Community health workers: integral members of the health care work force.

Abstract

As the US health care system strives to function efficiently, encourage preventive and primary care, improve quality, and overcome nonfinancial barriers to care, the potential exists for community health workers to further these goals. Community health workers can increase access to care and facilitate appropriate use of health resources by providing outreach and cultural linkages between communities and delivery systems; reduce costs by providing health education, screening, detection, and basic emergency care; and improve quality by contributing to patient-provider communication, continuity of care, and consumer protection. Information sharing, program support, program evaluation, and continuing education are needed to expand the use of community health workers and better integrate them into the health care delivery system.

Retreat from Alma Ata? The WHO's report on Task Shifting to community health workers for AIDS care in poor countries

“…Eight reviews were found that amalgamated lessons learned and suggested key enabling features that can increase likelihood of CHW program success. These were reports by Gilson et al (1989), OfosuAmaah (1983), Witmer et al (1995), Bhattacharyya et al (2001), Nemcek andSabatier (2003), Lehmann, Friedman and Sanders (2004), Haines et al (2007), Gilroy & Winch (2005) and Lehmann and Sanders (2007). In addition, two large reviews evaluated the literature on CHW programs to determine their effectiveness: Lewin et al (2005) and Swinder (2005).…”

The Seattle-King County healthy homes project: implementation of a comprehensive approach to improving indoor environmental quality for low-income children with asthma.

“…The CHES had characteristics that allowed them to bridge the gap between community members and health agencies and institutions: connection to and understanding of the community; shared ethnic, linguistic, and cultural background with project participants; and recognition as a person who can be respected and trusted (75)(76)(77)(78). Six CHES (including their coordinator) worked for the project over the course of its 4 years, with one or two full-time workers and their coordinator providing services at any one time.…”

Health Disparities: A Primer for Public Health Social Workers

“…They can also help with logistic issues, such as providing transportation, to increase the use of preventive and primary care services (Brownstein, Cheal, Ackermann, Bassford, & CamposOutcalt, 1992;Earp & Flax, 1999;Jackson & Parks, 1997), which in turn may improve the quality of healthcare and reduce costs (Witmer, Seifer, Finocchio, Leslie, & O'Neil, 1995), enhance the interactions between healthcare providers and healthcare recipients, improve treatment adherence and compliance and appointment attendance (Manson, 1988), and increase satisfaction with services (Carrasquillo, Orav, Brennan, & Burstin, 1999;David & Rhee, 1998;Derose & Baker, 2000;Larrison et al, 2010).…”