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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Journal of Community Health

How Healthy Are Community Health Workers: Findings from a Chicago-Area Survey

  • Melissa Gutierrez-Kapheim1,2
  • Patricia Labellarte1
  • Meghan R. Fortune3
  • Adlaide Holloway1
  • Jessica Bishop-Royse4
  • Helen Margellos-Anast1
  • Molly Martin3
4 affiliations
  1. 1Sinai Urban Health Institute, Sinai Chicago, 1500 South Fairfield Avenue, Room K438, Chicago, IL 60608 USA
  2. 2School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
  3. 3Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL USA
  4. 4Department of Adult Health and Gerontological Nursing, Rush University College of Nursing, Chicago, IL USA
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Abstract

Community health workers (CHWs) are a growing and essential component of the U.S. healthcare workforce, yet little is known about their own health and well-being. The CHWs Our Work + Our Health Pilot Study administered a cross-sectional survey to a convenience sample of CHWs living and/or working in the Chicago metropolitan area. The survey assessed general health, chronic conditions, health behaviors, and mental health using validated, standardized measures. Prevalence estimates were compared to Chicago population data using two-proportion z-tests. The final analytic sample included 179 CHWs, predominantly female (85.5%), Hispanic (63.7%) or non-Hispanic Black (32.4%). CHWs reported significantly worse outcomes than the general Chicago population in general health, mental distress, emotional support, and sleep, while reporting lower rates of hypertension, obesity, and high cholesterol. Nearly one-third reported fair or poor health and nearly 40% reported inadequate emotional support. Economic hardship was substantial, with 35.9% earning below $25,000 annually and 61.9% delaying medical care due to cost. Chicago-area CHWs present a mixed but concerning health profile marked by significant mental health burden and economic precarity, underscoring the need for targeted employer and policy investments to sustain this essential workforce.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{gutierrezkapheim2026healthy,
  title = {{How Healthy Are Community Health Workers: Findings from a Chicago-Area Survey}},
  author = {Melissa Gutierrez-Kapheim and Patricia Labellarte and Meghan R. Fortune and Adlaide Holloway and Jessica Bishop-Royse and Helen Margellos-Anast and Molly Martin},
  journal = {Journal of Community Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.1007/s10900-026-01621-7},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-026-01621-7},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - How Healthy Are Community Health Workers: Findings from a Chicago-Area Survey
AU  - Melissa Gutierrez-Kapheim
AU  - Patricia Labellarte
AU  - Meghan R. Fortune
AU  - Adlaide Holloway
AU  - Jessica Bishop-Royse
AU  - Helen Margellos-Anast
AU  - Molly Martin
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/10
JO  - Journal of Community Health
DO  - 10.1007/s10900-026-01621-7
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-026-01621-7
AB  - Community health workers (CHWs) are a growing and essential component of the U.S. healthcare workforce, yet little is known about their own health and well-being. The CHWs Our Work + Our Health Pilot Study administered a cross-sectional survey to a convenience sample of CHWs living and/or working in the Chicago metropolitan area. The survey assessed general health, chronic conditions, health behaviors, and mental health using validated, standardized measures. Prevalence estimates were compared to Chicago population data using two-proportion z-tests. The final analytic sample included 179 CHWs, predominantly female (85.5%), Hispanic (63.7%) or non-Hispanic Black (32.4%). CHWs reported significantly worse outcomes than the general Chicago population in general health, mental distress, emotional support, and sleep, while reporting lower rates of hypertension, obesity, and high cholesterol. Nearly one-third reported fair or poor health and nearly 40% reported inadequate emotional support. Economic hardship was substantial, with 35.9% earning below $25,000 annually and 61.9% delaying medical care due to cost. Chicago-area CHWs present a mixed but concerning health profile marked by significant mental health burden and economic precarity, underscoring the need for targeted employer and policy investments to sustain this essential workforce.
SN  - 0094-5145
SN  - 1573-3610
ER  -