Structural supports and challenges for community health worker models: Lessons from the COVID-19 response in Orange County, California
Public health relied on community health workers (CHWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic to connect with the most vulnerable communities, which saved lives and addressed inequities. Understanding the structural factors that supported and hindered the success of CHWs is essential for building a stronger...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | SSM: Qualitative Research in Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321524001197 |
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| author | Brittany N. Morey Melina Michelen Madeleine Phan Sarah Cárdenas Mary Anne Foo Patricia J. Cantero Samantha Peralta Noraima Chirinos Rocio Salazar Gloria Itzel Montiel Sora Park Tanjasiri John Billimek Alana M.W. LeBrón |
| author_facet | Brittany N. Morey Melina Michelen Madeleine Phan Sarah Cárdenas Mary Anne Foo Patricia J. Cantero Samantha Peralta Noraima Chirinos Rocio Salazar Gloria Itzel Montiel Sora Park Tanjasiri John Billimek Alana M.W. LeBrón |
| author_sort | Brittany N. Morey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Public health relied on community health workers (CHWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic to connect with the most vulnerable communities, which saved lives and addressed inequities. Understanding the structural factors that supported and hindered the success of CHWs is essential for building a stronger public health infrastructure in the future. We analyzed semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 15 institutional representatives and policymakers who engaged in COVID-19 response involving CHWs in Orange County, California. Findings indicated that while participants realized during the COVID-19 pandemic how essential CHWs were in addressing health and social inequities, CHWs were often undervalued by systems that were not established to support them. Participants highlighted needs for government and healthcare systems to equally partner with CHWs, reimburse CHWs for their work, decrease administrative barriers, and fund CHW-hiring organizations sustainably. We discuss recommendations for supporting CHWs through systems changes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ea1821d69d8e4607bf28914261698161 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2667-3215 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SSM: Qualitative Research in Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-ea1821d69d8e4607bf289142616981612025-08-20T01:56:17ZengElsevierSSM: Qualitative Research in Health2667-32152025-06-01710051010.1016/j.ssmqr.2024.100510Structural supports and challenges for community health worker models: Lessons from the COVID-19 response in Orange County, CaliforniaBrittany N. Morey0Melina Michelen1Madeleine Phan2Sarah Cárdenas3Mary Anne Foo4Patricia J. Cantero5Samantha Peralta6Noraima Chirinos7Rocio Salazar8Gloria Itzel Montiel9Sora Park Tanjasiri10John Billimek11Alana M.W. LeBrón12University of California, Irvine, Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, Department of Health, Society, & Behavior, Irvine, CA, USA; Corresponding author. University of California, Irvine, 856 Health Sciences Quad, Suite 3527, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.University of California, Irvine, Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, Department of Health, Society, & Behavior, Irvine, CA, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, Department of Health, Society, & Behavior, Irvine, CA, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, Department of Health, Society, & Behavior, Irvine, CA, USAOrange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Garden Grove, CA, USALatino Health Access, Santa Ana, CA, USAOrange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Garden Grove, CA, USALatino Health Access, Santa Ana, CA, USALatino Health Access, Santa Ana, CA, USALatino Health Access, Santa Ana, CA, USA; AltaMed, Santa Ana, CA, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, Department of Health, Society, & Behavior, Irvine, CA, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Department of Family Medicine, Irvine, CA, USAUniversity of California, Irvine, Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, Department of Health, Society, & Behavior, Irvine, CA, USA; University of California, Irvine, Department of Chicano/Latino Studies, Irvine, CA, USAPublic health relied on community health workers (CHWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic to connect with the most vulnerable communities, which saved lives and addressed inequities. Understanding the structural factors that supported and hindered the success of CHWs is essential for building a stronger public health infrastructure in the future. We analyzed semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 15 institutional representatives and policymakers who engaged in COVID-19 response involving CHWs in Orange County, California. Findings indicated that while participants realized during the COVID-19 pandemic how essential CHWs were in addressing health and social inequities, CHWs were often undervalued by systems that were not established to support them. Participants highlighted needs for government and healthcare systems to equally partner with CHWs, reimburse CHWs for their work, decrease administrative barriers, and fund CHW-hiring organizations sustainably. We discuss recommendations for supporting CHWs through systems changes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321524001197Community health workersCommunity-based organizationsCommunity-based participatory researchQualitative interviewsHealth equityPublic health infrastructure |
| spellingShingle | Brittany N. Morey Melina Michelen Madeleine Phan Sarah Cárdenas Mary Anne Foo Patricia J. Cantero Samantha Peralta Noraima Chirinos Rocio Salazar Gloria Itzel Montiel Sora Park Tanjasiri John Billimek Alana M.W. LeBrón Structural supports and challenges for community health worker models: Lessons from the COVID-19 response in Orange County, California SSM: Qualitative Research in Health Community health workers Community-based organizations Community-based participatory research Qualitative interviews Health equity Public health infrastructure |
| title | Structural supports and challenges for community health worker models: Lessons from the COVID-19 response in Orange County, California |
| title_full | Structural supports and challenges for community health worker models: Lessons from the COVID-19 response in Orange County, California |
| title_fullStr | Structural supports and challenges for community health worker models: Lessons from the COVID-19 response in Orange County, California |
| title_full_unstemmed | Structural supports and challenges for community health worker models: Lessons from the COVID-19 response in Orange County, California |
| title_short | Structural supports and challenges for community health worker models: Lessons from the COVID-19 response in Orange County, California |
| title_sort | structural supports and challenges for community health worker models lessons from the covid 19 response in orange county california |
| topic | Community health workers Community-based organizations Community-based participatory research Qualitative interviews Health equity Public health infrastructure |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321524001197 |
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