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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community health workers

Vivir Mejor! (Live Better!)
Video highlighting the Vivir Mejor! (Live Better!) program, a comprehensive, culturally competent diabetes education program for Hispanic/Latino populations in rural Arizona. Features program staff and patients sharing how the program impacted the health of people in the region.
Date: 06/2016
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Activating Patients for Sustained Chronic Disease Self-Management: Thinking Beyond Clinical Outcomes
Describes the Expanded Health Coaches for Hypertension Control (EHCHC) project to increase the proportion of adults 45 years and older to self-manage their hypertension. Discusses how a primary care practice and a community-based program can work together to improve patient knowledge and support readiness for behavior change through various channels, including the use of trained volunteer community health coaches.
Author(s): Cheryl J. Dye, Joel E. Williams, Janet H. Evatt
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 7(2), 107-112
Date: 04/2016
Type: Document
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Effects of Community-Based Health Worker Interventions to Improve Chronic Disease Management and Care Among Vulnerable Populations: A Systematic Review
Reports on a review of 67 studies evaluating the effectiveness of community-based health workers (CBHWs) as an intervention model for chronic disease management and care among low-income, underserved, and racial and ethnic minority populations at risk for health disparities. Discusses the roles and tasks of CBHWs, the effectiveness of their intervention, their qualifications and training, and the reimbursement and sustainability of CBHWs.
Author(s): Kyounghae Kim, Janet S. Choi, Eunsuk Choi, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 106(4), e3–e28
Date: 04/2016
Type: Document
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Understanding Scope and Competencies: A Contemporary Look at the United States Community Health Worker Field
Reports on the progress of the Community Health Worker Core Consensus (C3) Project in developing a national consensus regarding community health worker core roles and competencies. The C3 Advisory Committee charged with developing the standards included representation from urban, rural, and tribal communities.
Author(s): E. Lee Rosenthal, Carl H. Rush, Caitlin G. Allen
Date: 04/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Institute for Health Policy, University of Texas School of Public Health
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Impact of Improving Home Environments on Energy Intake and Physical Activity: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Reports on the effectiveness of a weight control intervention using health coaches to target home environments using the Healthy Homes/Healthy Families model. Examines changes in the patients' physical activity, calorie intake, and weight. The intervention focused on overweight and obese women in rural Georgia who were patients of community health centers.
Author(s): Michelle C. Kegler, Regine Haardörfer, Iris C. Alcantara, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 106(1), 143-52
Date: 01/2016
Type: Document
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Community Health Workers: Roles and Opportunities in Health Care Delivery System Reform
Identifies and discusses health services research on the utilization and integration of Community Health Workers (CHWs) into healthcare service delivery. Includes an analysis regarding the various CHW models, employment data, training and credentialing, and challenges associated with the development of this occupation.
Author(s): John E. Snyder
Date: 01/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington: 2016 RWJF Culture of Health Prize Winner
Describes how the communities within the Columbia Gorge region took a collaborative approach by developing a 15-member community advisory committee that included Medicaid recipients and Latino residents. Top concerns addressed by this committee were food, housing, jobs and transportation, along with improved access to dental and mental health, and better coordination among social services and healthcare providers. Projects included expanding the use and training of community health workers (CHWs) to assist Latino residents when navigating programs outside of healthcare and the development of a fruit and vegetable prescription program to support increased intake of healthy foods. A collective impact specialist was hired to help solve community problems through collaborative efforts, and to find grants and other sources of funding to support their projects. Columbia Gorge Region is a recipient of the 2016 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health Prize.
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Community Health Worker (CHW) Toolkit: A Guide for Employers
Toolkit designed to provide prospective employers of community health workers (CHWs) a history and understanding of the field and how to implement CHWs into their practices in the state of Minnesota. Includes education and training requirements, a discussion of the roles of the CHW, and examples of successful community health worker models, among other topics.
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Health - Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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ROI Toolkit: A Guide for Conducting a Return on Investment Analysis of Your Community Health Worker Health Program
A step-by-step guide to help healthcare organizations learn and understand the key elements for conducting a return on investment analysis for their community health worker (CHW) program. Requires free login to access.
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: MHP Salud
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Mortality and Life Expectancy in Rural America: Connecting the Health and Human Service Safety Nets to Improve Health Outcomes over the Life Course
Policy brief describing the driving forces behind rural health disparities in Appalachian Kentucky. Offers nationally relevant recommendations for addressing these challenges. Discusses rural and urban differences in life expectancy and mortality rates, and other significant factors including behavioral health, substance abuse, population health, trauma care, and transportation.
Date: 10/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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