Research Project Summary
The project will demonstrate how data can be used to deploy CHWs in areas of greatest need in Atlantic County, using a mobile CHW Unit representing a new access point for CHW services. Our project will produce population health data collected from attendees of food bank distribution events in Atlantic County, NJ. This will include data related to COVID-19 vaccination and history, presence of chronic health conditions, engagement in care status; BP, cholesterol, and diabetes measurements; relevant geographic and demographic data; social determinants of health, mental health and other data collected from all consenting participants. The project will create and demonstrate the new data collection approach, using the mobile CHW food bank outreach program as a model. CHWs, in partnership with health profession students (e.g., medical students, nursing students), will be trained to perform health assessments, data collection, and referral to services. This data will be a valuable tool for health care professionals to identify educational needs of CHWs based on client data, pinpoint CHW shortage areas, target areas of health disparity, and direct future research efforts to further understand ways CHWs can address health inequities.
Research Project Goals
The goal of the project is to create a standardized intake assessment and database to study the social determinants of health, identify disparities and other needs of clients served by CHWs in Atlantic County.
Research Project Objectives
1) Convene a Southern New Jersey CHW Coalition to oversee project implementation. 2) Develop a standardized CHW Intake Survey to assess for chronic disease states, social determinants of health and other needs of clients served by CHWs and screen for BP, cholesterol, and diabetes. 3) Train CHWs and medical students on the project and develop a schedule to implement the survey at food distribution events in Atlantic City, Mays Landing, Pleasantville and Hammonton. 4) Mobilize CHWs, medical students and nursing students to a least 6 food distribution events and engage at least 600 clients into the survey over one year. 5) Analyze data, create block-by-block maps of high need areas in Atlantic County and mobilize CHWs to help the residents.