Addressing Health-Related Social Needs During COVID-19 Through a Hospital-Based, Community Health Worker Program: A...

Background. Despite accounting for 34% of the population in Austin, Texas, Latinx individuals made up 50% of those who tested positive for coronavirus, 54% of COVID-related hospitalizations, and 51% of COVID-related deaths between March and June 2020. Of hospitalized Latinx patients, 40% had never seen a primary care provider and many had undiagnosed health conditions. A community health worker (CHW) pilot program was implemented based on these disparities. Method. This mixed-method implementation study describes a hospital-based, CHW program for Latinx patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at an academic medical center in Austin, Texas. The program included a social needs assessment, care coordination, and post-discharge follow-up. Patient data include demographics from the full sample (N = 57), social determinants of health (n = 24), and qualitative interviews (n = 6). Focus group data from health care professionals (n = 26) is also presented to describe the benefits of the CHW program. Results. Latinx patients in this study, two-thirds of who primarily spoke Spanish, reported high levels of satisfaction with the CHW program with fewer reported social needs after the CHW program. Health care providers underscored CHW expertise in addressing complex social needs, providing continuity of care within the hospital, and closing the loop through community resource navigation. Conclusion. This study demonstrated the capacity of CHWs to provide holistic care in hospital settings through trust building and increased capacity to address health-related social needs. Investment in hospital-based, CHW programs for vulnerable populations such as uninsured, Spanish-speaking patients is necessary to reduce health disparities beyond COVID-19.