Community Health Worker Interventions Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Chronic Disease: A Systematic Review.
Marcee Wilder, Aleksandra Degtyar, Jasmine McKay et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review assessed US randomized and quasi-experimental studies of patient-facing community health worker (CHW) interventions addressing at least one social determinant of health among adults with chronic disease. Seven eligible studies were identified, all randomized controlled trials, involving conditions including diabetes, HIV, asthma, hepatitis C, and hearing loss. Interventions commonly addressed health care access, housing stability, or care coordination. Several condition-specific clinical outcomes improved, but effects on major clinical indicators were modest and inconsistent; the review concludes that evidence for meaningful clinical benefit remains limited.
Key findings
- Seven studies met inclusion criteria, and all were randomized controlled trials.
- Interventions commonly targeted health care access, housing stability, or care coordination.
- Several condition-specific clinical outcomes improved, but effects on major clinical indicators were modest and inconsistent.
- The review found promise for addressing social needs and improving care engagement, while evidence of meaningful clinical benefit remained limited.
Why it matters
Social and economic adversity can shape chronic disease outcomes, and CHWs may help connect patients with services and support related to those needs. This review suggests potential benefits for social needs and care engagement, but the inconsistent clinical findings caution against assuming that these interventions reliably improve major disease indicators.
What to keep in mind
Only seven studies met the review criteria, and the authors note a lack of large, well-powered trials.