265757 Role of CHWs as Community Change Agents

Monday, October 29, 2012

Steven Rothschild, MD , Departments of Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL
Jaime Delgado, BA , Diabetes Intervention, Sinai Urban Health Institute, Chicago, IL
Digna Gerena , Block-by-Block: The Greater Humboldt Park Community Campaign against Diabetes, Rush University Department of Preventive Medicine, Chicago, IL
Amelia Martinez , Block-by-Block: The Greater Humboldt Park Community Campaign Against Diabetes, Rush University Department of Preventive Medicine, Chicago, IL
Maria Lola Sanchez , Block-By-Block: The Greater Humboldt Community Park Campaign Against Diabetes, Rush University Department of Preventive Medicine, Chicago, IL
Johnny Tirado , Block-by-Block: The Greater Humboldt Park Community Campaign Against Diabetes, Rush University Department of Preventive Medicine, Chicago, IL
Magdalena Nava, MPH , Block-by-Block: The Greater Humboldt Park Community Campaign against Diabetes, Rush University Department of Preventive Medicine, Chicago, IL
The past decade has seen health systems increasingly turning to Community Health Workers in clinical settings: as liaisons between providers and community members, facilitating access to services, and improving both quality and cultural competence of service delivery. This trend is likely to accelerate with the implementation of the Accountable Care Act, and increasing funding for clinical services delivered by CHWs. One unintended consequence may be a reduction in the use of CHWs as community advocates addressing social determinants of health. The primary aim of the Block-by-Block CBPR study is to learn if CHWs (called “Diabetes Block Captains”) can deliver a multi-level intervention including individual self-management training and community organzing around nutrition and physical activity that will result in improvements in diabetes control over a one year period (as measured by reduction of mean community Hemoglobin A1c). In this presentation, CHWs and staff from Block-by-Block will discuss the range of strategies used to improve the health of the Humboldt Park community outside of the medical care system, how these interventions are documented, and how impact is measured.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
Describe processes used by CHWs in the Block-by-Block CBPR study to challenge social determinants of diabetes disparities in an urban Latino community. Discuss methods being used to document the CHW intervention and impact on the community.

Keywords: Social Activism, Diabetes

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Co-Principal Investigator (with Dr. Jose Lopez of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center) for the Block-by-Block study. In that capacity I designed and led the training of Community Health Workers for the project, and have provided oversight for the implementation of the CHW intervention described in this presentation.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.