Exploring the Role of Community Health Workers: What is a Community Health Worker?
Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a vital role in providing primary healthcare services, particularly to underserved and marginalized populations. Also known as lay health workers, CHWs are trained and work in the same communities in which they reside, bridging the gap between healthcare systems and local communities.
CHWs serve as a critical link between healthcare providers and patients, providing essential services such as health education, outreach, screening, referrals, and basic care. The services that they provide are essential for populations that face barriers in accessing healthcare services such as language, geographical, financial, and cultural barriers.
The Roles and Responsibilities of Community Health Workers
CHWs are trained to go beyond basic care services, they act as trusted advocates for their community by identifying the health needs of their population, providing health education and information, and empowering individuals to take responsibility for their health. Additionally, they perform health assessments, monitor patients for their compliance with treatment, counsel patients, and provide support for those who are managing chronic conditions.
CHWs also act as intermediaries between their communities and healthcare systems. They advocate for the health needs of their community to be prioritized, communicate the healthcare needs of their community, and help healthcare providers to deliver culturally sensitive and appropriate care.
The Training of Community Health Workers
Each state determines the training requirements for CHWs, but they all include a mix of classroom-based education and field-based training. Topics covered in training vary, but often include health promotion and prevention, mental health and substance abuse, communication skills, community resources, and cultural competency. Additionally, CHWs may receive specialty training such as diabetes management, maternal and child health, or HIV/AIDS prevention.
It is essential that CHWs receive adequate training, as they provide services that can often replace medical care and they can be accountable for the health outcomes of their population.
The Impact of Community Health Workers
The impact of CHWs varies depending on the community and healthcare system in which they operate. However, studies show that CHWs can help to reduce healthcare costs, improve health outcomes, and increase access to healthcare services. CHWs have been particularly effective in improving the health of marginalized populations such as racial minorities, low-income families, and non-English speaking individuals.
Furthermore, CHWs have been instrumental in bridging the gap between healthcare providers and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. CHWs have been engaged to provide contact tracing, conducting health screenings and testing, and educating people about the virus.
Conclusion
CHWs are an essential component of many healthcare systems worldwide. They provide basic care, support, and education to underserved populations, and work tirelessly to help the most vulnerable members of our communities. CHWs serve as a bridge between healthcare systems and the communities they serve, and they have proved to be an effective solution for improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. Community leaders and policymakers should prioritize the development of CHW programs, which leverage the resources, knowledge, and networks of local communities to improve health outcomes.
