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Agrawal P, Abimbola S. People and sites as community resources for preventing and managing chronic health conditions: A conceptual analysis. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0003415. [PMID: 39058674 PMCID: PMC11280530 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The prevention and management of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) require community-based efforts-especially as their burden grows, and recognition of the need for engaging diverse stakeholders in care grows. The aim of this conceptual analysis was to categorise existing community resources (people and sites) used to support such efforts, the mechanisms by which they work, and the conditions that constrain their effectiveness. We developed an initial framework for categorising community resources. We then used a sample of the literature- 24 studies from 12 countries-to refine and enrich the framework. We identified seven categories of sites ('where': House, Meeting place, Community health centre, Primary health care centre, Mobile clinic, Pharmacy, and Hospital) and ten categories of people ('who': Community Health Worker, Nurse/Midwife, Health educator, Physician, Primary Health Care Worker, Peer Group, Navigator, Pharmacist, Cultural Advisor, Family caregiver). We identified eight mechanisms through which those resources improve NCD prevention and management: Context specific engagement, Personalised and integrated care, Community health worker led knowledge dissemination, Social support through family and/or friends, Extending the reach of the health system, Social support through peer groups, Task shifting, and Training of health workforce. We identified two broad categories of constraints on these mechanisms: (i) health system barriers such as inadequate workforce, training, coordination and engagement; and (ii) socio-economic, political, and cultural barriers to care. The conceptual categories (of people and sites as resources, the mechanisms through which they work and the contextual constraints on their effectiveness) identified in this analysis may be useful in further analysing current approaches in NCD efforts using community resources, in informing the development of community-based efforts, and in exploring the commonalities and transferable insights between different locations or settings around the world and between different efforts to prevent and manage NCDs within communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prachee Agrawal
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Seye Abimbola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Hansotte E, Andrea SB, Weathers TD, Stone C, Jessup A, Staten LK. Impact of community health workers on diabetes management in an urban United States Community with high diabetes burden through the COVID pandemic. Prev Med Rep 2024; 39:102645. [PMID: 38370984 PMCID: PMC10869924 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Community Health Worker (CHW) interventions are promising approaches to increasing access to health care, garnering better health outcomes, and decreasing health inequities for historically marginalized populations. This study examines the impact of a health system-based CHW program embedded in the Diabetes Impact Project - Indianapolis Neighborhoods (DIP-IN), a large, place-based, multi-year intervention to reduce diabetes burden. We assessed the CHW program's effectiveness in managing glucose control and reducing diabetes-associated complications across the COVID timeline. Methods We examined the association between the CHW intervention and diabetes management in 454 CHW patients and 1,020 propensity score-matched comparison patients. Using electronic medical records for encounters between January 1, 2017, and March 31, 2022, we estimated the CHW program effect using a difference-in-difference approach through generalized linear mixed models. Results Participation was associated with a significant reduction (-0.54-unit (95 % CI: -0.73, -0.35) in glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) on average over time that was beyond the change observed among comparison patients, higher odds of having ≥ 2 A1C measures in a year (OR = 2.32, 95 % CI: 1.79, 3.00), lower odds of ED visits (OR: 0.88; 95 % CI: 0.73, 1.05), and lower odds of hospital admission (OR: 0.81; 95 % CI: 0.60,1.09). When analyses were restricted to a pre-pandemic timeframe, the pattern of results were similar. Conclusion This program was effective in improving diabetes management among patients living in diabetes-burdened communities, and the effects were persistent throughout the pandemic timeline. CHW programs offer crucial reinforcement for diabetes management during periods when routine healthcare access is constrained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elinor Hansotte
- Marion County Public Health Department, 3838 N. Rural St., Indianapolis, IN 46205, United States
| | - Sarah B. Andrea
- Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Vanport Building, 1810 SW 5 Ave., Suite 510, Portland, OR 97201, United States
| | - Tess D. Weathers
- Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Health Sciences Building, 1050 Wishard Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Cynthia Stone
- Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Health Sciences Building, 1050 Wishard Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Alisha Jessup
- Eskenazi Health, 720 Eskenazi Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Lisa K. Staten
- Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Health Sciences Building, 1050 Wishard Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
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Nicholson CP, Bodd MH, Sarosi E, Carlough MC, Lysaught MT, Curlin FA. The Power of Proximity: Toward an Ethic of Accompaniment in Surgical Care. Hastings Cent Rep 2024; 54:12-21. [PMID: 38639170 DOI: 10.1002/hast.1575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Although the field of surgical ethics focuses primarily on informed consent, surgical decision-making, and research ethics, some surgeons have started to consider ethical questions regarding justice and solidarity with poor and minoritized populations. To date, those calling for social justice in surgical care have emphasized increased diversity within the ranks of the surgical profession. This article, in contrast, foregrounds the agency of those most affected by injustice by bringing to bear an ethic of accompaniment. The ethic of accompaniment is born from a theological tradition that has motivated work to improve health outcomes in those at the margins through its emphasis on listening, solidarity against systemic drivers of disease, and proximity to individuals and communities. Through a review of surgical ethics and exploration of a central patient case, we argue for applying an ethic of accompaniment to the care of surgical patients and their communities.
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Driscoll DL, O'Donnell H, Patel M, Cattell-Gordon DC. Assessing and Addressing the Determinants of Appalachian Population Health: A Scoping Review. JOURNAL OF APPALACHIAN HEALTH 2023; 5:85-102. [PMID: 38784141 PMCID: PMC11110904 DOI: 10.13023/jah.0503.07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Residents of Appalachia experience elevated rates of morbidity and mortality compared to national averages, and these disparities are associated with inequitable exposures to various determinants of population health. Social and environmental determinants of health are a useful lens through which to develop and evaluate programs to mitigate regional health disparities. Methods This 2023 scoping review was conducted of studies linking determinants of Appalachian health with leading causes of regional mortality and morbidity. The search strategy employed a keyword search that included geographic terms for the Appalachian Region and the primary adverse health outcomes in that region. Studies meeting the following inclusion criteria were reviewed: original article, published in the last five years, involving an Appalachian population, and includes a rigorous assessment of an association between a population health determinant and one or more leading causes of Appalachian morbidity and mortality. Results The search returned 221 research articles, including 30 interventional studies. The top three health outcomes included cancer (43.59%), diseases of despair (23.08%), and diabetes (12.82). Access to care (27.3%), rurality (18.9%), and education (14.8%) were the most common population health determinants identified. Interventional studies were categorized by program types: education, technology, partnerships, and multilevel interventions. Due to the heterogeneity of study types, the studies were combined using a narrative synthesis. Implications The results of this work can inform the development and evaluation of additional programs to promote Appalachian population health. Our study team will use these results to inform community-based discussions that develop strategic plans to mitigate health disparities in Central and Southcentral Appalachian Virginia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - David C Cattell-Gordon
- Center for Telehealth at the University of Virginia (retired); ThreadEx Consulting LLC (current)
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Zhang X, Shoben AB, Felix AS, Focht BC, Paskett ED. Differences in obesity-related health behaviors and health outcomes by rural and Appalachian residency. Cancer Causes Control 2023; 34:1113-1121. [PMID: 37498505 PMCID: PMC10547622 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-023-01741-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Obesity and health behaviors are the major modifiable contributors to cancer and health disparities. We examined the differences in obesity-related health behaviors, and health outcomes by rural and Appalachian residency in Ohio. METHODS Cross-sectional survey data from the 2011-2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were obtained from the Ohio Department of Health. County-level identifiers were used to classify urban non-Appalachian, urban Appalachian, rural non-Appalachian, and rural Appalachian residency. Self-reported weight, height, health behaviors, and health conditions were used. Logistic regression was used to assess the difference in health behaviors and health outcomes by rural and Appalachian residency. All analyses