{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T12:32:00Z","timestamp":1786365120697,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786320000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786320000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000002","name":"National Institutes of Health","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["OT2HL158287"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["OT2HL158287"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000002","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Community Health"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>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\u2009+\u2009Our 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.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s10900-026-01621-7","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T12:01:37Z","timestamp":1786363297000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["How Healthy Are Community Health Workers: Findings from a Chicago-Area Survey"],"prefix":"10.1007","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7652-6960","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Melissa","family":"Gutierrez-Kapheim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Patricia","family":"Labellarte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Meghan R.","family":"Fortune","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adlaide","family":"Holloway","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jessica","family":"Bishop-Royse","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Helen","family":"Margellos-Anast","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Molly","family":"Martin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"1621_CR1","unstructured":"American Public Health Association Community Health Worker Section (n.d.). Community health workers. https:\/\/www.apha.org\/apha-communities\/member-sections\/community-health-workers"},{"issue":"8","key":"1621_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1540","DOI":"10.2105\/ajph.2013.301439","volume":"104","author":"SK Rothschild","year":"2014","unstructured":"Rothschild, S. K., Martin, M. A., Swider, S. M., et al. (2014). Mexican American trial of community health workers: A randomized controlled trial of a community health worker intervention for Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes mellitus. American Journal of Public Health, 104(8), 1540\u20131548. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2105\/ajph.2013.301439","journal-title":"American Journal of Public Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"1621_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1001\/jamainternmed.2014.6353","volume":"175","author":"J Krieger","year":"2015","unstructured":"Krieger, J., Song, L., & Philby, M. (2015). Community health worker home visits for adults with uncontrolled asthma: The HomeBASE Trial randomized clinical trial. JAMA Internal Medicine, 175(1), 109\u2013117. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1001\/jamainternmed.2014.6353","journal-title":"JAMA Internal Medicine"},{"issue":"8","key":"1621_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1580","DOI":"10.1158\/1055-9965.EPI-11-0276","volume":"20","author":"KJ Wells","year":"2011","unstructured":"Wells, K. J., Luque, J. S., Miladinovic, B., et al. (2011). Do community health worker interventions improve rates of screening mammography in the United States? A systematic review. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 20(8), 1580\u20131598. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1158\/1055-9965.EPI-11-0276","journal-title":"Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention"},{"issue":"4","key":"1621_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"535","DOI":"10.1001\/jamainternmed.2013.14327","volume":"174","author":"S Kangovi","year":"2014","unstructured":"Kangovi, S., Mitra, N., Grande, D., et al. (2014). Patient-centered community health worker intervention to improve posthospital outcomes: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(4), 535\u2013543. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1001\/jamainternmed.2013.14327","journal-title":"JAMA Internal Medicine"},{"issue":"2","key":"1621_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"280","DOI":"10.1089\/pop.2021.0376","volume":"25","author":"S Ignoffo","year":"2022","unstructured":"Ignoffo, S., Margellos-Anast, H., Banks, M., Morris, R., & Jay, K. (2022). Clinical integration of community health workers to reduce health inequities in overburdened and under-resourced populations. Population Health Management, 25(2), 280\u2013283. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1089\/pop.2021.0376","journal-title":"Population Health Management"},{"key":"1621_CR7","unstructured":"Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (n.d.). Community health workers. https:\/\/www.astho.org\/topic\/population-health-prevention\/healthcare-access\/community-health-workers\/"},{"key":"1621_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1461698","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2025.1461698","volume":"16","author":"R Alhajaji","year":"2025","unstructured":"Alhajaji, R., Alfahmi, M. Z., Alshaikhi, S. A., et al. (2025). The influence of workplace stressors on the risk of cardiovascular diseases among healthcare providers: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16, 1461698. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyt.2025.1461698","journal-title":"Frontiers in Psychiatry"},{"key":"1621_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1197","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm7244e1","volume":"72","author":"JA Nigam","year":"2023","unstructured":"Nigam, J. A., Barker, R. M., Cunningham, T. R., Swanson, N. G., & Chosewood, L. C. (2023). Vital signs: Health worker\u2013perceived working conditions and symptoms of poor mental health \u2014 Quality of Worklife Survey, United States, 2018\u20132022. