INTRODUCTION:
- The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated stress symptoms among underserved minority groups and the workforces who serve them.1
- As members of the communities they serve, Community Health Workers (CHWs) work intimately with families to provide culturally competent resources and promote effective health care..2
- A deeper understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on CHWs and the families they serve is important to help meet the needs of both the families and this essential workforce. This project provides insight around the perceived level of impact of COVID-19 on both CHWs and the families they serve.
METHODS:
- We conducted qualitative analyses to compare the perceived level of impact of COVID-19 on CHWs working in the Inland Empire (Southern California) from the perspective of the CHWs and the stakeholders that they work with.. That is, were there differences in the perceived level of impact between the CHWs and the stakeholders?
Diane G. Marin, M.A.; Dina Bashoura, M.A.; Hannah Jutzy, M.A., Maya Boustani, PhD
Title: Impact of COVID-19 on Community Health Workers: Qualitative Analysis of Semi-Structured Interviews
Stress was the greatest impact of COVID-19 on Community Health Workers
- CHWs reported that the two greatest impacts of COVID-19 on the families they serve were lifestyle changes and loss of resources, with reports of homelessness and no financial stability.
- The most reported lifestyle change was parents that stopped working to stay at home and care for their children who were transitioning to online classes.
- CHWs also expressed that families need mental and emotional support, access to food, and financial support.
- Stakeholders noted that CHWs need mental and emotional support, free access to therapeutic services, and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
DISCUSSION:
- These findings inform stakeholders and local programs regarding CHWs’ current stress and burnout levels as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- They also highlight that workforces are overburdened and the families they serve are losing necessities as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
- Dr. Juan Carlos Belliard and Ms. Cristie Granillo
at the Institute for Community Partnership for recruitment support.
- The CHWs for sharing their experiences.
References:
- Lotta, G., Wenham, C., Nunes, J., & Pimenta, D. N. (2020). Community health workers reveal COVID-19 disaster in Brazil. The Lancet, 396(10248), 365-366.
- Barnett, M. L., Gonzalez, A., Miranda, J., Chavira, D. A., & Lau, A. S. (2018). Mobilizing community health workers to address mental health disparities for underserved populations: a systematic review. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 45(2), 195-211.
“Everything has increased, like my burnout, my stress, not only not being able to help the families like I've felt really helpless in helping them...”
(Code: Stress - CHWs)
“Oh, I think it is really tough for them. Yeah, I do. Because their job has all of a sudden moved from one day to another online. People's’ needs have increased in complexity… you know this intervention has kind of morphed into a support system during COVID. Which is good, and I love the trust our participants have in the CHWs and in our project, but it is a lot.”
(Code: Stress- Stakeholders’ Perspective)
“Definitely, stress has been an issue. They’ve been impacted in their own families. First of all, you know, all of them have children, and so having to work and a family and having to basically have a dual role of being mom but also community health workers. I know that has been stressful for several of them and them having to deal with their children or their own families’ response to COVID-19. So definitely stress.”
(Code: Stress- Stakeholders’ Perspective)
Weighted Averages of Stress Codes
Percentage of Participants reporting Stress
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| 50% Latin, 17% Black, 17% Asian, 17% White |
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