This study aims to better understand and support the community health worker workforce in Iowa.
Team members:
- UIowa: Rima Afifi (lead), Laurie Walkner (lead), Keith Mueller, Dan Shane, Kristin Wilson
- PRC-RH Students: Amanda Sursely (PhD, graduated)
- Partners: Deb Kazmerzak (lead), HealthTeamWorks, Midwestern Public Health Training Center , Iowa Community Health Worker Alliance
Project dates: 2021-2025
Funding sources: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
Project tags: Community health workers, Healthcare team, Scope of practice
Description
Community Health Workers (CHW) are frontline professionals in public health systems and key contributors to improving health outcomes. With support from Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and in partnerships with the HealthTeamWorks, the Midwestern Public Health Training Center, the Iowa Community Health Worker Alliance, and other colleagues, we explored the status of CHW in Iowa to advance the CHW workforce and enhance community health. Using a roster of employers and CHWs developed by our partner HealthTeamWorks, we conducted interviews and fielded a survey with these groups in Iowa. The data we collected helped us better understand the CHW workforce and current challenges and issues that exist. Our findings showed that CHWs in Iowa felt supported and valued as members of the care team, yet challenges to growing the CHW workforce remain. Results highlight the need for continued role definition of the CHW workforce, as well as the need to establish more sustainable sources of funding to ensure the continuity and expansion of this health enhancing workforce. Case scenarios have also been developed to show the various ways CHWs are, or can, support community wellbeing in Iowa. Additionally, we undertook a literature review on return-on-investment (ROI) for CHWs and provided recommendations for a way forward on an ROI study for Iowa.
Resources, Media, & Publications
- Prevention Research Matters: Partnerships and Collaboration, August 18, 2022
- One Pager on CHWs for Hawkeye Caucus Day 2023
Publications
- Sursely AM, Kazmerzak D, Appelgate W, Walkner LM, Hiros S, Hileman R, Haines H, Afifi RA. "I feel like my job is to give patients hope" - perspectives of Community Health Workers and employers in Iowa: a mixed methods study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Mar 15;25(1):386. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-12536-9. PMID: 40089724; PMCID: PMC11910000.
Presentations
- Sursely AM, Kazmerzak D, Appelgate W, Walkner L, Hiros S, Haines H, Afifi R. “I feel like my job is to give patients hope” - perspectives of community health workers in Iowa: A mixed methods assessment. Presentation at the Annual meeting of the American Public Health Association; Nov. 12-15, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA