As cited throughout this website, there is an abundance of published research on the role and value of CHWs in healthcare settings. Here are just a few that may be of interest to you and your colleagues.
- Patient-Centered Community Health Worker Intervention to Improve Posthospital Outcomes: A Randomized Clinical Trial
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Asthma Self-management Support Comparing Clinic-Based Nurses and In-Home Community Health Workers
- Community Health Workers and Environmental Interventions for Children with Asthma: A Systematic Review
- Effect of Weatherization Combined with Community Health Worker In-home Education on Asthma Control
- The Impact of Integrating Community Health Workers into the Patient-centered Medical Home
- Improving Asthma Management among African-American Children via a Community Health Worker Model: Findings from a Chicago-Based Pilot Intervention (PDF)
- A Community-Based Asthma Management Program: Effects on Resource Utilization and Quality of Life (PDF)
- Social Return on Investment: CHWs in Cancer Research (PDF)
- Return on Investment from Employment of CHWs
- The Effectiveness of a Community Health Worker Outreach Program on Healthcare Utilization of West Baltimore City Medicaid Patients with Diabetes, with or without Hypertension (PDF)
- Measuring Return on Investment of Outreach by Community Health Workers (PDF)
- The Seattle Times: Program Uses Home Visits to Help Asthmatic Kids Breathe Easier
- The Guide to Community Preventive Services recommends home-based education and interventions to reduce home environmental triggers of asthma, as well as asthma education and social supports to improve outcomes for children with asthma, based on its 2011 scientific review of the research literature and also finds the CHW role to be beneficial and cost-effective in the implementation of these interventions.
- Gutierrez-Kapheim M et al. Utilizing CHW Model for to Communicate Strategies for Asthma Self – Management and Self-Advocacy Strategies Among Public Housing Residents, Journal of Communication in Health Care, Vol 8, Issue 2, May 20, 2015
- Margellos H et al. Improving Asthma Management among African American Children Via a CHW Model: Findings from a Chicago-based Pilot Intervention, Journal of Asthma, Vol 49, Issue 4, February 21, 2012
The intervention was shown to be cost-effective, resulting in an estimated ROI of $5.58 saved per dollar spent. Findings suggest that individualized asthma education provided by a trained, culturally competent CHW is effective in improving asthma management among poorly controlled, inner-city children. - Peretz, P et al. Community Health Workers as Drivers of a Successful Community-Based Disease Management Initiative, American Journal of Public Health 2012 August 102(8): 1443-1446.
Families participating in the yearlong NYC CHW care coordination program received comprehensive asthma education, home environmental assessments, trigger reduction strategies, and clinical and social referrals. After 12 months, hospitalizations and emergency department visits decreased by more than 50%, and caregiver confidence in controlling the child’s asthma increased to nearly 100%. - Woods ER, Bhaumik U, Sommer SJ et al. Community Asthma Initiative to Improve Health Outcomes and Reduce Disparities Among Children with Asthma, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Supplement for Feb 12, 2014, 65(1): 11-20.
This CDC report describes Boston Children’s Hospital’s Community Asthma Initiative, in which nurses and community health workers have assisted in the reduction of asthma-related hospitalizations.