incorporated with sample weights. RESULTS Among Ohio residents, compared to urban non-Appalachian residents, urban Appalachian and rural Appalachian residents had a higher prevalence of obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as lower rates of healthy diet and physical activity. No difference was found in trends of obesity and obesity-related health outcomes in 2011-2019 by rural and Appalachian residency. However, rural Appalachian residents had a greater increase in obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, whereas rural non-Appalachian had favorable changes in obesity-related health behaviors. Additionally, associations between health behaviors and obesity-related health outcomes differed by rural and Appalachian residency. CONCLUSIONS Findings underscore the importance of distinguishing between urban non-Appalachian, urban Appalachian, rural non-Appalachian, and rural Appalachian populations when assessing health disparities. While the trends of obesity and obesity-related health outcomes did not differ, the association between health behaviors and obesity-related outcomes differed by rural and Appalachian residency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Zhang
- Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchison Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1590 N High Street, Suite 525, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Abigail B Shoben
- Division of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ashley S Felix
- Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Brian C Focht
- Kinesiology, Department of Human Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Electra D Paskett
- Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1590 N High Street, Suite 525, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Chen J, Yu G, Li W, Yang C, Ye X, Wu D, Wang Y, Du W, Xiao Z, Zeng S, Luo H, Li X, Wu Y, Liu S. A situational analysis of human resource and non-communicable diseases management for community health workers in Chengdu, China: a cross-sectional study. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:1097. [PMID: 37833662 PMCID: PMC10576308 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09880-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) pose a major challenge to health economic cost and residents' health status. Community health workers (CHWs) are the gatekeeper of primary health care. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to conduct a situational analysis of current human resource and requirements of NCDs-related training among CHWs in Chengdu with regard to address to understand the suggestions for improvement of challenges and barriers. METHODS A descriptive online cross-sectional survey was conducted among CHWs (doctors and nurses) from 23 districts and counties in Chengdu. Sociodemographic and NCDs-related variables were collected. Univariate analysis and multiple response analysis were used to describe the characteristics of these variables. RESULTS 711 doctors and 637 nurses completely responded. There were significant differences among gender, age, educational levels, professional title, working year, type of institution, urban circle and registration in general practice between doctors and nurses (P < 0.001). 60.6% of doctors were female, compared to 98.0% for nurses. 58.2% of doctors held a bachelor's degree compared with 45.4% of nurses, while 48.3% of nurses held a junior college degree compared with 25.7% of doctors. Higher levels of professional title and registration in general practice were found in doctors compared with nurses. The proportions of NCDs' category, NCDs-related roles and tasks, NCDs-related training contents and forms that CHWs have attend and hoped to gain more were significantly different between doctors and nurses (P < 0.001). In general, the proportions in nurses were much lower than those of doctors (P < 0.05). The top five diseases managed by CHWs were hypertension, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, chronic respiratory diseases and mental diseases. The five most reported roles performed among doctors included the distribution of health education (91.4%), following up (85.9%), establishing archives (71.3%), medicine adjustment (64.7%) and treatment implementation (52.0%). The top three diseases managed by nurses were same with doctors. The top four and five tasks were contact with patients or health services (39.6%) and referral (16.6%) in nurses. Most CHWs had received primary and common diseases-related trainings, but they had few opportunities to study in a tertiary hospital (40.4% in doctors and 20.9% in nurses, respectively), attend domestic academic conferences (26.9% in doctors vs. 9.7% in nurses), and take part in training courses (44.9% in nurses). CHWs hoped that the above-discussed training contents and forms could be provided more in the future. Besides basic skills related trainings, some specific skills related trainings should be strengthened. CONCLUSION The qualifications in doctors were much better than those of nurses. The roles performed by CHWs in NCDs management are varied form common and frequent disease management to subsequent follow up and supervision. CHWs hope to receive more desired and oriented trainings. There is a need for building capacity of CHWs, optimizing and defining CHWs' role, facilitating postgraduate medical education support and strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration would be effective in NCDs management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhua Chen