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 72, 1197\u20131205. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15585\/mmwr.mm7244e1","journal-title":"Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report"},{"key":"1621_CR10","unstructured":"Rosenthal, E., Menkin, P., & St. John, J. (2018). The community health worker core consensus (C3) project: A report of the C3 project phase 1 and 2, together leaning toward the sky. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. https:\/\/0d6c00fe-eae1-492b-8e7d-80acecb5a3c8.filesusr.com\/ugd\/7ec423_2b0893bcc93a422396c744be8c1d54d1.pdf"},{"key":"1621_CR11","unstructured":"Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024). Occupational employment and wages, May 2024: 21-1094 community health workers. U.S. Department of Labor. https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/oes\/current\/oes211094.htm"},{"key":"1621_CR12","unstructured":"Kollar, M., & Scherer, Z. (2025). Income in the United States: 2024 (Current Population Reports, P60-286). U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Government Publishing Office."},{"issue":"12","key":"1621_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1964","DOI":"10.2105\/ajph.2017.304096","volume":"107","author":"S Sabo","year":"2017","unstructured":"Sabo, S., Allen, C. G., Sutkowi, K., & Wennerstrom, A. (2017). Community health workers in the United States: Challenges in identifying, surveying, and supporting the workforce. American Journal of Public Health, 107(12), 1964\u20131969. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2105\/ajph.2017.304096","journal-title":"American Journal of Public Health"},{"key":"1621_CR14","unstructured":"Rosenthal, E. L. (1998). The final report of the national community health advisor study. https:\/\/crh.arizona.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-04\/CAHsummaryALL.pdf"},{"key":"1621_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Chari, R., Chang, C. C., Sauter, S. L., Sayers, P., Huang, E. L., W., & Fisher, G. G. (2024). NIOSH worker well-being questionnaire (WellBQ) (DHHS [NIOSH] Publication No. 2021\u2009\u2013\u2009110, rev. ed). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.26616\/NIOSHPUB2021110revised052024","DOI":"10.26616\/NIOSHPUB2021110revised052024"},{"key":"1621_CR16","unstructured":"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Behavioral risk factor surveillance system survey questionnaire. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services."},{"issue":"3","key":"1621_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"283","DOI":"10.1093\/her\/3.3.283","volume":"3","author":"JF Sallis","year":"1988","unstructured":"Sallis, J. F., Pinski, R. B., Grossman, R. M., Patterson, T. L., & Nader, P. R. (1988). The development of self-efficacy scales for health-related diet and exercise behaviors. Health Education Research, 3(3), 283\u2013292. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/her\/3.3.283","journal-title":"Health Education Research"},{"key":"1621_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"690","DOI":"10.7326\/M16-0317","volume":"165","author":"J McNeely","year":"2016","unstructured":"McNeely, J., Wu, L., Subramaniam, G., et al. (2016). Performance of the Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription Medication, and Other Substance Use (TAPS) Tool for substance use screening in primary care patients. Annals of Internal Medicine, 165, 690\u2013699. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7326\/M16-0317","journal-title":"Annals of Internal Medicine"},{"issue":"4","key":"1621_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"348","DOI":"10.1370\/afm.1139","volume":"8","author":"B Arroll","year":"2010","unstructured":"Arroll, B., Goodyear-Smith, F., Crengle, S., et al. (2010). Validation of PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 to screen for major depression in the primary care population. Annals of Family Medicine, 8(4), 348\u2013353. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1370\/afm.1139","journal-title":"Annals of Family Medicine"},{"key":"1621_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.1016\/j.genhosppsych.2015.11.005","volume":"39","author":"F Plummer","year":"2016","unstructured":"Plummer, F., Manea, L., Trepel, D., & McMillan, D. (2016). Screening for anxiety disorders with the GAD-7 and GAD-2: A systematic review and diagnostic meta-analysis. General Hospital Psychiatry, 39, 24\u201331. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.genhosppsych.2015.11.005","journal-title":"General Hospital Psychiatry"},{"issue":"6","key":"1621_CR21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"655","DOI":"10.1177\/0164027504268574","volume":"26","author":"ME Hughes","year":"2004","unstructured":"Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2004). A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys: Results from two population-based studies. Research on Aging, 26(6), 655\u2013672. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0164027504268574","journal-title":"Research on Aging"},{"issue":"11","key":"1621_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2299","DOI":"10.1002\/jclp.23405","volume":"78","author":"ALC Williamson","year":"2022","unstructured":"Williamson, A. L. C., Stickley, M. M., Armstrong, T. W., Jackson, K., & Console, K. (2022). Diagnostic accuracy of the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) within a civilian primary care sample. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 78(11), 2299\u20132308. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/jclp.23405","journal-title":"Journal of Clinical Psychology"},{"issue":"5","key":"1621_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"668","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732310361892","volume":"20","author":"CL Woods-Giscomb\u00e9","year":"2010","unstructured":"Woods-Giscomb\u00e9, C. L. (2010). Superwoman schema: African American women\u2019s views on stress, strength, and health. Qualitative Health Research, 20(5), 668\u2013683. