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Community Health Workers as a Strategy to Tackle Psychosocial Suffering Due to Physical Distancing: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Author

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  • Dorien Vanden Bossche

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Susan Lagaert

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Sara Willems

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Peter Decat

    (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many primary care professionals were overburdened and experienced difficulties reaching vulnerable patients and meeting the increased need for psychosocial support. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) tested whether a primary healthcare (PHC) based community health worker (CHW) intervention could tackle psychosocial suffering due to physical distancing measures in patients with limited social networks. Methods: CHWs provided 8 weeks of tailored psychosocial support to the intervention group. Control group patients received ‘care as usual’. The impact on feelings of emotional support, social isolation, social participation, anxiety and fear of COVID-19 were measured longitudinally using a face-to-face survey to determine their mean change from baseline. Self-rated change in psychosocial health at 8 weeks was determined. Results: We failed to find a significant effect of the intervention on the prespecified psychosocial health measures. However, the intervention did lead to significant improvement in self-rated change in psychosocial health. Conclusions: This study confirms partially the existing evidence on the effectiveness of CHW interventions as a strategy to address mental health in PHC in a COVID context. Further research is needed to elaborate the implementation of CHWs in PHC to reach vulnerable populations during and after health crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Dorien Vanden Bossche & Susan Lagaert & Sara Willems & Peter Decat, 2021. "Community Health Workers as a Strategy to Tackle Psychosocial Suffering Due to Physical Distancing: A Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:6:p:3097-:d:519032
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pérez, L.M. & Martinez, J., 2008. "Community health workers: Social justice and policy advocates for community health and well-being," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(1), pages 11-14.
    2. Mock, J. & McPhee, S.J. & Nguyen, T. & Wong, C. & Doan, H. & Lai, K.Q. & Nguyen, K.H. & Nguyen, T.T. & Bui-Tong, N., 2007. "Effective lay health worker outreach and media-based education for promoting cervical cancer screening among Vietnamese American women," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(9), pages 1693-1700.
    3. Debanjan Banerjee & Mayank Rai, 2020. "Social isolation in Covid-19: The impact of loneliness," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(6), pages 525-527, September.
    4. Balcazar, H. & Lee Rosenthal, E. & Nell Brownstein, J. & Rush, C.H. & Matos, S. & Hernandez, L., 2011. "Community health workers can be a public health force for change in the United States: Three actions for a new paradigm," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(12), pages 2199-2203.
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    1. Dorien Vanden Bossche & Sara Willems & Peter Decat, 2022. "Understanding Trustful Relationships between Community Health Workers and Vulnerable Citizens during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Realist Evaluation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-15, February.

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