“This is what community care looks like:” emotional labor and relational care among U.S. community health workers

Authors: McKenzie Javorka, Kaitlin Fertaly, Tina Czaplinska

This study found that Community Health Workers (CHWs) do much more than provide health information and referrals; they also offer emotional support, build trust, and help people navigate difficult life situations. While this work is rewarding, it can also be emotionally challenging, as CHWs often deal with clients’ hardships and the limits of health and social systems. To cope, they rely on self-care, peer support, and problem-solving with colleagues. The study highlights that this emotional and relationship-based work is essential to community well-being but is often overlooked, and it calls for greater recognition and support for CHWs to improve retention and strengthen health programs.