SWOT analysis and recommendations for community health workers and stakeholders responding to COVID-19 health inequities

IN Zoschke, A Betancur, S Ehsan… - Health Promotion …, 2024 - journals.sagepub.com
IN Zoschke, A Betancur, S Ehsan, JD TenHaken, JR Rahman, K King-Tezino…
Health Promotion Practice, 2024journals.sagepub.com
Background. By 2023, 1,080,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Harris County.
Systemic inequity and vaccine hesitancy have contributed to COVID-19 disparities.
Community Health Workers provide health education and instrumental support to alleviate
health disparities among vulnerable communities. We conducted an analysis of Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis in June 2022 among a broad
coalition of Community Health Work stakeholders to better understand the local landscape …
Background
By 2023, 1,080,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Harris County. Systemic inequity and vaccine hesitancy have contributed to COVID-19 disparities. Community Health Workers provide health education and instrumental support to alleviate health disparities among vulnerable communities. We conducted an analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis in June 2022 among a broad coalition of Community Health Work stakeholders to better understand the local landscape in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
We recruited 33 community health workers and industry stakeholders in Harris County, Texas, to participate in the SWOT analysis. Participants were asked to describe their opinions on the SWOT facing the Community Health Work landscape and then rank the outcomes of the analysis to prioritize action.
Results
A total of 19 themes were identified. Weaknesses included lack of respect and resources for Community Health Workers and poor coordination and capacity among the workforce infrastructure. Limited funding and lack of appreciation for Community Health Workers were deemed important threats. Diversity and community connection were critical strengths, and strong education, training, and raising awareness for community health work were considered opportunities to overcome identified weaknesses and threats.
Discussion
Increased funding, greater coordination, greater respect, and amplified training can improve capacity for Community Health Workers and, therefore, improve public health outcomes for respiratory illness and viral infections such as COVID-19. This analysis helps fill an important research gap on the topic Community Health Workers responding to public health crises with racially disparate outcomes.
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