Evaluating Health Literacy and Community Health Workers: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Abstract

Health literacy is a multifaceted concept that describes how people access, understand, and use health information to make decisions about their health. Low health literacy is linked to negative health outcomes, higher healthcare costs, medication errors, and widened health disparities. This study recognized the importance of health literacy. It focused on the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in addressing and improving health literacy in their scope of practice and within communities. Personal health literacy is a critical determinant of individual and community well-being. CHWs build connections between healthcare providers and the people they serve, playing a key role in promoting health literacy and addressing health disparities. This study synthesized existing literature, examined interventions and research, and evaluated a targeted intervention designed for CHW trainees. The intervention focused on enhancing knowledge in health literacy, building skills for effective patient communication, and identified challenges and opportunities for CHWs to enhance health literacy and improve community health outcomes. Pre- and post-intervention assessments measured trainees’ confidence in their health literacy levels. This quasi-experimental research design can inform how when adequately trained, CHWs can effectively advocate health literacy, reduce disparities, and improve health outcomes. Also noted are implications for future interventions and training programs, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and policy support to strengthen the role of CHWs in public health.