Supporting community health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods pilot study.
Public Health Nurs
; 2022 Oct 19.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2244554
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To examine how the COVID-19 Project ECHO program may have influenced the mental health of community health workers (CHWs) from South Texas. The program was designed around case-based learning and mentorship to provide support to CHWs and help them gain expertise to provide services to their communities.DESIGN:
An explanatory sequential mixed methods pilot study. SAMPLE Fifteen CHWs who were enrolled in the program participated in this study. MEASUREMENTS The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were used to measure the differences pre- and post-intervention. Qualitative description was used to explore the experiences of the participating CHWs.RESULTS:
The PSS post-test mean (12.53) showed a statistically significant decrease from the pretest mean (17.01) (t (14 = 2.456, p = .028). The CHWs explained that the death of loved ones, feelings of isolation, and work-related concerns influenced their mental health. CHWs expressed that the program provided them with emotional support and resources for their clients.CONCLUSIONS:
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on disadvantaged and medically underserved areas will be long-lasting; therefore, the need is greater than ever for CHWs to receive mental health support and be able to connect communities with vital resources.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Qualitative research
Language:
English
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS