Improving access to primary health care using community health workers: Results from the Healthy Connections Project

Minnesota, home to the largest Somali community in the US has consistently been rated the healthiest state in the nation, yet many health disparities exist. Minnesota International Health Volunteers (MIHV) a non-profit organization committed to community-based public health partnered with another non-profit organization that is Minnesota's largest provider of affordable housing to implement the Healthy Connections project. The goal of this two-year, multi-site project is to increase connections to primary healthcare services and reduce emergency room (ER) usage among Somalis who are enrolled in Minnesota state public health insurance programs. In order to achieve these outcomes, the Healthy Connections project employed a Somali community health worker (CHW) who was based in residential facilities and conducted individual outreach through home visits to Somali residents. In the first year of the project, the CHW increased connections to a primary healthcare provider from 13% to 76% at one site and from 24% to 57% at the second site. In the second year those connections continued to increase another 13% at both sites. In the second year of the project reduction of ER usage was added as an outcome. Although primary health provider connections were increased throughout both years of the project, there was no change in ER usage among project participants. CHWs can be effective members of the healthcare delivery team by increasing access to preventative services. More research is needed to understand behaviors related to accessing preventative services and utilization of emergency care.