Community Health Workers: Examining the Helper Therapy Principle

Abstract

A community approach to the integration of health and social services for low-income pregnant women is being addressed through Community Integrated Service System (CISS) initiatives of the Maternal Child Health Bureau. This particular CISS program model was designed to enable low-income mothers to function in a Community Health Worker (CHW) role providing social support for at-risk pregnant women. Using Riessman's notion of "helper therapy," the model was also developed to enhance the potential for CHWs to gain helper benefits. The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe perceived helper benefits and stressors associated with the CHW role and to examine the usefulness of an instrument developed to assess benefits and stressors. The study findings revealed that the majority of CHWs perceived helper benefits that included positive feelings about self, a sense of belonging, valuable work experience, and access to health information and skills through training or contact with program staff. Stressors such as feeling inadequate to help, however, were associated with the helper role for some CHWs. Preliminary analysis of the Helper's Perception Measure indicated that it may be an effective measure and should be tested with a larger sample of CHWs.

Working with African American women to develop a cancer literacy assessment tool

“…The health literacy measures most commonly used with US adults are the Rapid Estimate of T Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) 16 and the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA). 17 The REALM test is "a screening instrument to assess an adult patient's ability to read common medical words and lay terms for body parts and illnesses".…”

Portrait de paraprofessionnelles oeuvrant auprès de familles en situation difficile : leurs motivations et leur profil d’engagement

“…Seules les finalités des interventions sont différentes, c'est-à-dire qu'on s'attend à plus de résultats chez les gens rémunérés ou ayant de l'expérience. Leurs tâches consistent à offrir de l'information, du soutien, de la guidance parentale, de l'aide à la résolution de problèmes et des stratégies d'adaptation aux situations stressantes (Roman et al, 1999). L'engagement réalisé par des paraprofessionnelles peut faire émerger chez celles-ci certains stresseurs tels qu'un état dépressif, un épuisement émotionnel, la diminution de l'empathie envers la famille aidée, le sentiment d'inadéquation et l'apparition de tracas en lien avec leur propre famille (Cherniss, 1980;Maslach et Jackson, 1981), d'où l'importance d'un encadrement adéquat.…”

“…Depuis quelques décennies, l'aide apportée aux familles ayant des comportements négligents s'est orientée vers la mise en place de programmes d'intervention et plus spécifiquement, par la présence de paraprofessionnelles 1 dans le milieu, lors de visites à domicile. Plusieurs auteurs se sont d'ailleurs penchés sur l'utilisation et l'efficacité de ce type de programme (El-Kamary, Higman, Fuddy, McFarlane, Sia et Duggan, 2004;Halpern, 1995;Roman, Lindsay, Moore, et Shoemaker, 1999). Cependant, peu d'informations sont disponibles concernant les préoccupations, les intérêts et les motivations des paraprofessionnelles.…”

The Role of Lay Health Advisors in Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: A Review

“…The involvement of Lay Health Advisors or ''natural helpers'' in the design, implementation and evaluation of health promoting interventions has been proposed as a mechanism to ensure that preventive programs address issues of importance to the community and promote sustainable, community-wide change (Eng and Young 1992;Eng et al 1997;Marin et al 1995;Roman et al 1999). Young 1992 andEng et al (1997) have characterized a LHA as a member of the community who is turned to for care, advice, information, support, and to overcome barriers inherent to risk reduction.…”