Topic Spotlight
Community Health Workers
PCORI Answers Critical Questions
Much remains unknown about the specific roles of community health workers in easing barriers to care and garnering better health outcomes. PCORI funds studies that seek to help patients, clinicians, and others answer questions they might have about CHWs, such as:
Doctor: My clinic serves an area with a large Asian-American population. Is there any research that shows how to effectively deploy CHWs in this population to improve outcomes?
Hospital administrator: Can CHWs actually help to improve care delivery and health outcomes for cancer patients?
Patient: I’m currently overweight and have a family and genetic disposition for diabetes. How can a CHW help me find the best way to learn about the habits I need to adopt to stay healthy?
Community Health Workers Study Spotlights
Clinical Outcomes of Low Income Patients across Primary Care Facilities
This project found that using community health workers did not improve clinical outcomes but did improve patient satisfaction and reduce hospital stays.
The Bridge Between Clinics and Communities
Lisa Cooper explains the role community health workers played in her PCORI-funded project that sought to help patients from disadvantaged populations better control high blood pressure.
Reducing Asthma Health Disparities through Guideline Implementation
This project compares three different approaches to implementing guidelines for people with uncontrolled asthma.
Download Fact Sheet