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Guo Yu
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Chunyan Yang
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaoping Ye
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Wen Du
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zhu Xiao
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Shuqin Zeng
- Shiyang Community Health Service Center, Chengdu Hi-tech Zone, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Honglin Luo
- Zhonghe Community Health Service Center, Chengdu Hi-tech Zone, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiuhua Li
- Guixi Community Health Service Center, Chengdu Hi-tech Zone, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yuelei Wu
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Shuyi Liu
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu first people's hospital, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Integrated Interventions to Bridge Medical and Social Care for People Living with Diabetes. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:4-10. [PMID: 36864270 PMCID: PMC9980845 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-022-07926-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Social drivers of health impact health outcomes for patients with diabetes, and are areas of interest to health systems, researchers, and policymakers. To improve population health and health outcomes, organizations are integrating medical and social care, collaborating with community partners, and seeking sustainable financing with payors. We summarize promising examples of integrated medical and social care from the Merck Foundation Bridging the Gap: Reducing Disparities in Diabetes Care initiative. The initiative funded eight organizations to implement and evaluate integrated medical and social care models, aiming to build a value case for services that are traditionally not eligible for reimbursement (e.g., community health workers, food prescriptions, patient navigation). This article summarizes promising examples and future opportunities for integrated medical and social care across three themes: (1) primary care transformation (e.g., social risk stratification) and workforce capacity (e.g., lay health worker interventions), (2) addressing individual social needs and structural changes, and (3) payment reform. Integrated medical and social care that advances health equity requires a significant paradigm shift in healthcare financing and delivery.
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Tanumihardjo JP, Eversole C, Zhu M, Gunter KE, Peek ME. Glycemic Control and Patient-Reported Outcomes Among Patients with Diabetes Engaged with Community Health Workers in Rural Settings. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:45-47. [PMID: 36864277 PMCID: PMC10043142 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-022-07929-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mengqi Zhu
- Section of General Internal Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kathryn E Gunter
- Section of General Internal Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Monica E Peek
- Section of General Internal Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Sherman A, Rossides A, Cantor J. Financial Sustainability for Complex Care Models Serving Low-Income Patients: a New Role for Philanthropy. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:78-80. [PMID: 36864276 PMCID: PMC10043062 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-022-07930-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
This paper shares lessons learned from providing planning and technical assistance to the grantees of the Merck Foundation's 5-year, $16 million initiative, Bridging the Gap: Reducing Disparities in Diabetes Care, designed to improve access to high-quality diabetes care and reduce disparities in health outcomes among vulnerable and underserved U.S. populations with type 2 diabetes. Our objective was to co-create, with the sites, financial sustainability plans to sustain their work once the initiative had ended and to improve and/or expand it to serve more patients, better. Financial sustainability is an unfamiliar concept in this context, largely because the current payment system inadequately compensates providers for the value their care models provide to patients and to insurers. Our assessment and recommendations are based on our experiences working with each of the sites on sustainability plans. The sites were diverse in terms of their approaches to clinical transformation and integration of SDOH interventions, geography, organizational context, external environment, and populations served. These factors influenced the sites' capacity to build and implement viable financial sustainability strategies and the eventual plans themselves. Philanthropy has a critical role in investing in providers' capacity to develop and implement financial sustainability plans.
