Sustaining Communities and Community Health Workers: Lessons Learned From Community Health Workers' Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, community health workers (CHWs) played a significant role in providing health information and addressing health inequities exacerbated by the pandemic. We conducted four focus groups (21 individuals) with New York City CHWs with the aim to learn their perspectives on practices to sustain CHWs work engagement. The following themes emerged through deductive coding: (1) need for mental health support, (2) desire for broader acknowledgment of their value through compensation, and (3) need for continuous training and job growth opportunities. Implementing workplace policies that address these themes could improve CHW well-being and support them to more effectively impact the health of their communities.