Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 4(4), pp. 155 - 161
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2016.040401
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Mending the Gaps: Community Health Workers in the Age of the Affordable Care Act

Early J.O. ^1,*, Breckwich Vásquez, V.A. ¹, Sylvia Elena Sobrinho Herrera ^2
1 School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Washington Bothell, USA
² College of Health Sciences (ESCS), Brazil

ABSTRACT

The Affordable Care Act recognizes Community Health Workers (CHWs) as lay health professionals that promote positive health behaviors and outcomes for patients in medically underserved communities. Despite this validation, there remains a lack of awareness, and some controversy, about the role of CHWs, the value of their work, and ultimately how their roles relate to primary care. The purpose of this feature article is to increase awareness about the contributions of community health workers to primary prevention and to report several key issues identified in the literature and from organizations working with CHWS about their evolving and multifaceted role in improving primary care and population health.

KEYWORDS
Community Health Workers, CHWS, Lay Health Promotion, Primary Care

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Early J.O. , Breckwich Vásquez, V.A. , Sylvia Elena Sobrinho Herrera , "Mending the Gaps: Community Health Workers in the Age of the Affordable Care Act," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 155 - 161, 2016. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2016.040401.

(b). APA Format:
Early J.O. , Breckwich Vásquez, V.A. , Sylvia Elena Sobrinho Herrera (2016). Mending the Gaps: Community Health Workers in the Age of the Affordable Care Act. Universal Journal of Public Health, 4(4), 155 - 161. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2016.040401.