The growing need for mental health care has outpaced the number of trained specialists. This special issue brings together 17 studies showing how nontraditional providers like peers, teachers, nurses, and community health workers, are helping fill that gap. They successfully deliver mental health support in schools, clinics, communities, and online settings. The research … [Read more...] about Redefining Who Can Deliver Mental Health Interventions: Introduction to the Special Issue on Nontraditional Mental Health Providers to Address Growing Mental Health Needs
CHW Role
Enhancing WIC Referrals for Military Families Through Informatics and Community Health Workers
Many military families struggle with food insecurity, yet few use the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, which provides nutrition support for mothers and young children. This case study describes an effort at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to boost WIC enrollment using data tools and community health worker (CHW) outreach. CHWs helped identify and refer over 700 eligible … [Read more...] about Enhancing WIC Referrals for Military Families Through Informatics and Community Health Workers
Innovating the practice of epilepsy care to improve patient outcomes: a model for community health worker integration
Community health workers (CHWs) can improve health outcomes, but their role in epilepsy care remains limited. This paper outlines how adding CHWs to epilepsy care teams can help reduce health inequities by addressing patients’ social and personal needs. It presents a practical model for how epilepsy centers can work with CHWs, healthcare systems, and community partners to … [Read more...] about Innovating the practice of epilepsy care to improve patient outcomes: a model for community health worker integration
Effectiveness of Community-Based Culturally Tailored Cervical Cancer Awareness Interventions among Women and Decision-Making Men in Low-Resource Settings: A Pre-Post Design Evaluation
This study tested a culturally tailored program to raise awareness about cervical cancer among women and male household decision-makers in rural Uganda and Bangladesh. The program used mass media and community health worker outreach. After the intervention, both women and men showed a major increase in knowledge about cervical cancer risks and symptoms. Involving men and … [Read more...] about Effectiveness of Community-Based Culturally Tailored Cervical Cancer Awareness Interventions among Women and Decision-Making Men in Low-Resource Settings: A Pre-Post Design Evaluation
Evaluating Frontline Health Workers’ Responses to Patient Inquiries With and Without Large Language Model Support in Nigeria: An Observational Study
This study tested whether ChatGPT could help frontline health workers in Nigeria give better answers to patient questions. Thirty-six doctors, nurses, and community health workers responded to health questions with and without ChatGPT’s help. Clinicians and patients rated the answers. ChatGPT-assisted responses were more accurate, complete, and empathetic, and people found them … [Read more...] about Evaluating Frontline Health Workers’ Responses to Patient Inquiries With and Without Large Language Model Support in Nigeria: An Observational Study