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Reininger BM, Lopez J, Zolezzi M, Lee M, Mitchell-Bennett LA, Xu T, Park SK, Saldana MV, Perez L, Payne LY, Collier C, McCormick JB. Participant engagement in a community health worker-delivered intervention and type 2 diabetes clinical outcomes: a quasiexperimental study in MexicanAmericans. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e063521. [PMID: 36446462 PMCID: PMC9710373 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study helps to fill the existing research gap related to participant engagement in behavioural interventions and diabetes management. We examined type 2 diabetes control over time among Mexican Americans by level of engagement in a chronic care management (CCM) program that included community health worker (CHW)-delivered multilevel interventions. The programme complemented clinical care and promoted behaviour changes to improve diabetes self-management. DESIGN Quasiexperimental study. SETTING The study was implemented in the Rio Grande Valley region in the USA. Recruitment was conducted in clinics and community events. All other visits were provided in participant homes and community locations. PARTICIPANTS 5649 adults (aged ≥18 years) with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes who enrolled in a community-delivered CCM programme between September 2013 and 2018. INTERVENTIONS The intervention comprised two components: CHW home visits conducted every 3 months and diabetes self-management education (DSME) classes provided in community locations. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measured at baseline every 3 months for up to 24 months. We first examined changes in HbA1c levels over time. The number of completed CHW and DSME encounters was used to classify participants into engagement groups-high engagement defined as ≥10 encounters (n=2952); low engagement defined as 1-9 encounters (n=2697). We used univariable and multivariable longitudinal linear regression models with a generalised estimating equation method. We tested interactions between engagement groups and time. RESULTS Participants' mean HbA1c decreased from 10.20% at baseline to 8.93% (p<0.0001) at 3 months, remaining stable thereafter. Changes in HbA1c were statistically different between the engagement groups. High engagement participants had lower HbA1c levels over the first 15 months of the follow-up period compared with low engagement participants, as compared at 3 months (-0.44%, 95% CI -0.57% to -0.31%; p<0.0001), 6 months (-0.31%, 95% CI -0.43% to -0.14%; p<0.0001), 9 months (-0.27%, 95% CI -0.42% to -0.13%; p=0.0001), 12 months (-0.23%, 95% CI -0.37% to -0.08%; p=0.0025) and 15 months (-0.32%, 95% CI -0.54% to -0.10%; p=0.0040). At months 18, 21 and 24, the HbA1c differences were not statistically significant (18 months: -0.34%, 95% CI -0.77% to 0.08%; p=0.1086; 21 months: -0.22%, 95% CI -1.00% to 0.56%; p=0.5721; 24 months: -0.42%, 95% CI -1.38% to 0.55%; p=0.3966). CONCLUSIONS Higher engagement in the CCM programme delivered by CHWs and coordinated with clinical care was associated with beneficial improvements in type 2 diabetes control, but both engagement groups showed strong improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda M Reininger
- School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Brownsville, Texas, USA
| | - Juliana Lopez
- School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Brownsville, Texas, USA
| | - Maria Zolezzi
- School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Brownsville, Texas, USA
| | - MinJae Lee
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population and Data Sciences, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Lisa A Mitchell-Bennett
- School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Brownsville, Texas, USA
| | - Tianlin Xu
- Biostatistics, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Soo Kyung Park
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Mayra V Saldana
- School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Brownsville, Texas, USA
| | - LuBeth Perez
- School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Brownsville, Texas, USA
| | - Lisa Y Payne
- School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Brownsville, Texas, USA
| | - Cindy Collier
- Public Health College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Texas A&M International University, Laredo, Texas, USA
| | - Joseph B McCormick
- School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Brownsville, Texas, USA
