Preparing for Community Health Worker Integration Into Clinical Care Teams Through an Understanding of Patient and Community Health Worker Readiness and Intent

J Ambul Care Manage. 2019 Jan/Mar;42(1):37-46. doi: 10.1097/JAC.0000000000000261.

Abstract

There is a rising demand to expand the successful roles community health workers (CHWs) offer into clinical settings (clinic-based community health worker [cCHW]) to support patient services. Using survey data, we evaluated patient and CHW readiness and intent to adopt cCHW clinical care integration. We found CHW and patient readiness to become or utilize a cCHW significantly predicted CHW and patient intent to become or utilize a cCHW; however, in our study, CHWs experienced greater readiness to serve as cCHWs than did patients to utilize cCHWs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Community Health Workers*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intention*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Care Team / organization & administration*
  • Professional Role*