managing Antenatal Depression: A Cluster-Linked Implementation Study
This study tested whether community health workers (CHWs) could help identify and support pregnant women with depression in rural areas. CHWs were trained to screen women, offer simple counseling, and refer serious cases to health facilities. They screened nearly 1,000 women, and about one in four showed signs of depression. Most accepted and completed the counseling sessions. … [Read more...] about Community Health Worker Interventions for Identifying and Managing Antenatal Depression: A Cluster-Linked Implementation Study
Feasibility and Acceptability of Diabetes and Hypertension Screening and Diagnosis by Community Health Workers in Rural Lesotho: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study
This pilot study in rural Lesotho tested whether community health workers (CHWs) could screen people at home for high blood pressure and diabetes. Ten CHWs visited 687 households and screened over 1,800 people between 2022 and 2023. About one in four had high blood pressure, and one in twenty had diabetes. Almost everyone welcomed the service and appreciated being tested in … [Read more...] about Feasibility and Acceptability of Diabetes and Hypertension Screening and Diagnosis by Community Health Workers in Rural Lesotho: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study
“A guardian angel that just appeared”: the impact of a community health worker in supporting treatment adherence and follow-up for Chagas Disease patients
This study looked at how community health workers (CHWs) help Latin American migrants with Chagas disease in Madrid. Most patients were Bolivian women working in domestic jobs and were diagnosed in Spain. Many had heart-related symptoms but no severe heart disease. Patients often knew little about Chagas, and many doctors also missed or delayed diagnoses. Barriers included lack … [Read more...] about “A guardian angel that just appeared”: the impact of a community health worker in supporting treatment adherence and follow-up for Chagas Disease patients