Enhancing the Role of Community-Health Workers in Research

doi:10.1111/j.1547-5069.1996.tb00355.x

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Wiley InterScience

Journal of Nursing Scholarship

Volume 28 Issue 3, Pages 221 - 226

Published Online: 2 Oct 2007

Published with Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing

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Enhancing the Role of Community-Health Workers in Research

Martha N. Hill ¹ , Lee R. Bone ¹ , Arlene M. Butz ¹

¹ Martha N. Hill, RN, PhD, FAAN, Nu Beta, is Associate Professor, Arlene M. Butz, RN, ScD, Nu Beta, is Associate Professor, and Lee R. Bone, RN, MPH, is Instructor, Schools of Hygiene & Public Health, Medicine. All are at The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD. Authors note that this article is based on a symposium presented at the Council of Nurse Researchers, Washington, DC, November 14, 1993.

Correspondence to Dr. Hill, 1830 E. Monument Street, Room 233, Baltimore, MD 21205-2100.

The authors' research has been funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; Marion Merrell Dow, Inc.; the JM Foundation; W.A. Baum Co. Inc.; The Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; The Johns Hopkins Hospital; and the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission.

KEYWORDS

community-health worker • nursing research • community based interventions • outreach worker • paraprofessional

ABSTRACT

With recognition of the importance of meeting the needs of underserved communities and the shift to more primary care—community-health workers need to be part of health teams. Community-health workers, in voluntary and salaried positions, augment the roles of professionals through outreach and community-based work and serve as liaisons between communities and institutions. This article describes the rationale for inclusion of community-health workers in research; their roles and responsibilities; and issues in their selection, training, and supervision. Examples are given from the authors' experience with interventions by nurse and community teams. Inclusion of community-health workers enriches the comprehensiveness of a holistic scientific approach to understanding health in a community.

Accepted for Publication May 23, 1995

DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI)

10.1111/j.1547-5069.1996.tb00355.x About DOI