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1049732310361892","journal-title":"Qualitative Health Research"},{"key":"1621_CR24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11606-021-07278-3","author":"M Linzer","year":"2022","unstructured":"Linzer, M., McLoughlin, C., Poplau, S., Goelz, E., Brown, R., & Sinsky, C. (2022). The Mini Z worklife and burnout reduction instrument: Psychometrics and clinical implications. Journal of General Internal Medicine. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11606-021-07278-3","journal-title":"Journal of General Internal Medicine"},{"issue":"2","key":"1621_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"377","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbi.2008.08.010","volume":"42","author":"PA Harris","year":"2009","unstructured":"Harris, P. A., Taylor, R., Thielke, R., Payne, J., Gonzalez, N., & Conde, J. G. (2009). Research electronic data capture (REDCap): A metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 42(2), 377\u2013381. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jbi.2008.08.010","journal-title":"Journal of Biomedical Informatics"},{"key":"1621_CR26","unstructured":"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2026, April 5). PLACES. https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/places"},{"key":"1621_CR27","unstructured":"StataCorp. (2023). Stata statistical software: Release 18. StataCorp LLC."},{"key":"1621_CR28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0188418","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0188418","volume":"12","author":"SL Brand","year":"2017","unstructured":"Brand, S. L., Coon, J. T., Fleming, L. E., Carroll, L., Bethel, A., & Wyatt, K. (2017). Whole-system approaches to improving the health and wellbeing of healthcare workers: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 12, e0188418. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0188418","journal-title":"PLOS ONE"},{"key":"1621_CR29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2247","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2702.2012.04213.x","volume":"21","author":"CW Chan","year":"2012","unstructured":"Chan, C. W., & Perry, L. (2012). Lifestyle health promotion interventions for the nursing workforce: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21, 2247\u20132261. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1365-2702.2012.04213.x","journal-title":"Journal of Clinical Nursing"},{"key":"1621_CR30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Achore, M., Hackett, M., & Ramirez, T. (2026). Preventing burnout: Community health worker perspectives on professional development and emotional labor overload \u2014 A qualitative descriptive study. PLOS ONE, 21(4). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0346430. Article e0346430.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0346430"},{"issue":"8 Pt 1","key":"1621_CR31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1055","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.85.8_Pt_1.1055","volume":"85","author":"A Witmer","year":"1995","unstructured":"Witmer, A., Seifer, S. D., Finocchio, L., Leslie, J., & O\u2019Neil, E. H. (1995). Community health workers: Integral members of the health care work force. American Journal of Public Health, 85(8 Pt 1), 1055\u20131058. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2105\/AJPH.85.8_Pt_1.1055","journal-title":"American Journal of Public Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"1621_CR32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2006.100842","volume":"98","author":"LM Perez","year":"2008","unstructured":"Perez, L. M., & Martinez, J. (2008). Community health workers: Social justice and policy advocates for community health and well-being. American Journal of Public Health, 98(1), 11\u201314. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2105\/AJPH.2006.100842","journal-title":"American Journal of Public Health"}],"container-title":["Journal of Community Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s10900-026-01621-7.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s10900-026-01621-7","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s10900-026-01621-7.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T12:01:43Z","timestamp":1786363303000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/s10900-026-01621-7"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]]},"references-count":32,"alternative-id":["1621"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10900-026-01621-7","relation":{},"ISSN":["0094-5145","1573-3610"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0094-5145","type":"print"},{"value":"1573-3610","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]]},"assertion":[{"value":"4 July 2026","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"24 July 2026","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"10 August 2026","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","label":"Competing Interests","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"Electronic informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to enrollment.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","label":"Consent to Participate","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"Participants provided consent for publication of their data in aggregate form.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","label":"Consent for Publication","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the NIH.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","label":"Disclaimer","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"This study was approved by the Chicago Area Institutional Review Board (#2025\u2009\u2212\u20090891).","order":5,"name":"Ethics","label":"Ethics Approval","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}}]}}