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Hosseinnejad A, Rassouli M, Jahani S, Elahi N, Molavynejad S. Scope of Iranian community health nurses 'services from the viewpoint of the managers and nurses: a content analysis study. BMC Nurs 2022; 21:145. [PMID: 35676683 PMCID: PMC9174629 DOI: 10.1186/s12912-022-00908-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Considering the need for nurses specializing in community health and in order to define professional duties for future planning towards creating the position of community health nurses in the primary health care system of Iran, this study aims to explain the range of services which can be provided by community health nurses from the perspective of the mangers and nurses. Methods The present qualitative study was conducted with the approach of contract content analysis in Iran in 2020. This study was conducted through in-depth and semi-structured interviews with 22 participants, including community health nursing faculty members, health deputies and managers, community health nurses working in health centers, and the care seekers visiting comprehensive health centers. The samples were selected through purposeful sampling. The interviews continued until data saturation. Data analysis was performed simultaneously with data collection. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through Graneheim & Lundman’s content analysis method, and data management was done using MAXQDA software. To achieve data trustworthiness, the criteria presented by Lincoln and Guba were used. Results The obtained data were classified into the two main categories of service provision settings and service provision domains. The category service provision settings covered 7 subcategories including participation in the family physician plan, activities at the centers for vulnerable groups of the community, establishing private community health clinics, leading health promotion programs in the 3rd generation hospitals, activities in comprehensive health centers, follow-ups and home visits, and activities in schools’ health units. Service provision domains consisted of 6 subcategories including participation in health planning, decision-making, and policymaking, research on the health system, health promotion, monitoring and coordination, providing care for the patients with non-communicable diseases and high-risk groups, and eldercare. Conclusions From the participants’ perspective, important services that can be provided by the community health nurse are health promotion, the management of chronic patients and the elderly, follow-ups, and home visits. Therefore, it is recommended that health policy makers pay attention to the service provision areas and the services providable by the community health nurse in their macro-planning, and to provide primary health care in comprehensive health centers using inter-professional care models, integrating the community health nurse into the care team.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aazam Hosseinnejad
- Student Research Committee, Nursing Care Research Center in Chronic Diseases, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Maryam Rassouli
- Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Simin Jahani
- Nursing Care Research Center in Chronic Diseases, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Nasrin Elahi
- Nursing Care Research Center in Chronic Diseases, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Shahram Molavynejad
- Nursing Care Research Center in Chronic Diseases, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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Rodrigues SM, Kanduri A, Nyamathi A, Dutt N, Khargonekar P, Rahmani AM. Digital Health-Enabled Community-Centered Care: Scalable Model to Empower Future Community Health Workers Using Human-in-the-Loop Artificial Intelligence. JMIR Form Res 2022; 6:e29535. [PMID: 35384853 PMCID: PMC9021941 DOI: 10.2196/29535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Digital health-enabled community-centered care (D-CCC) represents a pioneering vision for the future of community-centered care. D-CCC aims to support and amplify the digital footprint of community health workers through a novel artificial intelligence-enabled closed-loop digital health platform designed for, and with, community health workers. By focusing digitalization at the level of the community health worker, D-CCC enables more timely, supported, and individualized community health worker-delivered interventions. D-CCC has the potential to move community-centered care into an expanded, digitally interconnected, and collaborative community-centered health and social care ecosystem of the future, grounded within a robust and digitally empowered community health workforce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Rodrigues
- Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Anil Kanduri
- Department of Computing, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Adeline Nyamathi
- Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Nikil Dutt
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Pramod Khargonekar
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Amir M Rahmani
- Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
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Collett D, Temple KM, Wells RD. The Challenges of Providing Preventive Health Care in Rural America. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT CLINICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpha.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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14
