abstract: 'The Community Health Worker model is recognized nationally as a means to

  address glaring inequities in the burden of adverse health conditions

  that exist among specific population groups in the United States. This

  study explored Arizona CHW involvement in advocacy beyond the individual

  patient level into the realm of advocating for community level change as

  a mechanism to reduce the structural underpinnings of health

  disparities. A survey of CHWs in Arizona found that CHWs advocate at

  local, state and federal political levels as well as within health and

  social service agencies and business. Characteristics significantly

  associated with advocacy include employment in a not for profit

  organization, previous leadership training, and a work environment that

  allows flexible work hours and the autonomy to start new projects at

  work. Intrinsic characteristics of CHWs associated with advocacy include

  their belief that they can influence community decisions, self

  perception that they are leaders in the community, and knowledge of who

  to talk to in their community to make change. Community-level advocacy

  has been identified as a core CHW function and has the potential to

  address structural issues such as poverty, employment, housing, and

  discrimination. Agencies utilizing the CHW model could encourage

  community advocacy by providing a flexible working environment, ongoing

  leadership training, and opportunities to collaborate with both veteran

  CHWs and local community leaders. Further research is needed to

  understand the nature and impact of CHW community advocacy activities on

  both systems change and health outcomes.'
affiliation: 'Ingram, M (Corresponding Author), Univ Arizona, Mel \& Enid Zuckerman
  Coll Publ Hlth, POB 245209, Tucson, AZ 85724 USA.

  Ingram, Maia; Sabo, Samantha; Rothers, Janet; Wennerstrom, Ashley; de Zapien, Jill
  Guernsey, Univ Arizona, Mel \& Enid Zuckerman Coll Publ Hlth, Tucson, AZ 85724 USA.'
author: Ingram, Maia and Sabo, Samantha and Rothers, Janet and Wennerstrom, Ashley
  and de Zapien, Jill Guernsey
author-email: maiai@u.arizona.edu
author_list:
- family: Ingram
  given: Maia
- family: Sabo
  given: Samantha
- family: Rothers
  given: Janet
- family: Wennerstrom
  given: Ashley
- family: de Zapien
  given: Jill Guernsey
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1007/s10900-008-9111-y
eissn: 1573-3610
files: []
issn: 0094-5145
journal: JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY HEALTH
keywords: 'Community Health Worker; Policy; Advocacy; Leadership; Health

  disparities'
keywords-plus: WOMEN; DISEASE; IMPACT
language: English
month: DEC
number: '6'
number-of-cited-references: '25'
orcid-numbers: Wennerstrom, Ashley/0000-0003-1888-0432
pages: 417-424
papis_id: 0ffd8434a338a92784a84070b8fa4803
ref: Ingram2008communityhealth
times-cited: '62'
title: 'Community Health Workers and Community Advocacy: Addressing Health Disparities'
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000259911100007
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '19'
volume: '33'
web-of-science-categories: Health Policy \& Services; Public, Environmental \& Occupational
  Health
year: '2008'