Community Health Worker Support for Disadvantaged Patients with Multiple Chronic Diseases: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Authors
Shreya Kangovi
Nandita Mitra
David Grande
Hairong Huo
Robyn A. Smith
Judith A. Long
Peer-Reviewed Article
October 2017

This resource reports on a randomized clinical trial assessing whether CHWs can effectively improve chronic disease outcomes.

  • A large body of literature indicates that CHWs can be effective, but nearly all the interventions have been disease-specific. This study focused on a low-income population with multiple chronic conditions.
  • The study team created IMPaCT (Individualized Management for Patient-Centered Targets), a CHW intervention that can be applied across diseases to address socioeconomic and behavioral factors.
  • A CHW intervention, combined with collaborative goal-setting, led to modest improvements in diabetes, obesity, and smoking when compared with collaborative goal-setting alone. The CHW intervention did not lead to improvements in hypertension.
  • The CHW support also improved mental health and quality of primary care, and appeared to reduce hospital admissions.
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