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Chatterjee P, Werner RM, Joynt Maddox KE. Medicaid Expansion Alone Not Associated With Improved Finances, Staffing, Or Quality At Critical Access Hospitals. Health Aff (Millwood) 2021; 40:1846-1855. [PMID: 34871072 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.00643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Critical access hospitals are important providers of care for rural and other underserved communities, but they face staffing and quality challenges while operating with low margins. Medicaid expansion has been found to improve hospital finances broadly and therefore may have permitted sustained investments in staffing and quality improvement at these vulnerable hospitals. In this difference-in-differences analysis, we found that critical access hospitals in Medicaid expansion states did not have statistically significant postexpansion increases in operating margins relative to hospitals in nonexpansion states. Nor did we see evidence of statistically significant differential improvement at critical access hospitals in expansion versus nonexpansion states on either staffing measures (physicians and registered nurses per 1,000 patient days) or quality measures (percentage-point changes in readmissions and mortality within thirty days of admission for pneumonia or heart failure). These findings suggest that critical access hospitals may need to take additional measures to bolster finances to provide continued support for the delivery of high-quality care to rural and other underserved communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Chatterjee
- Paula Chatterjee is an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, and a senior fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, both at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Rachel M Werner
- Rachel M. Werner is the Robert D. Eilers Professor of Health Care Management at the Wharton School, a professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine, and executive director of the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, all at the University of Pennsylvania, and core faculty at the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Karen E Joynt Maddox
- Karen E. Joynt Maddox is an associate professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine and codirector of the Center for Health Economics and Policy, both at the Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis, Missouri
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15
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Impact of Community Health Workers on Access to Care for Rural Populations in the United States: A Systematic Review. J Community Health 2021; 47:539-553. [PMID: 34817755 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-021-01052-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Community Health Worker (CHW) interventions have shown potential to reduce inequities for underserved populations. However, there is a lack of support for CHW integration in the delivery of health care. This may be of particular importance in rural areas in the Unites States where access to care remains problematic. This review aims to describe CHW interventions and their outcomes in rural populations in the US. Peer reviewed literature was searched in PubMed and PsycINFO for articles published in English from 2015 to February 2021. Title and abstract screening was performed followed by full text screening. Quality of the included studies was assessed using the Downs and Black score. A total of 26 studies met inclusion criteria. The largest proportion were pre-post program evaluation or cohort studies (46.2%). Many described CHW training (69%). Almost a third (30%) indicated the CHW was integrated within the health care team. Interventions aimed to provide health education (46%), links to community resources (27%), or both (27%). Chronic conditions were the concern for most interventions (38.5%) followed by women's health (34.6%). Nearly all studies reported positive improvement in measured outcomes. In addition, studies examining cost reported positive return on investment. This review offers a broad overview of CHW interventions in rural settings in the United States. It provides evidence that CHW can improve access to care in rural settings and may represent a cost-effective investment for the healthcare system.
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Nicholson CP. "Made Known in the Breaking of the Bread: Accompaniment and the Practice of Medicine". LINACRE QUARTERLY 2021; 88:281-290. [PMID: 34565904 DOI: 10.1177/00243639211026495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Accompaniment is a term drawn from Catholic social teaching that is used by secular organizations, such as Partners in Health and Health for Palestine, to frame their work for health justice in solidarity with the world's poor. Through an exploration of the Emmaus story from Luke's Gospel, this article seeks to frame medicine itself as a practice of accompaniment of the sick and, in particular, the sick poor. Medicine as accompaniment requires healers to draw near to, walk alongside, and break bread with the sick. This way of practicing medicine has implications for which communities' clinicians preferentially accompany, where clinicians live, how they spend their time and money, and what rewards they seek from the practice of medicine. Medicine as accompaniment is a contemplative practice, a journey on which one comes to experience authentic communion with both God and neighbor.
