Authors: Watford, Melissa A
Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a crucial role in improving health outcomes for marginalized communities. Efforts to integrate CHWs into healthcare teams have increased, but a lack of understanding and support can limit their effectiveness. This study aimed to understand CHW integration into teams and the factors affecting it, using a survey of CHWs in North Carolina. The results showed no correlation between relational coordination (teamwork quality) and the number of CHWs employed or their length of employment. Additionally, there was no correlation between understanding the CHW role and experiences of racial/ethnic discrimination. However, a significant positive correlation was found between an organization’s understanding of the CHW role and relational coordination, and a significant negative correlation was found between relational coordination and racial/ethnic discrimination. The findings suggest that better understanding of the CHW role improves teamwork and reduces discrimination. Further research with a larger sample and inclusion of all healthcare team members is recommended.
Link: The Integration of Community Health Workers into Health Care Teams in North Carolina
Resource Topic: CHW Role, CHW programs
Resource Type: Thesis/dissertation
Year: 2024
Region:
Country: United States of America
Publisher May Restrict Access: No