Eastside Village Health Worker Partnership

Funding Source:

CDC

  • 1st Cycle: $595,108 (Direct); 1995-99
  • 2nd Cycle: $1,017,163 (Direct); 1999-2003
Goals & Objectives:
To test a conceptual model of the stress process for understanding social determinants of health affecting women living in an urban community, using a community-based lay health advisor intervention.
Communities
Involved:

Eastside Detroit residents, primarily African American women and children. Approximately 6,000 households.

Partners:
  • Detroit Health Department
  • Eastside Parish Nurse Network
  • Friends of Parkside
  • Henry Ford Health System
  • Islandview Department Corporation
  • Village Health Workers
  • Warren/Conner Development Coalition
  • University of Michigan School of Public Health
Intervention:
Approximately 70 community members trained as volunteer VHWs provide education/advocacy for community residents with a focus on 5 priority areas: community-police relationships, child caregiver support, economic development, access to quality health care, and diabetes/CVD.
Outcome Indicators:
  • Individual level: raised knowledge re: community resources
  • Organizational level: raised agency coordination
  • Community level: lowered stressors (e.g., physical safety)
  • Policy level: raised knowledge about policy change and enforcement
Methods & Analyses:
  • Pre-post community survey of east side Detroit women (base-line '96 n=700; f/u '02, n=366)
  • In-depth interviews
  • Annual process questionnaires
  • Participant feedback
  • Field notes
  • Evaluation to assess partnership effectiveness
Results:
Baseline survey had 80% response rate. Findings (e.g., 36% of respondents concerned about police response time) used to identify priority areas for VHW intervention. F/U survey data analysis ongoing. Numerous basic research articles published from data.