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Gunter KE, Peek ME, Tanumihardjo JP, Carbrey E, Crespo RD, Johnson TW, Rueda-Yamashita B, Schwartz EI, Sol C, Wilkinson CM, Wilson JO, Loehmer E, Chin MH. Population Health Innovations and Payment to Address Social Needs Among Patients and Communities With Diabetes. Milbank Q 2021; 99:928-973. [PMID: 34468996 DOI: 10.1111/1468-0009.12522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Policy Points Population health efforts to improve diabetes care and outcomes should identify social needs, support social needs referrals and coordination, and partner health care organizations with community social service agencies and resources. Current payment mechanisms for health care services do not adequately support critical up-front investments in infrastructure to address medical and social needs, nor provide sufficient incentives to make addressing social needs a priority. Alternative payment models and value-based payment should provide up-front funding for personnel and infrastructure to address social needs and should incentivize care that addresses social needs and outcomes sensitive to social risk. CONTEXT Increasingly, health care organizations are implementing interventions to improve outcomes for patients with complex health and social needs, including diabetes, through cross-sector partnerships with nonmedical organizations. However, fee-for-service and many value-based payment systems constrain options to implement models of care that address social and medical needs in an integrated fashion. We present experiences of eight grantee organizations from the Bridging the Gap: Reducing Disparities in Diabetes Care initiative to improve diabetes outcomes by transforming primary care and addressing social needs within evolving payment models. METHODS Analysis of eight grantees through site visits, technical assistance calls, grant applications, and publicly available data from US census data (2017) and from Health Resources and Services Administration Uniform Data System Resources data (2018). Organizations represent a range of payment models, health care settings, market factors, geographies, populations, and community resources. FINDINGS Grantees are implementing strategies to address medical and social needs through augmented staffing models to support high-risk patients with diabetes (e.g., community health workers, behavioral health specialists), information technology innovations (e.g., software for social needs referrals), and system-wide protocols to identify high-risk populations with gaps in care. Sites identify and address social needs (e.g., food insecurity, housing), invest in human capital to support social needs referrals and coordination (e.g., embedding social service employees in clinics), and work with organizations to connect to community resources. Sites encounter challenges accessing flexible up-front funding to support infrastructure for interventions. Value-based payment mechanisms usually reward clinical performance metrics rather than measures of population health or social needs interventions. CONCLUSIONS Federal, state, and private payers should support critical infrastructure to address social needs and incentivize care that addresses social needs and outcomes sensitive to social risk. Population health strategies that address medical and social needs for populations living with diabetes will need to be tailored to a range of health care organizations, geographies, populations, community partners, and market factors. Payment models should support and incentivize these strategies for sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Evalyn Carbrey
- Minneapolis Healthy Living Initiative, Minneapolis Health Department
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Kannarkat JT, Hartle JE, Parekh N. Need for payer-provider partnerships in addressing social determinants of health. J Manag Care Spec Pharm 2021; 27:791-796. [PMID: 34057398 PMCID: PMC10391186 DOI: 10.18553/jmcp.2021.27.6.791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
This article examines payer-provider partnerships in social determinants of health (SDoH) interventions, identifies important factors for an approach centered around return on investment (ROI) using integrated delivery and finance systems as case studies, and advocates for increased collaboration between payers and providers when addressing SDoH. Despite the numerous examples where payers and providers have attempted to independently address SDoH, there is limited evidence for the success of these interventions. Since most stakeholders individually do not have access to financial and clinical data, identifying an ROI for SDoH interventions is logistically challenging, but even when these data are available, stakeholders may not want to share their learnings due to negative findings and/or unwillingness to share proprietary information. These issues are further amplified by the effects of COVID-19 and its worsening effect on widening health disparities, but many payers and providers have risen to the challenge together. This article advocates for the importance of payer-provider partnerships to address SDoH and uses examples of integrated delivery and finance systems as case studies of how these partnerships could function. DISCLOSURES: No outside funding supported the writing of this article. Hartle is employed by Geisinger Health System. The other authors have nothing to disclose.
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Chin MH. Cherry Blossoms, COVID-19, and the Opportunity for a Healthy Life. Ann Fam Med 2021; 19:63-65. [PMID: 33431394 PMCID: PMC7800741 DOI: 10.1370/afm.2630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, short-term funding and policy fixes for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have focused on saving the current health care system; policies have not maximized the population's health, prioritized the safety net, nor addressed the fundamental problems that have hindered our nation's response for our most vulnerable neighbors. We need to plan more lasting equity-specific reforms now. I explain 3 lessons that should inform reforms to the health care delivery and payment systems to reduce health disparities and maximize the public's health: (1) Proven roadmaps and processes for reducing health care disparities already exist, as do themes of successful interventions. Implement them; (2) Payment reform needs to create a business case for health care organizations to address social determinants of health and implement care interventions to reduce health disparities; (3) We as a nation need to have hard conversations about whether we truly value the opportunity for everyone to have a healthy life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marshall H Chin
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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