CHW National Library

An article documenting a process through which students in a community health worker training program evaluated and re-framed mental health focused learning modules. Through project-based learning, participants identified the limitations of a biomedical approach to mental health and developed strategies for addressing mental health in their communities.

An article from the journal Health Education & Behavior addressing the impact of community health worker racial and ethnic identity in client interventions. Seeks to provide empirical evaluation of the assumption that individuals form relationships more easily with service providers of the same racial and ethnic identity.

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials studying the effectiveness of community health worker cancer screening interventions. This article summarizes the existing literature, and calls for higher-quality examination of early cancer detection interventions with community health workers.

Healthy Fit uses community health workers to promote cancer screenings and education about heart health. This evaluation of the program found that the intervention is a cost-effective and impactful model for addressing cancer and cardiovascular health disparities.

An article from Preventive Medicine. An article seeking to identify mechanisms of CHW effectiveness as well as CHW attributes to guide training and selection of CHWs working in immigrant communities.

A literature review examining the role of community health workers in diabetes prevention programs. Summarizes the roles CHWs play in such interventions, as well as topics covered and CHW training across the 30 studies reviewed.

The authors of this study analyzed ongoing training of community health workers. Given the diversity of ongoing training activities and focus on specific skills or subjects of concern, the authors conclude that greater attention should be paid to the design and implementation of training with an eye towards health system improvement.

An article from the American Journal of Public Health. Evaluates a community health worker intervention intended to improve health outcomes among low-income individuals with multiple chronic diseases. Examines rates of hospitalization, self-rated mental health, as well as measures of blood pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin, and other indicators.

A literature review from the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health describing how community health worker contribute to occupational safety and health research. The article identifies key roles, as well as challenges in using community health workers in research projects. Recommends directions for future assessment.

A technical brief offering guidelines for integrating community health workers into complex care teams, highlighting the importance of an intentional hiring process, clearly defined opportunities for career advancement, and meaningful supports and supervision.